About Mackenzie Simon Collins
Degree Program: BA/MSPH Area of Interest: Maternal, fetal and perinatal health. With certificates in Population Health, Adolescent Health, and Maternal and Child Health Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida Previous Degrees: Bachelor’s degree in Public Health Research and Behavioral Biology from Johns Hopkins University Fun Fact: I ride horses I love it. I grew up on a horse track in central Florida and was very excited to continue riding horses in college. I served as president of the Johns Hopkins Club Equestrian Team for two years.
How did you become interested in public health?
My interest in public health began in high school when I became interested in nutrition. I adopted a plant-based diet for its nutritional benefits, ethics, and concerns about climate change. At Johns Hopkins University, I learned how nutrition interacts with system-level factors such as social determinants of health. This led me to co-founding the Alternative Protein Project at Johns Hopkins University, publishing a manuscript in Site and Life, writing a business consulting report for noodle manufacturer Mondo Nissin, and working with Alt Protein CEO We also held a panel discussion with.
Why did you choose the Bloomberg School of Public Health?
As an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins, I truly enjoyed living in the Baltimore community and being part of the public health research ecosystem. When I thought about what I wanted to accomplish during my time before medical school, the Bloomberg School seemed like the perfect place to further develop my skills and expand my knowledge of maternal and reproductive health.
What led you to join the Ministry of Population, Family and Reproductive Health?
My interest in maternal and reproductive health began in January 2020 when I studied abroad in Uganda through the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. While there, I interviewed mothers about their reproductive and obstetric experiences. And I really enjoyed hearing the mothers’ stories from a global health perspective. In college, I further explored this interest through research and service opportunities. Highlights of my experience include researching monochorionic twins with Dr. Mara Rosner, researching necrotizing enterocolitis and breast milk with Dr. Jennifer Riedel, and clinical volunteering with the Violet Project.
What has been your favorite or most memorable experience at PFRH?
The “Clinical Aspects of Maternal and Neonatal Health” course taught by Dr. Pamela Donahue and Dr. Donna Strobino stands out as an unforgettable experience at PFRH. Their course was very interesting and reaffirmed my desire to practice as an obstetrician-gynecologist while participating in public health initiatives.
Please tell me about the field arrangement.
Two field placements have been completed. My first placement was at High Five Prenatal to Age 5 under the direction of Dr. Eliana Perrin. I am conducting a state analysis of the health care services available to children in Maryland for a future publication. I also help implement the program’s early childhood development services. My second placement was at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. For future publication, I am conducting qualitative research through interviews with key informants to better understand barriers and disparities in maternal health in Transylvania.
What do you want to do or achieve after graduation?
I plan to apply to medical school this summer. My goal is to practice as an obstetrician-gynecologist in an underserved area of Florida and use the public health training I received at BSPH to better understand my future patients and improve maternal, child, and reproductive health. Continuing public health research to address health disparities in healthcare.
