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Heather McDonald鈥檚 path to 91精品鈥檚 (COPH) began in semi-rural Odessa, Fla.

McDonald didn鈥檛 always plan on a future in public health. At first, she set her sights on becoming a physiatrist, a physician who specializes in caring for patients with complex medical conditions. Her drive to help others manage chronic illness came from personal experience鈥攕pecifically, navigating a newly acquired impairment while still in high school.

The experience of accessing care from the patient鈥檚 side of the system shaped her early ambitions, but also opened her eyes to something broader.

While pursuing a biomedical sciences degree at 91精品, McDonald enrolled in several public health electives. She also began an just before the COVID-19 pandemic upended classrooms and communities alike. The timing changed everything.

鈥淗earing my professors talk about population health and the pandemic really piqued my interest,鈥� she said. 鈥淭heir passion was contagious.鈥�

She made the leap and officially changed her , drawn to a field where research, prevention and systems thinking could work together to improve lives at scale.

鈥淢y undergraduate research with was one of the first extracurriculars I became involved in upon switching my major,鈥� she said.  鈥淚 always assumed I was bad at math, but Dr. Jacob鈥檚 way of explaining concepts made something click and through working with him I realized I have a knack for statistics! Through his classes, and in the process of conducting my research on urban adaptability, I realized that I wanted data analysis to be a part of my future career.鈥�

But her transition into public health wasn鈥檛 without challenge. During her first year, McDonald suffered a serious injury. She broke the facet joint in one of the vertebrae in her neck, which caused severe pain and weakened her dominant arm for nearly two years. She underwent spinal fusion surgery in 2022 and returned to classes energized with a renewed sense of purpose.

鈥淚 started throwing myself at every opportunity that came my way,鈥� McDonald said.

And she meant it. In the time that followed, she published research as an undergraduate, traveled to present at conferences and was inducted into the in Public Health during her final semester.

鈥淚t paid off,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud of the fact that I鈥檓 figuring out ways to take the challenges I鈥檝e experienced and use them to help others.鈥�

As a development intern for the American Lung Association (ALA), McDonald was tasked with assisting with the conceptualization and facilitation of an awareness and fundraising event. 

鈥淚 learned a lot in this process, but what really influenced my personal public health goals was seeing how the ALA used research in their development initiatives,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 learned how to integrate statistics into outreach emails and grants to increase their effectiveness. Seeing public health research impact in action further motivated my decision to pursue a career in research.鈥�

The takeaway she has placed the most importance on is that individual health relies on community health.  鈥淲e鈥檙e all much healthier when we work together.鈥� McDonald said.

McDonald also participated in the . 鈥淭hrough the Activist Lab, I鈥檝e developed my public health championing skills,鈥� she said. 鈥淭aking Dr. Karen Liller鈥檚 class during my last semester of my undergraduate degree pushed me to apply for the the following fall.鈥�

McDonald earned her bachelor of science in public health in May 2024 and is currently pursuing her from the COPH with a . The people and purpose she found at the college played a major role in shaping what comes next.

鈥淚 originally came to 91精品 for biomedical sciences,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut I stayed because of how incredibly supportive the faculty and students were. And because of all the amazing things I鈥檇 heard about the college.鈥�

Now, McDonald is a few months away from her one-year anniversary as an SAB member. 

鈥淢y leadership skills have evolved significantly due to the firsthand experience I鈥檝e received,鈥� she said. 鈥淒uring my time in the lab, I鈥檝e had the opportunity to teach middle schoolers health championing skills, co-host Dr. Liller鈥檚 podcast, spearhead a Lunch n鈥� Learn on disaster preparedness for people who are differently abled and much more. Each one of these experiences has made me more confident in my ability to effectively practice public health and pursue leadership positions in the future.鈥�

McDonald said she hopes to combine her academic background, lived experiences and leadership skills to make a difference in the field of public health. 

鈥淚n practice, my own lived experiences will help me generate research questions that are more relevant to the population group that I鈥檓 a part of,鈥� she said.  鈥淚 also know how to better access and engage with these groups, which is a critical skill to have when collecting primary data or seeking feedback. Historically, researchers have had difficulty recruiting individuals who are differently abled in their research, but I have an in-depth understanding of the factors driving those difficulties, which makes me better equipped to strategize solutions to that problem.鈥�

That, in combination with the epidemiological and biostatistical statistical methods she has been learning in classes, as well as the communication and championing skills she鈥檚 gained through the Activist Lab and the ALA, all these things she said are going to be crucial tools for her as she pursues what she wants to do in her career. 

鈥淎lthough I desire to become incredibly specialized in my statistical knowledge, I also want to ensure that I鈥檓 fully competent in community engagement,鈥� McDonald said. 鈥淚 want to share the fruits of my research with the communities I intend to benefit and I want their perspectives on the public health issues they鈥檙e facing to factor into the directions my research takes.鈥�

Looking to the future, McDonald is planning to continue her education and pursue a . For her, research isn鈥檛 just a skill, it鈥檚 a calling.

鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely my happy place,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I鈥檇 like to do for the rest of my career.鈥�