Student life

Students are trained to see health as unfolding in complex ecological systems.  They may measure the impact of individual choices on health, but they also ask questions about how societal factors, organizational culture, and public policy shape people’s decisions: When African Americans visit free local health clinics, how often do they say “no” to an HIV/AIDS test due to perceived racism? What kinds of policies would help change more of those “nos” to “yeses”? More broadly, what kinds of community efforts would help build trust between health care systems and African Americans?  This ecological perspective drives almost everything our students do. They learn how to conduct community-based participatory research. They cultivate close working relationships with one other, the faculty, and community partners in the U.S. and around the world. They offer leadership to the Student Health Action Coalition (the oldest student-run, free health clinic in the U.S.) and to area non-profits. Inside and outside of class, they strive to understand the lived experience of their community partners, to document that experience, and to help these groups advocate for needed services, research and policy. By changing environments, identifying and developing resources, and by raising people’s awareness about health issues, our students help improve the health of communities and institutions in them. Our students’ orientation towards “engaged scholarship” is everywhere visible. They travel as far as Tanzania (or stay as close as Carrboro, NC) to carry out research and internships; guest lecture in courses throughout the University; publish their findings in American Journal of Public Health, Tobacco Control, and Health and Place; and win recognition from many quarters for their leadership and ethical practice. More on our students’ accomplishments is available on the student research page and in the Student Recognition booklet. Incoming students, please see our student orientation page, written by students and containing information they wish they had known when planning their transition to Carolina.

Last updated June 18, 2008