The Dartmouth MPH Journey for Cecilia Wu Offers Opportunities to Design Physical Therapy Interventions for Minority Older Adults

Cecilia, what about Dartmouth's MPH program made you feel like it would be the right fit, right now in the evolution of your career? 

As a physical therapist, I encounter patients with multiple barriers including cognitive impairments, addictions, social isolation, and poor access to quality care. Many of these problems are systemic. While my work experience teaches me how to care for patients on an individual level, I need to gain more knowledge and skills to effectively impact patients at a larger population scale. One of my mentors advised that I apply to Dartmouth's hybrid program based on both the program’s reputation and structure. The combination of Dartmouth's emphasis on health services research and its flexible learning structure gives me the opportunity to continue working, care for my son, and pursue my dreams.

What are some of the areas you’re most interested in learning more about/investigating at Dartmouth?

I want to understand and learn how to address healthcare disparities. Because my background is primarily clinical, I have a lot to learn about healthcare economics and health policy – important areas less familiar to me which have high impact on the accessibility and quality of healthcare.

Where do you want to influence change in public health and healthcare?

I am very interested in investigating barriers to care for minority older adults, especially those with disabilities and/or at risk for falls, living in the Boston and Greater Boston area. Specifically, I want to research how physical therapy interventions may improve their quality of life at a lower cost.

POSTED 9/9/2019 AT 01:39 PM IN #mph online