In Depth

YSPH MPH Students Tackle Vaccine Policy in Op Ed Pieces

February 19, 2020

Introduction to Health Policy and Health Care Systems, taught by Professor Mark Schlesinger, explores the making, understanding, and evaluation of health policy. Students examine the fundamental concerns that shape the development of health policy, and learn a paradigm of strategic thinking to address consequential public health issues. They apply these principles to influence public discourse for a major contemporary health and social policy challenge by writing an Op Ed, supported by Lecturer James Hamblin, staff writer at The Atlantic, and Professor Leslie Curry from the Global Health Leadership Initiative.

This year, students selected from two vaccine cases (in the U.S. and India), and argued for a broad strategic response to the problem at hand, with attention to ecological dimensions, sources of support and friction, strategic response, and framing.

We asked course faculty to nominate several student Op Eds to feature on our website. These Op Eds are intended to showcase student work, reflect diverse perspectives, and spark conversation. We hope you enjoy them!

Op Ed Pieces

To read a student Op Ed, please select a link below.

Mukesh Adhikari

Featured Student Contributors

Mukesh Adhikari, MPH Candidate in Health PolicyMukesh is a first year MPH student in Health Policy. His native country is Nepal, where he completed a Bachelor of Public Health, followed by a Master of Public Administration. Before coming to Yale, he worked as a Public Health Officer under the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal for 6 years. During his tenure, he had first-hand experience of a district health system and its existing health disparities. In addition, he worked closely with district-level stakeholders to improve health in remote districts. Mukesh also worked at the central level where he was the focal person for the health management information system. He is interested in access to and quality of care, especially in low resource settings. Mukesh is a regular columnist of two daily newspapers in Nepal: The Kathmandu Post and My Republica.

Lakai Legg, MPH Candidate in Social and Behavioral SciencesLakai is a first-year Master of Public Health student concentrating in Social and Behavioral Sciences. As an aspiring primary care provider, she is interested in how current primary care systems can be improved, for example by advancing community-clinical integration, to better address social determinants of health, promote health equity, and improve mental health outcomes and how primary care providers can better advocate for policy change and political action that will improve health.

Ben Rosen, MPH Candidate in Health Care ManagementBen is a first year Health Care Management student. He is interested in value based payment models and their potential to increase quality and reduce costs. After his MPH, Ben would like to work in hospital administration or healthcare consulting. Before coming to YSPH, he worked for a government healthcare consulting firm for 2 years, working to improve healthcare quality, conduct studies on diverse topics, manage proposals and implement individual market regulation.

Mukesh Adhikari, MPH Candidate in Health PolicyMukesh is a first year MPH student in Health Policy. His native country is Nepal, where he completed a Bachelor of Public Health, followed by a Master of Public Administration. Before coming to Yale, he worked as a Public Health Officer under the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal for 6 years. During his tenure, he had first-hand experience of a district health system and its existing health disparities. In addition, he worked closely with district-level stakeholders to improve health in remote districts. Mukesh also worked at the central level where he was the focal person for the health management information system. He is interested in access to and quality of care, especially in low resource settings. Mukesh is a regular columnist of two daily newspapers in Nepal: The Kathmandu Post and My Republica.

Lakai Legg, MPH Candidate in Social and Behavioral SciencesLakai is a first-year Master of Public Health student concentrating in Social and Behavioral Sciences. As an aspiring primary care provider, she is interested in how current primary care systems can be improved, for example by advancing community-clinical integration, to better address social determinants of health, promote health equity, and improve mental health outcomes and how primary care providers can better advocate for policy change and political action that will improve health.

Ben Rosen, MPH Candidate in Health Care ManagementBen is a first year Health Care Management student. He is interested in value based payment models and their potential to increase quality and reduce costs. After his MPH, Ben would like to work in hospital administration or healthcare consulting. Before coming to YSPH, he worked for a government healthcare consulting firm for 2 years, working to improve healthcare quality, conduct studies on diverse topics, manage proposals and implement individual market regulation.

Mukesh Adhikari, MPH Candidate in Health PolicyMukesh is a first year MPH student in Health Policy. His native country is Nepal, where he completed a Bachelor of Public Health, followed by a Master of Public Administration. Before coming to Yale, he worked as a Public Health Officer under the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal for 6 years. During his tenure, he had first-hand experience of a district health system and its existing health disparities. In addition, he worked closely with district-level stakeholders to improve health in remote districts. Mukesh also worked at the central level where he was the focal person for the health management information system. He is interested in access to and quality of care, especially in low resource settings. Mukesh is a regular columnist of two daily newspapers in Nepal: The Kathmandu Post and My Republica.

Lakai Legg, MPH Candidate in Social and Behavioral SciencesLakai is a first-year Master of Public Health student concentrating in Social and Behavioral Sciences. As an aspiring primary care provider, she is interested in how current primary care systems can be improved, for example by advancing community-clinical integration, to better address social determinants of health, promote health equity, and improve mental health outcomes and how primary care providers can better advocate for policy change and political action that will improve health.

Ben Rosen, MPH Candidate in Health Care ManagementBen is a first year Health Care Management student. He is interested in value based payment models and their potential to increase quality and reduce costs. After his MPH, Ben would like to work in hospital administration or healthcare consulting. Before coming to YSPH, he worked for a government healthcare consulting firm for 2 years, working to improve healthcare quality, conduct studies on diverse topics, manage proposals and implement individual market regulation.

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