Stan

and you can also check us out at healthchatterpodcast.com. All of our research is available on our website, as well as our shows are transcribed as well, so you can read them or listen to them, whatever your preference is. So thank you to all of you, the listening audience, and everybody involved with the show. So today we have...

Dr. Pettigrew with us, Melinda Pettigrew, who's the new dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. So welcome, welcome, welcome. It's nice to have you. So she's currently the dean. She started just this last January. Previously, deputy dean at Yale University and an epidemiology professor there as well.

Dr. Pettigrew with us, Melinda Pettigrew, who's the new dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. So welcome, welcome, welcome. It's nice to have you. So she's currently the dean. She started just this last January. Previously, deputy dean at Yale University and an epidemiology professor there as well.

She's published many research publications, especially around respiratory tract infections, etc., recipient of many honors and awards. And I'm sure the selection committee noted those when they selected you as our new dean. So welcome. PhD in epidemiology from Yale. And so she went out there to get her PhD.

She's published many research publications, especially around respiratory tract infections, etc., recipient of many honors and awards. And I'm sure the selection committee noted those when they selected you as our new dean. So welcome. PhD in epidemiology from Yale. And so she went out there to get her PhD.

her doctorate, but she was in the Midwest when she got her undergraduate degree at Grinnell. So welcome back to the Midwest. So thank you for, thanks for being with us. It's great to have you. So, okay. So, you know, to a certain extent, what really drove us to have you on the show, obviously, is our new dean, but also the concept of public health

her doctorate, but she was in the Midwest when she got her undergraduate degree at Grinnell. So welcome back to the Midwest. So thank you for, thanks for being with us. It's great to have you. So, okay. So, you know, to a certain extent, what really drove us to have you on the show, obviously, is our new dean, but also the concept of public health

and education, and it really came to the forefront, obviously, when we were dealing with COVID. It was really kind of, okay, how do we communicate? How do we educate it? Et cetera. But for sure, I've always adhered to the fact, and many of us in public health have, that successful public health, oftentimes is invisible to the public, correct? Absolutely.

and education, and it really came to the forefront, obviously, when we were dealing with COVID. It was really kind of, okay, how do we communicate? How do we educate it? Et cetera. But for sure, I've always adhered to the fact, and many of us in public health have, that successful public health, oftentimes is invisible to the public, correct? Absolutely.

I mean, it's just like what you don't see, and it makes it really good, you know, like clean water. Guess what? There's a lot that goes into, you know, for instance, like clean water. So we have a lot of things to talk about. Clarence, you got a comment.

I mean, it's just like what you don't see, and it makes it really good, you know, like clean water. Guess what? There's a lot that goes into, you know, for instance, like clean water. So we have a lot of things to talk about. Clarence, you got a comment.

Yeah. You know, it's, it's, it's interesting. I, um, you know, I was, I was involved with, um, the COVID response when I was at the state health department and, um, oh my God, it's just like, all right, do we really worry? These were some of the questions we had.

Yeah. You know, it's, it's, it's interesting. I, um, you know, I was, I was involved with, um, the COVID response when I was at the state health department and, um, oh my God, it's just like, all right, do we really worry? These were some of the questions we had.

Do we have to really worry about informing the public about public health when we're trying to intervene and trying to get this thing banished? So we were dealing with two major things and it became an angst for the professionals, but hopefully to your point, people became more knowledgeable. So this is one thing that I noted over the years.

Do we have to really worry about informing the public about public health when we're trying to intervene and trying to get this thing banished? So we were dealing with two major things and it became an angst for the professionals, but hopefully to your point, people became more knowledgeable. So this is one thing that I noted over the years.

When I was teaching in the School of Public Health, oftentimes we had some undergrads were taking some courses, especially the education undergraduates were taking some courses because they were required to get some health background in order to get an education degree. But yet, when I was teaching

When I was teaching in the School of Public Health, oftentimes we had some undergrads were taking some courses, especially the education undergraduates were taking some courses because they were required to get some health background in order to get an education degree. But yet, when I was teaching

Basically, what you were pursuing in the School of Public Health was either an MPH or an MHA or a master's oriented professional degree or even a PhD. More recently, however, they've added undergraduate. So I was wondering, all right, so tell me your perspective on this. It's like you can get just about any degree you want. in the School of Public Health now.

Basically, what you were pursuing in the School of Public Health was either an MPH or an MHA or a master's oriented professional degree or even a PhD. More recently, however, they've added undergraduate. So I was wondering, all right, so tell me your perspective on this. It's like you can get just about any degree you want. in the School of Public Health now.

So how will that help us going forward?