As a member of the first graduating class of the Yale School of Public Health’s new Health Informatics Division, Huan Li is excited. While many of her classes were small given that the program is so new, Li said that only made the experience more special.
“We are the first class, and we are a young program,” said Li. “We don’t have that many students, but we have classmates from diverse backgrounds. You learn so many different aspects, at the same time, you get to know more about yourself.”
It was that kind of intimate and inspiring academic experience that drew Li to the Yale School of Public Health’s campus in the first place.
“I love the mentality and supportive atmosphere at YSPH,” Li said. “The confidence and the passion from faculty members and students were inspiring and made me want to join this big Y family.”
The two-year Health Informatics program provides core instruction in such areas as information sciences, clinical informatics, consumer health informatics and data science. Students also learn about broader public health topics such as health policy, social and behavioral science, biostatistics and epidemiology.
Last summer, Li had an opportunity to test her newly learned skills during an internship at Yale New Haven Health’s Office of Strategy Management and Clinical Redesign.
The confidence and the passion from faculty members and students were inspiring and made me want to join this big Y family.
Huan Li
Working side-by-side with dedicated health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic was inspiring, Li said.
She intends to continue working in the health care field and public health in particular after obtaining her master of science degree. She’s also planning to continue her education by pursuing a Ph.D.
What keeps her going during a long night of studying? Her favorite Yale/New Haven hangout, Starbucks, is a definite giveaway.
“I love coffee, and a coffee shop is my top study place,” Li said. “I love watching people through the big windows.”