Environmental health issues are present in our everyday lives, and I am committed to improving the environment in which we live, globally. Most recently, I realized that in order to make a difference on environmental issues, all I need are simple tools. This realization inspired me to become involved with APHA’s International Health Student Committee (IHSC). In this committee, I can promote and increase awareness about important international health issues including, environmental health, among students interested in the field. To accomplish these goals, I use tools such as advertising and blog-writing. I help design flyers to advertise IHSC’s initiatives, some of which include educating students on how to address environmental health issues through our CareerTalk series. I am writing this blog to encourage you to attend our upcoming webinar!
During my final year in the Doctor of Pharmacy program in 2012, I had the opportunity to address an environmental health issue. As part of Our Earth Foundation, a non-profit organization, I helped with the “Clean Up the Baltic Sea” Campaign. The campaign raised awareness about the waste getting dumped into the sea and called for a halt on the dumping. I was responsible for calling government and non-governmental organizations in these countries to ask for their support with our campaign. The only tools I had for this task were a telephone and phone records! These organizations could support the “Clean Up the Baltic Sea” Campaign with cash donations or by spreading the word to other environmental health organizations within their country. As part of the public relations team, I also helped designed posters and flyers to motivate the use of green transportation methods like bike riding, carpooling, and using the metro to commute in order to reduce pollutions that were adversely affecting the Baltic Sea. For these info-graphics, all I used were a computer and a few software programs (i.e. PhotoShop, MS Publisher, and MS PowerPoint). I have learned that the earlier I start adding public health tools to my box, the greater the impact I will have on future generations.
The campaign tools I used as an environmental health advocate to address environmental issues affecting the Baltic Sea are analogous to those I currently use at IHSC in order to increase awareness about global health problems. I encourage you to find your tools to help address global and environmental health issues!
Next week’s webinar should be your first step. I’m excited for IHSC’s, #IHCareerTalks with Hesperian Health Guides’ Executive Director, Sarah Shannon, the same organization that gave us “Where there is no Doctor”. Sara Shannon, also the IH section secretary, will be a guest speaker in this interactive webinar series about global health issues and careers. Mrs. Shannon will share her intriguing life story and discuss practical tools that newly minded public health professionals should know in order to support their work in under-served communities around the globe.
Join our #IHCareerTalks webinar on Tuesday, October 7th, from 7:25 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. EDT. (RSVP ends on 10/6 @ 5 p.m. EDT)
RSVP – http://goo.gl/9jh3Fn
See you all then!
Hung Lee, PharmD
APHA-SA Website Committee Co-Chair
If you have any questions about the International Health Student Committee or would like to share your own experiences with other likeminded students, don’t hesitate to email us at: apha.ihsc@gmail.com.
IH CONNECT 