Lin Ammar MPH ’21: Working with the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Opportunities for Health Improvement
by David Cohen
Vanderbilt students in the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) Program reflected on perseverance despite complications with COVID-19. Lin Ammar ’21, a student in the Epidemiology track, was able to stay active during the year full of quarantining and stress.
Ammar participated in the Region IV Pathways to Practice Scholars Field Placement Program which provides an opportunity for current public health students to gain practical experience working with seasoned public health practitioners (mentors) serving or working on behalf of underserved communities or populations.
Ammar was placed in the Office of Strategic Initiatives at the Tennessee Department of Health (T.D.H.) with J.W. Randolph (V.U. M.P.H. ’18). The county health council exists in 39 counties throughout Tennessee and works to provide local representation of issues and needs for residents. The Office of Strategic Initiatives also works to develop policies with various health departments to help support overall well-being in Tennessee populations.
During her experience with the Office of Strategic Initiatives at T.D.H., Ammar had several responsibilities. “I supported the office with county heath council resources. (I) analyzed data submitted by the council and developed a document to help inform the council on steps to address income equality during COVID-19,” said Ammar.
According to Ammar, “The council is required to submit a 3-year action plan, submit a survey, and select 3 priorities that each committee in the T.D.H. would like to focus on in Tennessee, such as youth obesity and drug overdose… I worked on an assessment report, performed qualitative analysis for my office’s survey, and supported day to day activities,” said Ammar.
Ammar noted the internship appealed to her because of its mission to support health councils and the planning of interventions. “I was able to learn a lot from team members and learn skills for infographics, using software like Tableau to analyze daily COVID reports.” She also notes that Vanderbilt M.P.H. program has influenced her career trajectory, “the practicum meetings have been very helpful for narrowing down my (internship) searches and making connections. The M.P.H. program also offers a career development series for skills like developing an elevator pitch that I was really thankful for.”
Quotes have been edited for clarity and length.