When considering colleges, Seiya Sachdeva thought her goal to support vulnerable communities through policy change would best be served with a degree in law. So how did she end up enrolled in NYU GPH’s 4+1 program, pursuing a combination BA/MPH? No longer pre-law, and having completed her bachelor’s from NYU Gallatin with a major in cognitive science and public health this spring, Seiya aims to earn her MPH in epidemiology from GPH in the next year and eventually to become a physician. Read more about her unique academic path to a promising career as a health professional.
Why apply to the 4+1 Program?
With the 4+1, I was able to benefit from an individualized major at Gallatin and still have the freedom to explore everything during my bachelor’s degree. Taking graduate classes in my junior and senior year also gave me time to adjust to higher-level coursework. I knew I wanted to eventually attend grad school, and the 4+1 program accelerates my progress so I can earn a graduate degree in a shorter period of time.
What skills have you gained?
My undergrad-level classes gave me foundational information, and in my GPH classes we apply that knowledge using research and communication skills. For instance, in my healthcare policy class we learned how to write an op-ed and to advocate for pragmatic solutions. In my intermediate epidemiology class, we practiced designing our own studies based on an existing data set: creating the method section and a variable table analysis, writing up our results一different aspects of applied research.
My GPH classes are challenging but the curriculum isn’t a crazy jump in workload, or an increased burden; the professors are super experienced in their field and they make the material very comprehensible. In fact, my graduate classes have enhanced my undergraduate work in a lot of ways, which is great. I knew I would love my coursework, but I didn’t expect my GPH classes to be my favorite and the most influential, which will make for an easier transition next year.
What are your goals for the future?
After completing my MPH, I plan to apply to medical school. It’s important for healthcare professionals to have a well-rounded approach, and earning my master's adds a body of knowledge that might be missed in a more traditional medical school education. As a physician, I don’t want to focus only on individual clinical care, treating symptoms, but take into consideration everything that patients are experiencing in their life that affect their health. A concrete knowledge of what health looks like at different levels is integral to the type of work that I want to do, understanding how health is interconnected from biology to behavior to populations. I want to also work at the population level and focus on larger public health initiatives; I feel those are the best ways to make meaningful change.
How has the 4+1 program enhanced your application to med school?
It's helped me understand my call to medicine more than ever, and that in itself strengthens my application. My experience in the MPH program has been key to solidifying the kind of work I want to do, so in that sense it strengthens how confident I feel in terms of my personal statement and the supplemental essays. And having more in-depth experience at the graduate level looks pretty good; it can be beneficial to already have experience studying health in any context.
What’s another benefit of the 4+1?
The opportunity to do research as an undergraduate and continue it into my grad school experience has been valuable; if you like doing consistent research across a longer period of time, there are lots of labs and initiatives you can join at GPH. I heard about the Evidence to Global Impact Lab from my TA; we focus on implementation science and using evidence-based approaches to create the strongest outcome. I'm specifically working on a project to advance tobacco policy implementation and sustainability through education, to see how we can target smoking cessation at a policy level, which I have yet to explore.
Have you connected with other 4+1 students in terms of networking?
The 4+1 cohort is small but our advisor, Kristin Cutler, plans mixer sessions where we can grab some food and learn more about each other and just chat generally. When I see someone who I met in those mixers around campus, it’s nice to know they're in the same boat as me. Some of my grad-level classmates are mid-career, so a classmate who’s also a 4+1 student is a point of connection. I have one really good friend from the program who I’ve known since my first year, which is cool. Even outside of close friendships, make sure to use the network around you; many GPH students already have a lot of experience in public health, and their wisdom can guide you.
Any last notes or advice for students?
NYU is a large school with many unique programs; there's outreach to a point, but don't hesitate to do some digging for what you're interested in. Before I enrolled at Gallatin, one of the speakers at an info session shared about their participation in the 4+1 program. It sparked my interest and was in the back of my mind; I finally applied my sophomore year. There’s no "major in health," so this is a great way to include biology and chemistry with health at different foundational levels.