Lauren Bell

What inspired you to study public health?

I have always had a passion for Public Health, and saw the onset of the pandemic as an excellent time to dive deeper into the field. I found that there were not many people that looked like me, or had my background, studying my concentration, nutrition, and felt it was the perfect opportunity to fill that space. I find education to be at the forefront of so much good that can be done in public health and being able to go back and share what I am learning was a big push for me to be in public health.

What has been the single most rewarding experience of your career/studies so far?

It’s been amazing to see how much I can help educate my fellow peers in other fields, and also my community on public health issues, and specifically issues concerning food access in the United States. It’s also been really amazing to educate people, in general, about nutrition from an anti-diet lens and having amazing feedback from people who feel like they’ve learned so much simply from following things I share on social media!

Advice:

I would say do not be afraid to ask questions and really dive deeper into a topic. No one is an expert when they start out, and coming to a new field with grace and patience is the best way to learn!

What do you think is the biggest challenge that the public health field should be focusing on?

I would say the lack of knowledge and lack of access. First, the lack of knowledge on what public health is, and how it can positively impact the healthcare community. Oftentimes, people do not actually know what public health professionals can do, or how they can help, which can be further detrimental to addressing issues within the public health field. Second, lack of access, I think encompasses many issues, but particularly access to adequate treatment and healthcare.