From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to help people. Sociology at Bowdoin College has really exemplified ways in which I can make my dream a reality. Social Epidemiology in my sophomore year spiked my interest in health inequities and allostatic load (toxic stress from oppression and other social factors, which is physiologically manifested into poor health outcomes). I was connected with Bowdoin Alumna ’04, Dr. Amanda Burrage, MD, MPH, who is a pediatrician and leader of the Epidemic Response Team at Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation (TCRHCC) in Northern Arizona on the Navajo Nation. I accepted the opportunity for an internship with Dr. Burrage and quickly came to love and appreciate Arizona and the ancestral land of Indigenous Americans. I worked as a student intern at TCRHCC for the Epidemic Response Team and led several virtual seminars on COVID-19 Infection Prevention Control Techniques. I also created many special connections with others that I will always hold close to my heart. As a privileged, white individual, I have struggled with how to properly find my place in this project and further pursuits. But this is a start. And I am thankful for this journey I am on to make the world a healthier and more equitable place.
Thank you for taking the time to visit my page. If you have any questions or would like to chat, please email me at [email protected].
All the best,
Elizabeth