Public Health Leadership Scholars met with the Acting Surgeon General RADM Sylvia Trent-Adams in the Surgeon General's office.
Day Three was another exciting day filled with many events.
The day first started off with a presentation by the Office of Emergency Management (OEM). We met Don R. Boyce, director of OEM and Deputy Assistant Secretary for HHS/ASPR,along with Michael Vineyard, the Deputy Director of the OEM. They shared some of their experiences in the field and some of their best memories of HOSA conferences that they had attended.
Next on the agenda, we met the Acting Surgeon General, RADM Sylvia Trent- Adams, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. We were able to meet with her and hear her talk about her life and career. “The biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome was myself.” In response to some of our questions, the Surgeon General shared that the only factor of her life that has ever prevented her from advancing was restricting herself in her own box. By remembering that the only roadblocks to her success were self-imposed, she was able to move past them and reach where she is today. We felt that this was an important lesson for us to hear, as we move through our college and high school careers. Many of us are on the pre-med track, and we know that the difficulty and time we put in our educations can be discouraging. It is heartening to hear that someone as established and successful as the Surgeon General has once walked in the same shoes that we have.
Acting Surgeon General RADM Sylvia Trent-Adams speaking to Public Health Leadership Scholars about her career and answering questions about challenges she has faced.
After meeting with the Acting Surgeon General, we were pleased to talk with Tahlia Gousse, a HOSA alumna. Gousse currently works as a Senior Program Analyst with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) in the Public Health Preparedness Program, but earlier, Gousse was an active member and president of her high school HOSA chapter. After an introduction to the important work NACCHO performs in advocating, funding, and training county and city health officials, Gousse offered important advice to us who are all in or about to enter college. She stressed that college is for identifying your purpose and interests, and that one of the most imperative attributes to maintain in college and beyond is humility and respect for others. All of us were glad to be able to meet a HOSA alumna and see how HOSA has helped push her into her current career in public health.
Following lunch at the café of the National Museum of the American Indian, we heard from Dr. Joseph Annelli who serves as the One Health Coordinator at the USDA. Dr. Annelli provided a fascinating overview of his biography and spoke to the emphasis the USDA places on public health. We were all interested in the One Health approach to medicine as it teaches that humans, animals, and the environment all interact and can help explain and predict many infectious disease occurrences. Dr. Annelli echoed the recurring theme for this week which is to always be flexible. While many of us have been planning to go to medical school and become physicians for years, he conveyed the value of remembering that there are many fulfilling careers and that our plans may not always go as intended. Regardless of our career choice in health, Dr. Annelli urged each of us to build a strong scientific background.
We were fortunate enough to discuss important mental health and behavioral health issues with Ms. Valeria Kolick from the Office of Policy, Planning, and Innovation from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA). After presenting the job of SAMHSA and providing information on the alarming problem of the opioid epidemic, Kolick welcomed questions and discussions about mental health and substance abuse. We were all very interested in what Ms. Kolick had to say on a variety of issues, and we were thankful for the opportunity to ask questions about mental health policy. We expressed an interest in partnering with SAMHSA in the future as our national service project continues to be in conjunction with the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
We ended our day exploring Washington D.C.. Captain Tosatto rented a van for all the PHLS Scholars. We initially drove to the famous Georgetown Cupcakes, where we ate delicious cakes. We also went to another cupcakes shop called Baked & Wired. After eating cupcakes, we strolled around the area and explored the Georgetown area.
PHLS at the World War II Memorial.
After this, we walked to the Lincoln Memorial as well as the Washington Monument. We walked around the area and took many pictures. We also explored the Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Women's Memorial, and the World War II Memorial. Seeing these places truly helped us understand the history ingrained within DC.
PHLS at a statue of Albert Einstein in front of the U.S. Department of State building.
It was really nice to spend time with everyone today evening. Exploring Washington, D.C. together was an amazing experience and helped all of us to truly bond. We made friends, shared stories, and learned a lot.
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