Rebia Khan graduated this spring with a dual degree MD/MPH with a concentration in Clinical Leadership from the UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and the Zuckerman College of Public Health Phoenix Campus. She completed her MPH internship with the Arizona Department of Health Services on a project investigating COVID in captive wildlife in Arizona, and additionally accomplished a six-week rotation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Epidemiology Elective Program. Rebia is one of two winners of the college’s 2023 Outstanding MPH Student Award.
I loved the way my MPH classes gave context to what I was learning in the MD curriculum and provided me with a unique lens to view the material.
Rebia Khan
MD/MPH
Through the dual degree program, Rebia earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Zuckerman College of Public Health and her MD with a concentration in Clinical Leadership from the UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, and graduated this Spring 2023. She completed her MPH internship with the Arizona Department of Health Services on a project investigating COVID in captive wildlife in Arizona, and additionally accomplished a six-week rotation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Epidemiology Elective Program. Rebia is one of two winners of the college’s 2023 Outstanding MPH Student Award.
Rebia earned her BS degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Stanford University and she’s proud to have graduated with her combined MD and MPH degrees. Her journey as an MD/MPH student during the COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique learning experience, connected her with a strong mentor in veterinary researcher Dr. Heather Venkat, and highlighted the tremendous determination she observed among medical and public health professionals working to overcome challenges and serve the community during COVID.
For this profile, we asked Rebia about what she has learned while completing her dual degree with MEZCOPH and what inspires her about public health.
Q: Did you have a teacher or mentor who especially inspired you? How and why?
A: I worked with Dr. Heather Venkat in the Division of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases at the Arizona Department of Health Services. While we have different academic backgrounds (Dr. Venkat is a veterinarian by training), she was a wonderful mentor to me. She encouraged my ideas and was committed to my success. We partnered with local zoos and wildlife facilities for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in animals. This allowed me to work with diverse stakeholders to create new programs. I loved the collaborative nature of the project.
Q: What are some challenges or obstacles that you had to overcome in the process of your education in the college, or in the projects/programs in which you worked?
A: It was sometimes difficult to balance my rotations for medical school with the MPH classes and internship. However, I loved the way my MPH classes gave context to what I was learning in the MD curriculum and provided me with a unique lens to view the material.
Q: How will your education and experience as a public health student influence your path forward?
A: I plan to continue working in public health as a physician. With the knowledge I gained during my dual degree program, I have been able to see the connection between public health and medicine, making me a more effective physician-leader.
Congratulations Rebia on your dual MD/MPH degree!
