Hometown: Seoul, Korea
Program: PhD in Population and Public Health
What attracted you to your field?
My passion for public health began while working as a youth facilitator at Ottawa Public Health during my undergraduate studies. This experience showed me how public health initiatives can positively impact entire communities, reaching beyond individual care. While I enjoyed on-the-ground interactions through health promotion activities, I found myself increasingly drawn to the data-driven side of population health. My undergrad research sparked an interest in epidemiology and infectious disease research, leading me to pursue a Master’s in Epidemiology, then a doctoral program at UBC. Looking back, I was fortunate to discover this perfect intersection of scientific investigation and meaningful community impact at exactly the right moment in my academic development.
What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?
My favourite moment was building connections with my PhD cohort! We took all our courses together, spent countless hours on Zoom studying for comprehensive exams during the peak of the pandemic, and shared the ups and downs – which was definitely a highlight of my doctoral training. I also deeply value the lifelong friendships formed through my program and within my research supervisor’s team at the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). These relationships provided both academic support and personal connection that will continue for years to come.
What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?
My advice to incoming students would be to create a strong support network while also allowing time for self-care. Throughout my doctoral studies, the connections I built with other students, faculty and researchers provided crucial support during challenging times and enhanced my research through diverse perspectives. Equally important was allowing myself time to recharge and maintain balance. Spending time with family and pursuing interests outside academia helped me to stay passionate about my research topic and thesis work.
Tell us briefly about your research.
My doctoral work examined how new treatments for hepatitis C (called direct-acting antivirals or DAAs) affect various health problems beyond the liver. Using comprehensive data from the BC Hepatitis Testers Cohort, I discovered that these treatments significantly reduce risks of kidney disease, stroke, heart conditions and cognitive disorders. I also found that South Asian and East Asian populations with untreated hepatitis C in B.C. face higher risks of these conditions. I hope my research contributes to increasing efforts to find individuals with undiagnosed hepatitis C, link them to treatment, and ultimately support hepatitis C elimination while addressing critical health inequities that affect diverse populations.
What’s next for you?
I’m continuing my research journey as a postdoctoral fellow at the BCCDC, where I’ll build on my doctoral work by investigating ethnic disparities in long COVID. Working with the BC COVID-19 Cohort data, I’ll examine epidemiological patterns, healthcare access disparities, and long-term outcomes of long COVID across different ethnic groups. This postdoctoral training will help me develop new skills in measuring healthcare utilization and disease burden while expanding my research networks through the Long COVID Web. On a personal note, I’m excited to do some traveling around B.C. and enjoy the natural beauty this province offers while balancing the new challenges and opportunities of my postdoctoral research.