Public health student Sofia Lopez Gelston committed to helping underserved communities improve their health

Growing up near the United States-Mexico border, Sofia Lopez Gelston saw firsthand the differences in lives of the two nations’ citizens as well as the challenges faced in South Texas’ colonias.

These experiences are now informing her graduate studies at Texas A&M University. Over a three-year period, Lopez Gelston is earning a master’s degree in public health from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health and a master’s degree in international affairs from the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

She plans to apply the knowledge and skills she learns from both degree programs to helping communities improve their health outcomes.

“I’m interested in going into diverse and underserved communities to really help them build the infrastructure they need to better their villages, communities and populations,” said Lopez Gelston, who spent her public health practicum in Nepal traveling to remote communities. “That experience in Nepal widened my perspective. I feel like I can pursue my passions with more confidence because I now have a greater sense of purpose.”

Lopez Gelston’s commitment to public health also has resulted in her selection as a This is Public Health (TIPH) Ambassador. She, along with ambassadors from other universities, will work with the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) to showcase the broad scope of public health’s influence to build awareness.

From medicine to public health

Lopez Gelston’s winding path to a career in health care began in an unusual way: as a competitive gymnast.

“Participating in sports led to injuries, so medicine always fascinated me due to the number of doctor’s visits,” she said. “That’s how I was introduced to health, well-being, nutrition and the importance of keeping your body active and healthy.”

She also credits her time in South Texas with giving her a wider perspective on health care.

“Traveling into Mexico as a child, you start to see the differences and the disparities that the two nations have,” she said. “With Mexico being so close, you see firsthand what it is that they’re lacking, but also what they’re rich in, such as relationships and culture. You can really see where you can make a positive impact in the lives of those that may have what you assume is so little.”

Choosing a college was easy—she comes from a proud Aggie family. The harder choice was giving up competitive gymnastics to focus on preparing for medical school. But by the time Lopez Gelston graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences in 2017, she realized medicine was no longer her path.

Unsure of where to go next, she tapped the Aggie Network, which helped her find a job with a health care consulting firm.

“That position introduced me a little bit to population needs and the insurance space,” she said, adding that it also prompted her to realize she wanted to attend graduate school to expand her knowledge.

Her affinity for Texas A&M, combined with the School of Public Health’s reputation for excellence, made her educational decision easy.

“I felt right at home, given the great experience I had on campus and the student life here,” she said. “And when I came to look at the master of public health program, I discovered that they offer the dual degree program over a three-year period, which would let me also explore my passion for international affairs.”

Looking at the macro level

Lopez Gelston believes she made a good decision in enrolling in the master of public health program.

“A career in medical science is about the one-on-one personal interactions between a physician and patient. What differentiates public health from medicine is that we look at population dynamics,” she said. “We’re interested in more than just one person; we’re interested in how community and the social determinants of health can impact a person’s health and well-being. That to me feels a lot more rewarding because of the greater scale it provides.”

Lopez Gelston has enjoyed exploring different theories, data and opinions in the program’s challenging coursework.

“The professors and the students create an active environment that really encourages discussions and sharing opinions openly in order to answer questions,” she said. “I found what makes attending Texas A&M incomparable is the diversity of perspectives and opinions and the ability to feel welcome and appreciated for your perspective.”

As she’s progressed in her studies, Lopez Gelston has also been impressed by the program’s wide scope and potential impact.

“There are so many different concentrations. In addition to health policy and management, there’s epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health and occupational safety,” she said. “Public health extends beyond the realm of creating programs and trying to change health behavior. While that’s a big component of it, there are so many ways that you can get plugged into public health without realizing that’s what you’re doing.”

Her appreciation of the field has been deepened through her work as a graduate assistant in the school’s Career Services office.

“I have never felt more supported or encouraged to continue in developing myself,” she said. “The resources and tools needed to be successful here, both personally and professionally, are very prevalent.”

An elevated perspective

The practicum with “Transform Nepal” gave Lopez Gelston new contacts and an expanded understanding of the world.

“Our objective was to work alongside other health professionals doing data collection, providing health and education training, and doing needs assessments and research,” she said. “Every day we were based out of a health post or government-run clinic, but twice a month, they typically would send a female community health worker to check on individuals who did not have the ability to travel into the city to go to the health clinic. The health worker would take only a backpack with a blood pressure monitor and a range of medications. She would be in the village for 1-2 hours to talk to these individuals and take their temperature and blood pressure. It was nothing like the United States where you typically have a scheduled appointment, a waiting room, three to four nurses and so much diagnostic equipment.”

Despite these stark differences between Nepal and the United States, the Nepali and Americans share health challenges: rising rates of diabetes, hypertension and noncommunicable diseases. The challenge, Lopez Gelston found, is tailoring a treatment approach that will work.

“Going into another country, you really gain that unmatched experience with learning the importance of stakeholder engagement, cross-sector partnerships and really looking at the public health problem, which can be social, economic or environmental determinants affecting health and well-being,” she said. “I was in awe and learned so much about how to strengthen infrastructure in order to better the lives of the people in villages and communities.”

She also realized the importance of education in helping villagers prevent or control hypertension since they don’t have access to all the information that the Western world does.

“They would not know this information without a female community health worker going into the village, sitting with these people and having a conversation over a cup of tea,” Lopez Gelston said. “It’s just so rewarding in that it’s about the relationship, and the willingness to actively listen in order to try to find the root cause and teach them about the behavior change.”

Despite the lack of modern amenities, the Aggie also came away impressed by the people of Nepal.

“I’ve actually never come to see and feel such hospitality and humility than I did from the Nepali,” she said. “While based in Katmandu, you see the joy and the struggles of everyday living and what they have to go through to deal with the lower access to resources and health care.”

As a result of this experience and her graduate programs, Lopez Gelston plans to pursue a career where she will have the opportunity to do research and manage programs supporting underserved populations.

“My empathy has grown significantly and has taught me that it’s easy to take for granted what we have here in the United States but may not be so common in other places like Nepal,” she said. “It’s not only important to strength the health care infrastructure to provide them with resources, but also to develop those relationships in order to better the lives and well-being of the community.”