Hannah Garza
From: Bryan, Texas
Major: Health Science: Globalization & International Health
“There’s such a great need for health professionals with the desire to address global health issues,” says Hannah Garza, a pre-med student with a clear vision of her medical journey. It begins with her major, which allows her to investigate the health factors influencing populations worldwide. “I’m deeply passionate about preventive medicine,” she adds, “and the impact that education can make.”
In developing countries, many people do not have the resources to make simple lifestyle changes to prevent harmful diseases. “They can be taught how to extend life expectancy with the help of healthcare professionals,” Hannah says. She feels a strong call to put her studies into practice and dedicate her life to being a medical missionary.
Hannah will spend the 2014-15 school year as a student missionary, very likely in Chad, Africa, where she will work in a hospital with babies and their caregivers, among other medical tasks. Upon graduation in 2016, she plans to go to medical school. After completing her residency, she’ll work as a missionary doctor. “Ultimately, my goal is to open clinics in underdeveloped nations where appropriate health care would otherwise be inaccessible.”
As to her own health, Hannah’s antidote to the stress of too much studying is to hit the ground running. “There’s nothing like a seven-mile run to give your mind a break from Organic Chemistry,” she says!
Sample Health Science Courses
- Health & the Global Environment
- Nutrition Theory and Practice
- Principles of Epidemiology
- Health, Society & the Consumer
- Applied Public Health Statistics
