Epidemiologists work in many different industries - from non-profits to government and even in private industries like pharmaceuticals, with each experience providing transferable knowledge and skills. What you'll hear in this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast is our conversation with Dr. Charlotte Hughes Huntley where she shares her motivation for launching one of the first independent public health podcasts, Public Health Epidemiology Conversations, in 2017 and her dedication to...

Epidemiologists are the eyes and ears of public health but not all careers unfold the same.  What you'll hear in this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast is our conversation with Dr. Charlotte Hughes Huntley about her discovery of public health and our journey into epidemiology. She discusses her academic pursuits, including her bachelor's degree in liberal arts and her Master's and PhD in public health.  Dr. Hundley also talks about her experience working in the pharmaceutical...

Approximately 115 people die every day in the United States from an opioid overdose, amounting to more than 400,000 deaths in the last two decades alone. The numbers are high, but we must never forget that there's a story behind every single number. Making progress in addressing this crisis requires systems thinking across a multitude of sectors and industries. What you’ll hear in this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast with Dr. Jennifer Loeffler-Cobia is: ◼️ The impact of slowly...

There are many stories out there about how the opioid crisis has now become one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. Some stories may be more accurate than others, but to get to the truth and truly understand the current opioid crisis, we must go back in time. What you'll hear in this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast is our conversation with Dr. Jennifer Loeffler-Cobia, where we develop a chronological timeline of the three waves of the modern opioid crisis in the...

The opioid crisis is as rampant as any other time in history and a lot of work remains to be done until we can feel the progress being made.  Every so often though, we have the privilege of meeting someone behind the work, someone who's committed a significant portion of their profession and of their lives to creating a world where the opioid epidemic is no more.  What you’ll hear in this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast is a captivating conversation with Dr. Jennifer...

What is the role of organizations, communities, and governments in making people happy and satisfied with their lives? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we conclude our conversation with Dr. Paul Dolan to have a discussion about: ◼️ The underrated power of conversations and challenging social norms.  ◼️ Designing workplaces that fosters a sense of belonging and purpose. ◼️ Governments playing more of a role in designing happier lives and its measurement through GDP and...

Can we define happiness simply as an algebraic equation with the feeling of happiness on one side and a variety of other variables on the other? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we continue the conversation with Dr. Paul Dolan about the determinants of happiness, why it's so challenging to measure it, the midlife crisis phenomenon, the opportunity costs of attention, exploring whether money truly makes you happy, and understanding social narratives and...

If you could have one thing, anything in the world, What would that be? Would it be money or would it be health, happiness, or some combination?   In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Paul Dolan to try and get to the bottom of all of this. Dr. Dolan is a Professor of Behavioral Sciences at the London School of Economics, with research interests mainly in human behavior, happiness, and the relationships between them. Before he was a professor though, he'd...

From getting bogged down in paperwork to saying no to bribes, Dr. Marc-David Munk spills it all on the Public Health Insight Podcast. In this final episode in the three-part series “Urgent Calls From Distant Places,” Dr. Munk highlights the shift in demographics of illness in Africa, stories involving intense emergency situations racing against the clock, the universal language of care, and when individual patient care conflicts with public health. Guest ◼️ Dr. Marc-David Munk, MD, MPH,...

How can the U.S. spend more per capita on healthcare than any other high-income country and still report such high levels of patient dissatisfaction?  In the second episode of a three-part series “Urgent Calls From Distant Places,” Dr. Munk discusses his decision to focus on healthcare administration to address the dysfunction, which he categorizes as a moral failure of healthcare. The conversation concludes with lessons he learned from the African healthcare system. Guest ◼️ Dr. Marc-David...

From the U.S. to Qatar, to East Africa, Dr. Marc-David Munk joins the Public Health Insight Podcast to share some captivating stories about his urgent calls from distant places. In this first episode of a three-part series “Urgent Calls From Distant Places,” Dr. Munk shares his journey from studying humanities to becoming an emergency physician and his experiences in Africa. He discusses his realizations about the dysfunction in the US healthcare system and how that has shaped his...

The Soondra Foundation provides cash grants to India's working poor during medical emergencies by partnering with local organizations on the ground to ensure funds are used effectively.  In the final episode of a three-part series “Medical Emergencies, Financial Catastrophes, & India’s Hope,” Gayayti shares how the foundation provides initial admission money to prevent financial catastrophes for families, the impact of the foundation to date, how she plans to reach more people in need,...

Many families in India are making difficult choices every day as a result of unplanned medical expenses, with the government relying on out-of-pocket costs to cover almost two-thirds of India’s healthcare expenditure. In the second episode of a three-part series “Medical Emergencies, Financial Catastrophes, & India’s Hope,” Gayatri discusses the importance of getting patients into the hospital and the financial challenges they face. She explains how The Soondra Foundation provides cash...

After a fulfilling 30-year career as a clinician, researcher, and professor, Gayatri wondered what was in store for her next chapter. That next chapter involved founding The Soondra Foundation, which provides immediate healthcare access to India's working poor during medical emergencies.  In this first episode of a three-part series “Medical Emergencies, Financial Catastrophes, & India’s Hope,” Gayayti shares the most memorable experiences from her life’s journey and the impetus behind...

From its importance in providing jobs and income to contributing to global GDP, the environment's connection to human and animal health can never be overstated.  In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we share a clip from our One Health Connect event hosted in 2021, where Doreen Robinson discusses the staggering impact of nature on human well-being and the urgency to adopt a true one health approach. Doreen is a conservation ecologist with over 25 years of experience and the...

“One thing which we have not been able to convey about antimicrobials is that it is a natural resource…just like your food, air, and water.” In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we share a clip from our One Health Connect event hosted in 2021, where Dr. Walia provides a comprehensive overview of the Indian experience with Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), shedding light on the initiatives undertaken by her organization and herself over the past two decades. Addressing the...

One Health is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely tied and connected to the health of animals and our shared environment.  In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we share a clip from our One Health Connect event hosted in 2021, where Dr. Sharon Deem, a world leading one health expert, shed light on the animal portion of this one health triad. In this snippet, she stressed that our planet is going through a heart attack and we need to treat it as a...

With the frequency and severity of pandemics likely becoming more severe in the future and communicable diseases like HIV, Malaria, Tuberculosis, and NTDs being out of sight and out of mind despite killing millions each year, this warrants a closer look. In this episode, we'll explore future pandemic threats and communicable diseases as monumental challenges, their impact on global citizens, contributing factors, concerns for the future, and how they are shaping our world. References In Our...

Season's greetings! Tune into this special holiday episode as the dream team comes together for a chit chat on some holiday and festive traditions, how we celebrate our cultures, and some public health knowledge sprinkled in between. Podcast Hosts ◼️ Gordon Thane, BMSc, MPH, PMP® ◼️ Leshawn Benedict, MPH, MSc, PMP® ◼️ Bindra Shah, BMSc, MPH ◼️ Purva Mehta, BMSc, MSc Subscribe to the Newsletter Subscribe to the newsletter so you don’t miss out on the latest podcast episodes, live events,...

Stand out in the interview by asking curious questions, not saying yes to the first job offer, and handling things when they don’t go your way are all things we cover in this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast. Tune in as we delve into: ◼️ What do do when the interviewers ask "Do you have any questions for us?" ◼️ Effective salary negotiation tactics, including anchoring bias, counteroffers, and the importance of market research in determining fair compensation. ◼️ Handling early...

Does privatized healthcare work? Can education alone level the playing field for chronic disease risk? Is AI an overall force of good in healthcare? Tune in to this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast as we explore these questions to uncover: ◼️ The impact of a private health insurance scheme on hospital waiting lists; ◼️ A study that shows that racial disparities remain after adjusting socioeconomic status; and  ◼️ Ethical concerns around the wide-scale integration of AI in...

Whether you’re the candidate or you’re on the panel, just about anything can happen in job interviews. Tune into this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast as we reflect on some amazing and cringeworthy moments that left a lasting impression: ◼️ Candidates dressing inappropriately for virtual interviews; ◼️ Candidates interviewing on their phone while walking; ◼️ Panel interviewers keeping their cameras off; ◼️ Candidates asking mistimed questions;  ◼️ Using strategic humour or jokes;...

How effective is taxing junk food, why you should visit loved ones more, and how work flexibility can prevent cardiovascular disease. These are all questions that we explore in this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast. Join us as we unravel these layers of public health, exploring the nuances that shape our well-being in unexpected ways. Articles Covered ◼️ Why taxing ‘junk food’ to tackle obesity isn’t as simple as it seems (The Conversation) ◼️ People never visited by loved...

What are the most surprising, cringeworthy, or proud interview experiences that you've ever been a part of? In this episode of the Public Health Insight podcast, we pull back the curtain to share unheard stories and lessons learned from both sides of the interview table including: Last-Minute Cancellations and ReschedulingNavigating Panel InterviewsInterview Testing and AssessmentsHumorous and Cringeworthy Interview Moments Podcast Hosts ◼️ Leshawn Benedict, MPH, MSc, PMP® ◼️  Gordon Thane,...