Students Opinionmakers Master the Op-Ed

At the end of their first semester, as a culmination of the Columbia Core, MPH students get the chance to integrate the concepts and skills they've learned by writing an op-ed. The assignment is an opportunity to advocate for public health for an external audience, offering clarity to a world plagued by misinformation. Among hundreds of op-eds written for this assignment, five standout examples are being published today.

“Communication is an essential component of effective public health practice," says Gabby Khawly, author of one of the five op-eds. “As students studying public health, we are taught some highly technical material. This assignment gave us the chance to distill these concepts and present them in a way the general public can understand.”

Anna Roh argues for prenatal care policies as a part of prison reform, integrating the notion that the health of pregnant individuals who are incarcerated must be safeguarded. 

Anthony Lanzillo writes in support of federally legal and covered puberty blockers for gender-questioning teens to improve mental well-being and ease future gender transitions. 

Sandra Yu calls for a universal electronic health record system to integrate interdisciplinary teams and improve healthcare provision across the nation. 

Gabby Khawly argues for the end of Title 42 in favor of evidence-based public health measures to ensure safe conditions and healthcare for refugees seeking asylum. 

Nina Owen-Simon calls for the inclusion of Critical Race Theory in medical training to improve the cultural humility of medical trainees.