The Marguerite 2025
Pursuing health equity: a year of public health experiences
Annabel Poon (2019, Medicine)
Thornton-Perham Bursary
Effective health protection at the population level requires organisation, collaboration and the integration of physical, psychological and social factors. Taking a ‘zoomed out’ view of improving human wellbeing through an interdisciplinary approach has long drawn me to health policy, particularly in its potential to create meaningful impact. Over the past year, I have been fortunate enough to explore healthcare systems across North America, Europe and Asia, deepening my understanding of the complexities involved in tackling global healthcare challenges.
One highlight of the year was being selected to attend the International Youth Health Organisation’s study session ‘Protecting Health as a Human Right in the Modern World’ in February, hosted in Strasbourg in collaboration with the European Youth Council. Alongside 24 other young leaders from across Europe, I engaged in seminars on ‘European Democracy’, ‘Peace and Conflict’ and ‘Meaningful Youth Engagement’. I learnt so much from the experiences and views of my accomplished peers, who share an ambition to lead positive change for health for all.
This summer, as part of my medical elective, I joined the Paediatric Surgery team at Keio University Hospital in Tokyo. Spending four weeks in Japan taught me the importance of respecting local customs and maintaining an open mind towards practices which may seem unfamiliar. One thing that stood out was the use of gender specific scrubs – pink for women and blue for men – which even extended to lead vests and thyroid collars. In a country where only 23.6% of doctors are female, there are certainly differences in the cultural attitudes for women in medicine compared to the UK. This experience prompted me to ponder on how optimal care requires doctors to reflect the diversity of the populations they serve.
Another transformative experience over the long vacation was my internship at the New York City Department of Health (NYCDoH), where I joined the Bureau of Tuberculosis Control. Working under Dr Joseph Burzynski, the Bureau’s Director for the past decade, I gained first-hand insight into the challenges of addressing TB – as an infectious respiratory disease that disproportionately affected marginalised communities such as refugees, unhoused individuals and those living with HIV.
I learnt that each TB patient has a journey – both over the months-long treatment course after their diagnosis and often on their way to reach New York. One moment that has stayed with me was meeting a six-year-old boy at the Jackson Heights Chest Clinic. His family, among the seven million Venezuelan refugees fleeing political repression, had navigated the walk across the Darien Gap land bridge to reach Southern Texas. Tragically, he had lost his mother during the perilous trek. Dr Burzynski’s compassionate care, delivered in fluent Spanish, underscored the importance of culturally sensitive, patient-centred care. I miss the distinct buzz to each day at the NYCDoH. There is something special about the energy of a group of people with the collective mission of improving the health of their communities and – with an annual budget of $1.6 billion – the resources to make real change happen. Witnessing the Bureau’s work in redressing health inequities through supporting the most socially and economically disadvantaged groups continues to inspire my clinical practice.
While based in Cambridge, I have been working on a research project on reducing unnecessary Emergency Department (ED) attendances, collaborating with Dr Adrian Boyle, whose work on prevention strategies based on understanding the underlying social factors aligns with my interests. Our project seeks to inform evidence-based policies to manage non-urgent cases outside of the ED, allowing critical care resources to be focused on those most in need. Presenting my findings at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Newcastle, and submitting a paper to the European Journal of Emergency Medicine, has been the culmination of long-term efforts alongside my co-authors, Dr Boyle and fellow St John’s medical student Anna Nather.
My internships and research experiences have benefited from my academic knowledge, especially from my intercalated degree in Human, Social, and Political Sciences, in which I achieved First-Class Honours. In particular, papers on global social problems and gender provided a strong theoretical grounding to understand complex health issues around the globe. I am very appreciative of the fantastic opportunity to step outside biomedical science for a year, offered as part of the Cambridge medical course – it was transformative in allowing me to pursue my other academics interests, learn from a diverse group of academics and broaden my perspective of the social determinants of health. The past year has reinforced my belief in the importance of addressing global health challenges through a multidisciplinary lens and has solidified my passion for this field.
Now in my final year of medical school, I am looking ahead to how I can pursue health equity in my career. I have applied to an internship at the World Health Organization to deepen my understanding of policy change. Following my two foundation years as a doctor, I plan to pursue a Master’s in Public Health to develop the skills necessary for creating systems-level change.
I am profoundly grateful for all of the opportunities I have had access to as a student at St John’s. Cambridge has not only equipped me with academic tools but also instilled in me the confidence to pursue my ambitions and believe in my ability to make a difference. My experiences on my medical elective would not have been possible without the financial support of donors. Thank you so much for your continued generosity.
