I am incredibly grateful to have participated in the Maternal and Child Health Leadership Training Program (LTP) this year. I learned so much from the different sessions and from the other members of the program. For example, the sessions on artificial intelligence were very engaging. Everyone had drastically different perspectives on how AI will impact society in the short term and in the long term, and our discussion opened my mind to a lot of possibilities that I hadn’t considered yet. Being in such a receptive and trusting environment helped everyone be candid about their hopes and fears, which is critical for having a lively discussion. The mock Hill Day was also very helpful. The guests that came in brought so much experience from their work in public policy, and practicing the new skills we had learned will make my Hill Day visit next year more effective.
I chose to become a physician assistant because I want to help patients one-on-one, and I chose to pursue a Master of Public Health degree because I wanted to effect change beyond the individual level. However, it can take a lot to create long-lasting positive changes for everyone. It takes teamwork, strong communication, perseverance, leadership, and more. The LTP has been an incredible resource for developing these skills, and I am excited to see how I can apply them after graduation.