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Department OfMedicine, Health, and Society

Current Graduate Students

Carrie Becher

Carrie Becher is a summa cum laude graduate of Dickinson College where she received a B.A. with honors in Political Science and minors in Ethics and Spanish. Her research interests include practical applications of disability justice theory and political theory. She chose the MHS MA program because of its interdisciplinary nature and to further her research skills in preparation for a PhD in social science.

 

 

 

 

Katie bishop

Katie is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in Biological Sciences and Medicine, Health, and Society. Her research interests include health policy, healthcare access, and emerging biotechnologies. Specifically, she hopes to explore the ethical implications of genetic testing under the guidance of Dr. Julie Ward. Katie chose the MHS MA program to further her understanding of current challenges facing the U.S. public health and medical systems in hopes of continuing impactful research in academia.

 

 

 

Elaina Housworth

Elaina earned her B.S. degree in Human Performance Sport Sciences from Tennessee State University, where she developed a strong research interest in advancing athlete rehabilitation, improving therapy outcomes, and broadening access to patient-centered care. Elaina chose the MHS MA program because of its interdisciplinary approach, emphasis on bridging research with patient care, and preparation for advanced roles in healthcare. Elaina sees the program as the ideal step toward her goals as she is currently a stretch practitioner and an overnight elderly caregiver.

 

 

 

Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda

Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda graduated from the University of Texas-Austin with her B.A. in Psychology. Her research interests include sports psychology and the available resources for mental health in different universities. She chose the MHS MA program because she wants to understand the interdisciplinarity within healthcare in order to better help other collegiate and future pro athletes with access to the correct resources.

 

 

 

 

Amarachi Onuoha

Amarachi Onuoha is a graduate of Duke University with a B.A in Biological Sciences. Her interests include disparities and lack of awareness to the importance of dental health and lack of clarity in in-network and out of-network coverage. Her interests also include how healthcare systems and policy result in diverse outcomes globally. Amarachi chose the MHS MA program to help further her knowledge of policy and public health to prepare her for a path in healthcare provision.

 

 

 

 

Ainsley Rodio

Ainsley Rodio graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse University with a B.A. in Women’s and Genders Studies, and Health Humanities with a minor in biology. Her research interests include women’s healthcare access and literacy as well as disparities in reproductive care. Ainsley chose the MHS MA program to further her knowledge in healthcare access, policy, and education in hopes of bridging the gap between medicine and public health. She hopes to pursue a career as an OB/GYN that emphasizes both the medical and social perspectives of healthcare.

 

 

 

Lizzy Swartz

Lizzy Swartz graduated summa cum laude from Rollins College where she received her B.A. with honors in Public Policy and Political Economy along with a minor in Global Health. Her research interests pertain to health policy, critical disability studies, and preventative healthcare. Her undergraduate thesis examined how neoliberal healthcare policies disproportionately exclude people with disabilities from accessing medical resources in the United States. Lizzy chose Vanderbilt’s MHS MA program because of its emphasis on the social foundations of health and its interdisciplinary approach to understanding health disparities. She is dedicated to pursuing a career in public health that advances health equity, expands access to care, and advocates for marginalized populations.

 

 

Morgan Wiley

Morgan is a graduate of Vanderbilt University where she received a B.A. in Medicine, Health, and Society and Spanish. Her research interests are creating culturally relevant patient education initiatives and leveraging public schools to improve community health. Her goal is to design frameworks that bridge education and public health, particularly in underserved communities, in order to reduce disparities in health outcomes. She chose the MHS program to gain the interdisciplinary training necessary to approach health equity challenges from multiple perspectives, integrating social science, public health, and education. By working with faculty whose expertise aligns with her interests, she seeks to develop actionable strategies that empower schools to function as anchors of community wellness and scientific literacy.

 

 

Sara “Woj” Wojdelko

Woj is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where she earned her B.A. in Medicine, Health, and Society. She is captain of the Vanderbilt women’s soccer team, competing at the collegiate level in her fifth season. Woj is currently applying to medical school with aspirations of becoming a trauma surgeon. Her research interests include examining how social dimensions of health impact health outcomes. Woj chose Vanderbilt’s MHS MA program because she wanted to strengthen her understanding of the social, cultural, and structural factors that shape health before entering medical school, so she can provide care that addresses the broader contexts influencing a patient’s wellbeing.