 Brian, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Temple University Hospital
UM SPH Degree: M.P.H. 1995, Epidemiology
Other Degree: M.D. 2002, B.A. 1991
How did you decide to pursue a career in the field of public health?
It fits nicely with my interest in primary care. It allows me to step back and see the broader context into which my patients fit. I can better understand individual patients if I understand the health trends in the population that I am serving.
What are some ways you stay active in the field of public health?
I am currently involved in a research project with several members of the Department of Public Health at Temple University in Philadelphia. We are doing a multifaceted study of African American perceptions of colorectal cancer screening and physician-patient communication practices. We are trying to understand more clearly how decisions about screening are made in the physician-patient relationship. Ultimately, we would like to develop decision aides that can be used in any practice to help patients decide about appropriate types of cancer screening. I am also working with colleagues to develop a health care financing elective for our residents in Internal Medicine.
Thinking back about your Michigan experience, do you have any stories you could share?
It is hard to pick out a single story. My memory is full of lots of stories of smart, dedicated faculty members who were sincerely interested in my success not only as a student, but as a new professional in the field of public health. I do remember that I had a difficult time getting my summer internship project off the ground. I became rather discouraged, but Dr. Sioban Harlow spent a great deal of time with me. She helped me to craft a successful project. It not only fulfilled my course requirements, but I was able to go back and share my results with the agency. They were quite pleased with the outcome of the study. I would never have been able to complete it without her guidance and support. That is just one example of the individual attention and investment that the faculty made in us when we were students.
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