Tredarius Lassiter, Master of Public Health Candidate, Class of 2024 President, Department of Public Health Practice Student Association (DPHPSA)

What inspired you to pursue public health as a profession?
Witnessing the disparities in health outcomes for underserved communities, coupled with the rise of chronic diseases, helped fuel my passion for public health. It’s evident that our healthcare system needs to be more equitable, and many communities lack access to crucial health education. However, the thing that really triggered me was the surprising gap that exists even within the medical field regarding public health’s role. I often hear from students and people who work in healthcare practice, ‘So what is public health, and how does it connect to my work?’ This is what made me want to go even further in Public Health, because the truth is, public health is the foundation for a healthy society. It tackles issues beyond individual patients, focusing on preventing illnesses and promoting well-being for entire populations. Public health professionals work alongside healthcare providers to create a comprehensive system of care. By understanding the social determinants of health, public health informs better treatment plans and empowers communities to take charge of their well-being. In essence, a strong public health system is the backbone that supports all healthcare professions in achieving their goals.

Why Meharry?
Meharry has always been a dream school of mine. I chose to pursue my graduate studies at Meharry, because as someone who’s always been driven to serve my community, Meharry Medical College stood out as the ideal choice for my graduate studies. Their legacy of empowering minorities in healthcare deeply resonated with me. Throughout my journey, I’ve craved opportunities to make a real difference and bridge health disparities in underserved communities. Meharry’s curriculum perfectly aligns with that desire, offering knowledge and experiences specifically tailored to tackling these crucial issues.

But it wasn’t just the academics that drew me to Meharry. I thrive in supportive, collaborative learning environments that foster growth. Meharry’s reputation as a diverse and welcoming space truly appealed to me. It felt like a place where I wouldn’t just be a student, but a valued member of a community with shared goals. The strong alumni network was another big draw. Having access to mentorship and career advice from established public health and healthcare professionals felt invaluable, and knowing they’d been in my shoes was incredibly motivating. Ultimately, Meharry offered the perfect blend of academic excellence, a supportive environment, and a focus on real-world impact – everything I was looking for to propel my education and allow me to make a meaningful difference in the healthcare field.

What should every student experience while attending Meharry?
I feel like every student who attends Meharry should experience the wealth of opportunities available to learn, grow, and engage in the academic and local communities and we as students should take advantage of every single of them. Every student should make sure that while they’re in attendance that they utilize the opportunity to gain Research experience, leadership skills, community service, and build mentor and peer relationships. For me, serving as the President of DPHPSA this year has been nothing short of rewarding for me. It gave me an opportunity to expand my leadership skills, but also to be given an opportunity to work with other leaders who are in the same field and are like-minded. It showed me how to navigate through situations and know that just because we are all in the same career field that we all don’t think the same and still have differences. I also stand strongly by establishing those peer and professional relationships, because while you may just look at someone as just your classmate, they are essentially someone who is like-minded and going down the same career path as you. You never can know when you all may need each other again or if there will be opportunities down the road into each other’s professional careers where you could possibly work together, do research together, or maybe even hire one another. So I’ll say to anyone who attends Meharry, embrace every opportunity that comes your way; you never know where the road may lead you.