Pandemic-Inspired Sudanese American Leader Dedicates her Life to Global Health and Epidemiology: Meet Hala Ashmaig
Women's History Month is celebrated annually in March to honor and recognize women's contributions, achievements, and struggles. GlobalMindED is proud to highlight the voices and work of influential women. Meet Hala Ashmaig. Hala is a 2nd year MPH student in Epidemiology and Global Health at the Colorado School of Public Health. She is passionate about infectious diseases, specifically how to control and eliminate them. Hala is a Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Intern at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), contributing to projects focused on Hepatitis C surveillance and data.
What is your personal story?
I am a Sudanese American young professional. I was born in the beautiful country of Sudan, and I moved to the States at the age of 7. Growing up, education has always been an integral topic within my family. My parents continuously encouraged me to pursue higher education. With the support of my family and community, I completed my B.S. in Public Health in 2021. I will also be graduating with my Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology and Global Health degree in May of 2024. Although my academic journey has not been easy, my family’s support has continuously pushed me to the next level, and I cannot thank them enough.
My interest in Public Health began during the second year of my undergrad degree. I had the opportunity to take a public health course discussing the spread of communicable diseases, ideas, and technology. This course coincidentally corresponded with a documentary I watched about pandemics and their prevention. I learned about Dr. Syra Madad, Senior Director of the System-wide Special Pathogens Program at NYC Health & Hospitals. Her extensive work in one of the nation’s largest healthcare delivery systems overlooks special pathogens preparedness and community response efforts. Her passion to prevent infectious diseases was contagious.
So it was settled, I finished my Bachelor’s degree in Public Health and went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Health. It was a hard decision to choose a specialty within this field because of the diverse interests within the field, but ultimately I decided on Epidemiology and Global Health as this will help me make the greatest impact within the field.
As a future infection preventionist (IP), I aspire to prevent and monitor hospital-acquired infections. I also plan to use my epidemiology and global health skills to apply prevention methods for community-wide prevention programs, to have a larger impact on a variety of groups. I want to stop the spread of infections and help vulnerable communities- starting with my hometown, in Colorado and eventually expanding to worldwide nations.
What key moments in your life led you to where you are today?
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a monumental event in all of our lives, both positively and negatively. But personally, the pandemic helped to shed light on a possible career path for me. Thinking back to February of 2021 when my family first learned about the virus which had not yet reached the States, I vividly remember my mother stating, “There is no way that virus will reach us, we are safe”. Then a few months later I completed my last semester of my Bachelor’s degree online due to lockdown.
The COVID-19 highlighted the importance of the public health profession-especially within infectious diseases. I realized that as public health professionals, if we are doing our jobs correctly then nothing goes wrong-therefore our work is often unrecognized. This helped me to realize the selfless nature of the profession, and it strengthened my passion for it.
Where does your passion to serve come from?
My passion to serve stems from my culture. As a Sudanese population, we are always taught to serve and prioritize others around us, especially the elderly and the sick. Whether that be our neighbors, family, friends, or acquaintances. Taking this important value, I have paid it forward in my studies, extracurriculars, and a beautiful career in Epidemiology which serves the greater community.
How can GlobalMindED help you reach your goals?
GlobalMindED is a valuable platform containing professionals of all different backgrounds. I plan to take advantage of expanding my professional network via coffee chats and conferences. I have learned that success within any field is not only based on our academics and degrees, but it also requires a wide network and set of skills relevant to our desired careers. GlobalMindED can help me achieve my goals by connecting me to professionals within the Epidemiology and Infectious disease field.
