Let’s begin by defining public health…
Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and improving quality of life through organized efforts and informed choices within societies, organizations (public and private), communities, and at the individual level. (Charles-Edward Amory Winslow)
One major component of being a culturally competent and humble health professional is being able to view healthcare and the needs of patient populations from multiple perspectives. And in doing so, the health outcomes of an individual patient, a community, and a population can be significantly affected in a positive way. With that being said, Saturday, February 5, 2022 was the HCOP session where students and staff gained a new perspective on public health. Approximately, forty (40) HCOP undergraduate and health professional students welcomed Mr. Errik Ejike (Program Supervisor – Center for Promoting Health and Health Equity) to the virtual stage to facilitate his very own Lyrics, Life, and Lessons Workshop.
Students were charged with listening to musical lyrics of various local, regional, national, and global hip-hop artists while simultaneously dissecting the lyrics using a public health lens and sharing thoughts on the following:
• Racism
• Police Brutality/Harassment
• BIPOC Communities/Populations
• Poverty
• Drug Use/Misuse
• Mental/Behavioral Health
And much more!!!
Through this intentional dissection, students were able to better understand public health topics such as: social policy, environmental health, prevention, mental health, economics, epidemiology, statistics, public policy, etc.
The HCOP team and students thoroughly enjoyed this workshop and are looking forward to the next session!!!