Bianca Belcher, PA-C, MPH'10
National Director of Bundled Payments for Steward Healthcare NetworkThe Dartmouth Institute’s Class of 2019 'Called to do Great Things' in Healthcare
On June 7, a remarkable group of 93 healthcare influencers joined the ranks of Dartmouth alumni as The Dartmouth Institute celebrated its MPH, MS, and PhD graduates of the Class of 2019. The students, spanning a variety of backgrounds as clinicians, research analysts, incoming medical students, and healthcare professionals, were hooded and awarded their diplomas during the Institute’s annual Class Day ceremony.
In their new roles as alumni, the graduates were called upon to use their Dartmouth Institute training to drive necessary change in health and healthcare.
"I have no doubt that solutions to some of healthcare’s most pressing problems are already percolating in your minds right now," keynote speaker and alumna Bianca Belcher, PA-C, MPH '10 advised the graduates. "You must say 'yes' to move them from thought, to action, to change."
Belcher, the national director of bundled payments for Steward Healthcare Network, also highlighted what it means for the graduates to be part of 'The Dartmouth Institute Family.'
"You are now part of a key group set out to influence change in every arm of the healthcare industry. Whether it be in clinical, administrative, political, or community-based work, you are now an influencer."Logan Seely, the student speaker from the Institute’s on-campus programs, reminded graduates that no matter the challenges they might face, they will always have a powerful alumni network to lean on.
"Know that you have this incredibly compassionate and supportive community to turn to – individually, each of us will certainly create a positive change for the worlds we choose to work and live in, but together, we will brighten the darkest valleys and summit the greatest mountains."
Dawn Zieger, the student speaker from the Institute’s online MPH graduating class, shared how she sees her classmates' talents "as beautiful tapestries of unique skills and abilities" that they have helped to develop in each other.
"It's time to replicate our gifts and abilities with those who are put into your life. You have been equipped for a purpose. There are patients who need your skills to advocate and lead change on their behalf. There are colleagues who need your abilities to help strengthen their work. You are called to do great things!"
The Class Day ceremony also recognized student accomplishments, including:
Internship Awards (and their project and field sites)
- Stephanie Kelly – Developing systems of care for non-traumatic dental conditions (NTDC) in the Upper Valley | New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- Logan Seely – Community Assessment Implementation: Strengthening Families | Mount Ascutney Hospital
- Camille Harris – Matters Most Study: Observer Option5 and CollaboRATE Data Analysis | Dartmouth Institute Preference Lab
- Rachel Albright – Inpatient vs. Outpatient Total Ankle Replacement Surgery: A Meta-Analysis | Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Bedford
- Kathleen Stewart – Antibiotic Prescribing Support Pilot Tool for D-HH Ambulatory Sites | Dartmouth-Hitchcock
MPH and MS Capstone Awards (and their project titles)
- Rachel Albright – A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Charcot Reconstruction, Transtibial Amputation and Lifetime Bracing for Adults with Midfoot Charcot Arthropathy
- Stephanie Kelly – Integrated Oral Health Services for Adults with Substance Use Disorder in New Hampshire: A Pilot Study Proposal
- Briana Krewson – Bridging gaps between food insecurity, local food access, and agricultural policy in the American food network: A pilot study in Pennsylvania
- Kathleen Stewart – Guideline-concordant Antibiotic Prescribing in the Outpatient Setting: Variation Between Clinics in a Hospital System
- Greg Williams – The Impact of Current Legislation on the Prevalence of Defensive Medicine
Practicum Awards (and their project and field sites)
- Liza Catucci – Overdiagnosis among Patients with the Clinical Diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) | VA Puget Sound Health Care System
- Stoddard Davenport – Exploring the Complex Roles of Social Determinants of Health, Prescription Opioid Supply, and Geospatial Effects in the U.S. Opioid Overdose Epidemic | Milliman
- Kirby Wycoff – The Phenomena of Motherhood among Young Black Mothers: Exploring the Role of Trauma, Resilience, and Structural Oppression | PolicyLab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Henry Masters Award
Established in 2010 in memory of Dartmouth Institute student Henry Masters, this award honors students who are "continuing to carry Henry's torch" with making a lasting difference in health and healthcare, especially for underserved populations.
- Karin Pivaral
- Lamar Polk
Dartmouth Institute Leadership Awards
Sponsored by Kofi Cash MS ’01, this award recognizes students for their leadership skills and their capability to provide meaningful leadership in the most vulnerable markets across the United States.
- Briana Krewson
- Will Erickson
Delta Omega Honorary Public Health Society inductees:
- Brittany Comunale
- Reid Plimpton
- Lamar Polk
- Rachel Albright
- Nirali Chauhan
- Briana Krewson
- Nivethitha Manohar
- Logan Seely
- Stacey Schott
Class Day Student Speakers:
- Logan Seely
- Dawn Zieger
Class Day Student Marshals:
- Samuel Verkhovsky
- Helen MacGregor
Commencement Student Marshal:
- Kirby Wycoff