Undergrad aspires to be a ‘changemaker’ in health care
Meet Snehil Pulluri, a third-year student majoring in public health sociology who aims for a public sector career focused on improving health outcomes through policy reform and advocacy.
What inspired you to pursue a public health education?
Perhaps because of pressure from my peers, parents and the broader Indian community, I grew up thinking I would go to medical school and become a physician. This really started to change when I took an advanced placement government class in high school and began to realize that I can be a changemaker for the health care field in other ways.
Majoring in public health was the best pathway for me to learn and apply the determinants and dimensions of health that go unnoticed in the discourse that many pre-health students are exposed to.
What public health topics interest you the most?
My favorite public health class that I have taken was United States and International Health Care. This class taught me the value of an internationally competent lens regarding health systems and policy creation, which I have enjoyed studying ever since. Beyond this, I really enjoy learning about health equity, cultural competence and harm reduction. I have immersed myself in the issue of homelessness, which is a topic that combines many of these interests.
What has been the most impactful part of your time at the College of Public Health?
I really appreciate being a part of a college that makes such a massive university feel more intimate and connected. Seeing some familiar faces in my classes and getting guidance and mentorship from professors have contributed to a truly supportive learning community.
You are minoring in public policy analysis. How do you tie that in with public health?
It’s difficult not to tie what I learn in my public policy classes to public health. My minor has made it easier to approach public health topics and issues at a policy level and has grounded my public health passions with a sense of pragmatism. My public health coursework allows me to flex my critical thinking muscles toward solving health care issues, while my public policy classes relax them to the constraints of the real world.
What are your goals for the future?
Right now, I am focusing on applying to PhD programs in health outcomes research and policy evaluation studies. I hope to work in the public sector and improve health outcomes through health policy reform and advocacy. Specifically, I would like to work on Medicare policy and removing administrative barriers for chronic health conditions. Many past and current experiences helped me make this decision, including working on community tobacco prevention at Franklin County Public Health and my ongoing undergraduate research thesis under the guidance of Eric Seiber, director of the Center for HOPES.
What advice would you give to students considering majoring in public health?
The best piece of advice I can give to people is to not let outside pressures overwhelm your decision making. Get outside, get involved and see for yourself what you like. If you like what you’re exposed to, major in whatever best matches those interests.
