Zachary German is a second-year CIPA fellow and a CIPA admissions ambassador. He is concentrating his studies on Social Policy, with a specific focus on healthcare. You can read his full bio here.
Sadly, this is my last semester at CIPA. Since I have completed most of the required coursework, I am enrolled primarily in classes specific to my social policy concentration, which is focused on healthcare. There were so many intriguing offerings this semester that I had difficulty choosing, but here are a few of the finalists I decided upon:
Healthcare Innovations (DEA 6550) – This course is very exciting since it’s a hands-on class focused on improving the design of hospitals in order to create more effective healing environments. We will be working in teams to consult for a client on developing an improved and innovative design for their facilities (our client is a major hospital in New York City). The course includes face-to-face conversations with field experts, a funded trip to NYC to interact with our client, and the opportunity to gain Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification, which is a valuable certification for healthcare professionals.
Economics of Food and Malnutrition (NS 6480) – A microeconomic approach is taken in this class to investigate the economic impacts that food and malnutrition have on individuals. The discussion so far has been on the social and economic causes of undernutrition, obesity, and food insecurity. Throughout the duration of the course, however, we will learn intervention techniques and designs that can combat and reduce these nutrition disparities.
Economics of Risky Health Behaviors (PAM 4280) – Why is it that people engage in certain risky behavior even though they know it could be deadly for them? This class investigates precisely that question. Using economic models, this course shows what rationale goes into justifying risky behaviors – cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol, risky sex, and poor diet/physical inactivity – and what interventions can be made in order to nudge those individuals engaging in risky behavior toward less risky habits.
With provoking classes like these, I find myself once again excited to be back at CIPA for the start of another great semester.