In this episode, we're joined by Kiran Nagdeo, a doctoral student in the Epidemiology department with a background in dentistry. Kiran shares her remarkable journey from being a practicing clinician in India for eight years to a leader in public health research, and how the COVID-19 pandemic inspired her to shift her focus from one-on-one patient care to population-level health and advocacy. Kiran details her path to becoming a leader in organizations like the American Public Health Association and the World Federation of Public Health Associations. She emphasizes the crucial role of mentorship and the simple but powerful act of "showing up" to unlock opportunities and accelerate one's professional growth. We also delve into her research at NYU GPH, including a systematic review on the PUFA Index for untreated dental decay and a project on ultra-processed food consumption and dental decay in pregnant females, using data from the NHANES dataset. This episode is a lesson in how passion, persistence, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone can open doors to a meaningful career in public health advocacy.
