Class of 2025: Graduate & Doctoral Students turn their training into action

As the class of 2025 are set to cross the stage, we highlight a few graduate-level students from the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at Keck School of Medicine of USC. Their graduate journey has been a balance of theory and practice, implementing newly learned skills from the classroom and research labs, to communities in Los Angeles and beyond. Meet a dynamic generation of population and public health practitioners leading with purpose and impact.

Master of Science in Global Medicine

Joanne Yip
(Photo/Jennifer Nguyen)

“My fascination with medicine began in the fourth grade when I was diagnosed and treated for hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease,” says Yip, a progressive degree and first-generation college student, also graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Health and Human Sciences from USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

“My grandfather, an Eastern Medicine doctor from rural Vietnam, explained that if I had grown up with the same conditions having limited medical resources, my outcome would have been drastically different,” she says.

At USC, Yip developed a passion for addressing limited access to affordable healthcare services in underserved communities. “My favorite memories include traveling with my class and the Floating Doctors to medically serve remote, communities in Bocas Del Toro, Panama. This was truly a life-changing experience. Learning from supportive professors and physicians, immersing myself in Panama’s lively culture, and forming life-long connections with my classmates through this enriching opportunity is a memory I will never forget,” she says.

Yip completed her internship at CalVet Veteran’s Home of California where she developed many patient-centered, healthcare competencies. “I learned to enhance my bedside manner and effectively build rapport with patients and also developed greater competency in my leadership and critical thinking skills,” she says.
After graduation, Yip will take a gap year to work in clinical care settings and spend time with family before applying to medical school.

Master of Science in Applied Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Caroline Ash
(Photo/ Chloe Jedwood)

Last year, Ash graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Global Health degree from the Keck School of Medicine of USC. This spring, she adds a graduate degree to her qualifications.

“For my thesis, I examined associations between diet, depressive symptoms, and depression status during pregnancy,” she explains. “This work is important because it seeks to provide culturally-tailored dietary recommendations that may help improve mental health during pregnancy.”

“I used many of the skills from my classes, including running simple tests of association, determining a covariate set, testing for statistical interaction, assessing assumptions of linear and logistic regression, and more towards my research titled ‘Maternal Depression and Dietary Patterns, Quality, and Intake in Pregnancy.” She also examined how a person’s country of birth modifies the relationship between diet and prenatal depression in Hispanic women, from the Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES) cohort, a predominantly Hispanic and low-income prospective cohort of women in Los Angeles.

After graduation, Ash will work as an Associate Statistical Analyst at Abbott in Santa Clara.

Master of Science in Public Health Data

Mona Bandov
(Photo/USC Grad School)

“I decided to combine public health with data science because I saw how data can be used to tell important stories and help improve health outcomes, especially for underserved communities,” says Bandov, a first-generation college student, whose interest in public health lies in infectious diseases and the social determinants of health.

For her practicum requirement, Bandov worked on a project examining how prenatal diet, phthalate exposure, and metabolomic data influence childhood Body Mass Index (BMI). “This experience taught me how to lead a research project from the ground up and apply statistical and machine learning methods to real-world public health questions,” she says.

During her time at USC, Bandov was awarded a scholarship from the American Statistical Association. She advises incoming students to reach out to professors and classmates for help. “Everyone is supportive and you’ll find that people genuinely want to see you succeed. USC is a great place to build connections, academically and personally.”

“One of my favorite memories here was attending a Graduate Student Government event. I unexpectedly ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in years and we reconnected, shared stories about our paths since undergrad, picking up right where we left off. It reminded me of how USC fosters not just academic growth, but meaningful personal connections as well.”

After graduation, Bandov will begin a full-time position as a Clinical Research Scientist at Humana.

Master of Public Health: Health Services and Policy

Reah Mehta
(Photo courtesy Reah Mehta)

“My interest in public health was sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and by my personal experiences witnessing how the gaps in healthcare access and health literacy affected underserved communities,” says Mehta. “I’m especially passionate about advancing health literacy, optimizing care delivery, and reducing disparities for high-needs populations.”

Mehta completed her practicum at UCI Health in the Finance and Value Transformation department. Through this experience, as well as working at AltaMed Health Services, she saw how administrative tools, technology, and patient-centered communication improved outcomes and engagement.

“One of my favorite memories at USC is building friendships with peers who share my passion for public health. It made studying and collaborating deeply rewarding. I also enjoyed forming meaningful connections with professors, whose mentorship and support greatly enriched my experience,” she says.

After graduation, Mehta will begin a Health Administrative Fellowship at City of Hope, where she plans to “continue developing her skills in healthcare finance, operations, and strategy,” she says. “My goal is to contribute to improving healthcare delivery and patient experience, with a long-term focus on advancing health literacy in communities.”

Online Master of Public Health: Biostatistics/Epidemiology

Raquel Freeman
(Photo courtesy Raquel Freeman)

“I chose to pursue a concentration in biostatistics and epidemiology as someone who has always been curious about disease processes and evolution, as well as a keen interest in enhancing my technical and mathematical skillset,” says Freeman.

“One of my favorite memories at USC is my amazing experience in Prof. Irfan’s course. I learned so much about myself, my leadership style, and also gained a range of new skills in communication, project management, and advocacy. Prof. Irfan supported each of his students in achieving our unique, personal goals, and as a result, the course ended up being one of the most meaningful and fruitful experiences of my graduate career.”

Freeman’s advice to new students pursuing a public health degree is to “take advantage of the amazing resources at USC as early as possible. Between the top-notch faculty, professional development opportunities, and amazing student community, there is so much to be gained from the USC experience, particularly in public health.”

After graduation, Freeman plans to continue working in the healthcare technology space with a focus on artificial intelligence. “AI has the potential to revolutionize not only health care in the US, but also epidemiologic surveillance and research, which is really exciting to me coming out of this program.”

Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology

Shudi Pan
(Photo courtesy Shudi Pan)

“Witnessing several of my family members struggle with cardiometabolic-related diseases inspired me to pursue this field of study,” says Pan, who is interested in the interplay of environmental chemical pollutant mixtures, obesity and cardiometabolic outcomes.

During her time at USC, Pan was awarded the American Heart Association Pre-doctoral Fellowship to investigate the association between persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and high blood pressure in obese teenagers. Her study found that POPs—synthetic toxic chemicals often found in food sources and stored in body fat— are associated with long-term higher blood pressure in adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery.

After graduation, Pan will start a postdoctoral fellow position at Emory University in Atlanta. Her advice to incoming students is “don’t let imposter syndrome fool you!”

Doctor of Philosophy in Health Behavior Research

Alexandra Mills
(Photo/ Aidan Lloyd)

“I was drawn to research that focuses on substance use among youth and young adults area of public health because of its urgency and complexity,” shares Mills. “Early substance use can shape long-term trajectories, and marginalized communities often face compounding challenges that are often overlooked in broader prevention efforts. By identifying and addressing these challenges, I hope to contribute to more targeted, culturally informed interventions that promote health and well-being during this critical developmental period,” says Mills.

“One of the most meaningful aspects of my PhD experience at USC has been the sense of community within my cohort. From late-night study sessions to collaborative projects and mutual support through the many challenges of graduate school, the relationships we’ve formed have helped us persevere and remain resilient. I am especially grateful for the shared moments of laughter, the ongoing encouragement, and the personal and professional growth we’ve experienced together,” she says.

After graduation, Mill will join ZS Associates, a global healthcare consulting firm, as a full-time Decision Analytics Associate Consultant. She previously interned with the organization, as part of the Value & Access team supporting multi-billion dollar biotechnology clients.

“I’m looking forward to translating the skills I developed during my PhD into the healthcare consulting space. I’m also excited to get involved with ZS’s nonprofit health equity initiatives and contribute to projects that aim to improve access and outcomes for underserved communities,” she says.