Dartmouth Institute MPH Student Spotlight: Karin Pivaral

Karin Pivaral’s career in healthcare was ‘born’ in the U.S. Army. Pivaral enlisted in the Army soon after graduating from high school, and she earned a college degree as an active duty soldier. After earning a B.A., she commissioned as an army medical operations officer—the Army equivalent of a healthcare administrator. After holding a number of positions within the Army, Pivaral’s career as an active duty officer culminated with her serving as a medical troop commander supervising 90 medical personnel supporting 3,000 soldiers in the U.S. Army base in Vilseck, Germany. 

After leaving active duty, Pivaral returned stateside and enrolled in the University of Oklahoma where she earned an M.A. in international relations. Her next stop was San Diego, California, where she completed a Pathways internship at the Department of Homeland Security’s San Diego Field Office. The Pathways program is designed to provide training and career development opportunities for individuals who are at the beginning of their federal service careers. An interest in public health and health policy next led Pivaral to The Dartmouth Institute, where in addition to being a full-time student, she also serves as the chief health services officer for a medical support unit in the Army Reserves.

Areas of Interest:

• Tools to better understand and ameliorate health inequities, including a deeper understanding how we can improve health outcomes through a better understanding of the social determinants of health

Dartmouth Institute Deliverables:

• Tools to be successful in a career in public health—both analyzing and shaping public health policy 

POSTED 9/4/2018 AT 12:32 PM IN #mph on-campus