#WeAreEmoryEPI: Meet Madison Cahill

Madison is a second-year Master’s student interested in emergency preparedness and working on a project studying how the pandemic has affected the mental health of essential workers. We chatted with her about what let her to picking Rollins, her favorite parts of her time at Emory, and some advice for younger students!

Tell us a little bit about your academic history/where you went to school.

I got my undergraduate degree in molecular genetics at The Ohio State University

What are your primary research interests?

My initial research interest when I came to Rollins was infectious diseases, but I have grown very interested in emergency preparedness. I am particularly interested in where infectious disease and emergency preparedness overlap.

Are there any exciting projects that you are currently working on that you’d like to share with us?

In my REAL position with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, we are doing a second round of a Stress Assessment Survey that looks at how the pandemic has affected the mental health of workers in the agriculture, food, healthcare, hospitality, and education industries. I feel fortunate to be apart of this multi-agency collaboration that will hopefully shine a light on the importance of mental health and provide people with mental health resources.

What is your favorite part about earning your MPH at Emory?

My favorite part has been the people I have met while I was at Emory, because they have opened me up to new concepts and ways of thinking. This diversity of thought that can be found at Emory is deeply enriching.

What advice do you have for 1st year MPH Students?

Do not get bogged down in schoolwork. While schoolwork is important, your learning experiences outside the classroom are just as important to your educational experience and it is always important to take a break for your mental health.

As first-year students start to look for their APE positions, do you have any tips for finding a practicum?

Take advantage of the career fairs and Handshake. I would also encourage students to look at less traditional places (such as departments of agriculture or food safety positions) because while these positions are not strictly public health, they are involved in many public health aspects.

When applying, what were you looking for in a public health school, and what factors drove you towards Rollins?

I was encouraged to go to Emory because of a friend of a family member who said she went to Emory for her public health degree. While that encouraged me to look at Rollins the subject matter of classes offered and the professors of Rollins are what sealed the deal for me.

Do you have any other tips for prospective public health students?

Be honest and be yourself. If you do this, your talent and your desire to make a difference through public health should shine through.

How have you been navigating the work (& learn) from home experience during the COVID-19 outbreak?

Navigating work and school during a pandemic has been challenging, but I found that creating a checklist has made it easier to navigate both. I also make sure to take time to have social interactions (though phone calls and video chats) so that I can feel connected and keep myself grounded during the pandemic.

Do you have any book, podcast, or TV show recommendations?

I am currently watching Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and it is an amazing show that I highly recommend. I love that Marvel is taking time to develop complex themes and character arcs with characters that were not heavily utilized in the movies.

What are three fun facts that you want people to know about you?

One summer, I went on a night dive in Bon Aire and nothing is darker than being 30 ft underwater at night.

At Ohio State, I was apart of the archery club and took part in several archery competitions.

I took a minor in theatre when I was in undergrad, mostly because I thought the acting classes were a fun break between my heavy science classes.

Thanks again to Madison for taking some time to introduce herself! We’ll be back next week with another student feature next week.