Pulse on Public Health

HPHR Fellow Priya Vedula

By Priya Vedula

Priya Vedula

Priya Vedula is a first-year medical student at the California University of Science and Medicine (CUSM). She attained her Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan and her Master of Public Health from Columbia University. Her leadership roles in school include President of the Physicians for Human Rights Interest Group, Vice President of the Research Interest Group, elected American Medical Association (AMA) Delegate for CUSM, and the San Bernardino County Medical Society Student Delegate.

 

Priya also holds leadership roles in the community as the Vice President of Communications of the American Association of University Women, Redlands Branch, Board Member of the Friends of Prospect Park, Youth Leader Appointed Council of the Southern California Air Quality Management District, and Appointed Youth Leader of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) of the Inland Empire. In her free time, Priya enjoys singing and was a Season 13 American Idol Finalist. She lives with her husband in Redlands, California.

Blogs by Priya Vedula

. I imagined my first year full of scrubs, white coats, dissections, late nights at the library, and lots of new friends. Unfortunately, these experiences were not in the cards for many of us entering our first year of medical school in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.

Our student group partners with local nursing students to provide a range of services to individuals who receive free hot meals from a local non-profit. We set up tents and tables in the patio area where we check vitals, take blood glucose readings, care for wounds, and provide hygiene items such as masks, hand sanitizers, and sunscreen.

It seems that the key question is not whether we can or cannot mandate; rather, it is whether we should. It seems peculiar that many prominent people who are vaccinated or who understand the importance of the vaccine are choosing to either stay silent about it or actively oppose it.

While it seems that most authorities are heading in the direction of mandates, there are many that are pushing back.

What exactly does a single-payer healthcare system look like? By definition, a single payer healthcare system is a system in which there is a single public agency that handles the financing of healthcare for all residents. Assembly Bill 1400 would establish a system known as CalCare that would expand coverage to all Californians and include long-term care, dental care, mental health care, and prescription coverage.

The health of a democracy is intricately tied to the health of the community and voting rights must be viewed as a public health issue. Since 1988, the National Academy of Medicine (formerly known as the Institute of Medicine), has called upon public health professionals to advocate for conditions that directly affect the health of people, including voting

“We don’t need more moments of silence to honor the memory of those who have been killed. We need to honor their memory by preventing a need for such moments.”

The South Coast Air Quality Management District passed the ISR recently. What is it, why was it needed, and what is its importance? Read on to find out.

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