Mumtaz Hassan
Mumtaz Hassan, a standout Health and Wellbeing Sciences student, holds three part-time jobs while balancing a demanding academic schedule. With an eye toward a master's degree in public health data science, Mumtaz researched cancer prevention in Minnesota’s Somali community as a 2024 McNair Scholar. She took time from her busy schedule to tell us about her journey, how she manages her time, and advice for students who want to customize a degree path in public health.
How did you find the Health and Wellbeing Sciences major?
After high school, I went to (another college) for two years and had no idea what I wanted to major in. I was thinking about transferring, so I looked more into the UMN's website and found the HWS major! What really appealed to me was the fact that this degree was unique, and I had some control in my major with the focus area. This major is the reason I transferred to the U.
What interests you about the field of public health?
One aspect of public health that I found interesting was the fact that it is a data-driven field. I want to pursue Public Health Data Science because it is a great combination for learning more about public health and data.
What is your role?
I have three jobs. I have a campus job as a Community Outreach Student at the Masonic Cancer Center. I work as a receptionist at an assisted living facility every other weekend. I also work at a YMCA in the childcare center once a month as on-call staff during the school year.
How do you manage your time/balance school and work?
I heavily rely on my Google calendar to help me manage my time with school and work. It helps me see which days and hours I am most busy. I also make sure to include time on my calendar for homework and rest. It has helped me stay on top of work while still prioritizing time for rest.
Is there a course or instructor that has stood out to you so far?
The two classes that I enjoyed the most were Drugs and the US Healthcare System (PHAR 4204W) and Foundations of Health Literacy (PHAR 3206). Those two classes taught me so much about the healthcare system and the importance of health literacy for both the patient and provider. I'd really recommend these classes!
What are one takeaway from the Health and Wellbeing Sciences program?
One major takeaway from the program would be to personalize your degree. This program allowed me to take classes that I had an interest in, and I was still able to incorporate them into my degree without wasting credits.
You were named a 2024 McNair Scholar. What was that experience like?
The McNair Scholars Program helps students gain research experience along with graduate school preparation. The research project I worked on over the summer focused on developing interventions to promote cancer prevention and cancer screening among the Somali community in Minnesota using electronic health record data. I reviewed many research articles about cancer screenings and cancer diagnosis among Somalis in the US, Europe, and Africa.
The project itself is about assessing frequency of cancer diagnosis and screening among Somali patients within the MHealth system. That data will be used to develop interventions to increase screenings. I will continue to work on this project with my mentor. McNair Scholars has been supporting me in searching and applying for graduate schools, writing a personal statement, and a CV. I highly recommend this program to any student interested in research and going on to get a master’s or PhD.
What do you hope to do after graduation?
I hope that I will be getting ready to start my master’s program. I am getting ready to apply to graduate school. I want to get into the Public Health Data Science MPH program here at the UMN’s School of Public Health.
What advice do you have for students just starting the program?
(Don’t) delay taking core classes like general biology/chemistry. These classes are foundation classes and also prerequisites for other classes. It's best to take them as soon as possible. Also, do not hesitate to reach out to your counselor if you have questions or concerns!
Banner photo: Photomicrograph depicting leukemia cells containing Epstein-Barr virus. Courtesy of the Public Health Image Library, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Paul M. Feorino
