Within this portfolio, you will learn a little about myself, my life goals, the experience I gained in my life, and my Master of Public Health program at Old Dominion University, along with access to assignments I completed during my course. I want to restart my career as a public health professional. Thank you for taking an interest in my MPH adventure.
My name is Anasua Ghosh. I am a Master of public health student at Old Dominion University, anticipating graduating in May 2023. I am originally from Kolkata, India, and living in Yorktown, Virginia. I have a Bachelor’s in Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) undergraduate degree. I worked for almost nine years in hospitals and healthcare companies in India.
My interest in the field of public health began in medical school. I was a homeopathic physician in India. During a regular hospital day, I encountered a case of a 3-year-old boy Raghu, who died due to diarrheal disease, the commonest cause of death of children under five years in India. The death of this tiny little boy admitted under my team influenced my perception of health, disease, and the environment.
Thousands of children under-5 children died in India due to a lack of safe water, basic sanitation, or routine immunization. India has had numerous health challenges since its independence as the world’s second-most-populous country. Environmental health is a significant area of concern. India ranked at the bottom of the global environmental performance index. Due to rapid economic growth in the last century, millions in India are out of poverty, but the industrial revolution has impacted the ecosystem. Unsustainable consumption of natural resources has influenced the environment, causing air pollution, increased vector-borne diseases, water scarcity, and respiratory, lung, and water-borne diseases, putting human and environmental health at risk. The environmental scenario of my country leads to my preference for the field of Global environmental health in the area of public health.
While being a student at ODU, I learned about local, national, and global public health issues, improving access to healthcare, modifying population health behavior, data collection and data handling, global environmental health scenario, reducing environmental hazards, environmental policies, and many more. Besides studying, I love reading and music. I stayed in different countries with my family and met people from other languages and cultures. All those experiences made me more patient, confident, humble, and accepting of the people around me. I regularly volunteer in my residential community events, philanthropic works of my Indian community, and my daughter’s school.
