Statement Of Purpose For MPH Degree

As a Latino immigrant who grew up in the U.S. in a predominately minority community, I had the privilege to witness the best and the worst of two worlds. I got to experience many of the social and health problems that immigrants, minorities, and everyday people face in this country. In my Latino community, there are many families who have someone suffering from a disability, mental health problem, drug addiction, and/or illness and do not have the resources to aid them. Recently, I lost my aunt to lung cancer because she could not afford to go to the doctor when she was first feeling ill. So I question, why in a country where we have the best researchers and health practitioners, do we have such huge health disparities, rising drug epidemics, and increasing numbers of people dying of preventable illnesses? …show more content…
I want to earn my Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) because I am eager to continue learning to conceptualize public health problems, and the tools in designing studies and interpreting study results. I believe that UMCP is the perfect place for me to receive my MPH degree and meet my ultimate goal in earning a PhD in epidemiology so I can continue my work in academia and become an epidemiologist in drug abuse. I am particularly interested in researching problems in substance abuse and tobacco control and investigating why minorities are disproportionately affected by drug