Shabitri Dasgupta, DrPH Student
EARLY INFLUENCES AND ACADEMIC JOURNEY: Shabitri Dasgupta, a graduate student enrolled in the DrPH Program in Epidemiology, School of Public Health (SPH) at Downstate, immigrated to the US with her family from Bangladesh when she was two and has lived in NYC her whole life. Shabitri majored in biology for her undergrad with a concentration in genetic studies and a minor in women’s studies from Stony Brook University, has an MPH degree from School of Public Health at Downstate and is also certified as a Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS).
The passing of her grandmother due to lung cancer was a pivotal moment in her life. It was hard to reconcile with this outcome because her grandmother didn’t smoke, and there was no history of cancer in the family. One day in a book by Nicholas Kristoff and Cheryl WuDunn (her favorite authors) called “A Path Appears”, she read how stovetop exposures lead to a higher incidence of respiratory illnesses in South Asian women. She realized that alternate environmental exposures could affect health outcomes in diseases like lung cancer. Although, at the time, she did not know this area of research was called epidemiology, she immediately fell in love with the subject on first day of class at Downstate and the rest was history!
“Downstate gave me the tools to succeed in the Epidemiology Scholar Program, and I truly applied everything I learned at Downstate while working in the field”
CURRENT RESEARCH: Shabitri was accepted into the Epidemiology Scholar Program at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH), where she worked in the Surveys and Data Analysis Unit at the Bureau of Epidemiology Services. She was tasked with understanding the survey panel developed to gather timely and sensitive health information on topics such as consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination awareness of governmental recommendations, racial inequities, and mental health from NYC residents. Additionally, she investigated ways to maximize representation of all the diverse populations of NYC in order to receive timely and accurate health information. The information from the surveys is used to make policy decisions by the New York City health commissioner and other city health leaders. She now works full time in the NYC DOHMH investigating heart health data of NYC residents.
“Never stop learning. Always keep honing and developing skills to open more doors for you. The more difficult the skill you master, the more opportunities will come your way”
She eventually wants to work in leadership roles for pharmaceuticals or non-profits and is confident that DrPH program will prepare her for the next steps. The flexibility offered by the SPH at SUNY Downstate was one of the main reasons Shabitri chose to enroll here. She was able to work and go to school and have a great support system from classmates and professors. “The level of connection I have with my professors at Downstate is something I didn’t experience as an undergrad”, she says. “Downstate gave me the tools to succeed in the Epi scholar program, and I truly applied everything I learned at Downstate while working in the field” she adds.
Shabitri atttending the 2019 Annual Public Health Association Conference in Philadelphia
Coffee in the Witches Brew, NYC
Temples in Thailand
The 3 Legged Buddha, Storm King, NY
“When it comes to an intimidating subject area, you just have to tell yourself that there is nothing you can’t do, just keep trying!”
DEALING WITH CHALLENGES: Her biggest challenge was learning to balance school and work. While doing her master’s degree, she worked 16 hours on Fridays in order to complete a 4-day work schedule and complete school. “Being disciplined and prioritizing was key, but also knowing that taking time for oneself and relaxing was just as valuable to succeeding” she says. Learning to program as part of her MPH, was like learning a whole new language but perseverance is key. “When it comes to an intimidating subject area, you just have to tell yourself that there is nothing you can’t do, just keep trying!”
ADVICE FOR NEW STUDENTS: Shabitri's advice to the next generation is “Never stop learning. Always keep honing and developing skills to open more doors for you. The more difficult the skill you master, the more opportunities will come your way”. Building networks and interacting with classmates is key. Reflecting back on her experience as a student, the lifelong relationships she built with her classmates made the experience more memorable.
ADVICE FOR NEW STUDENTS: Shabitri's advice to the next generation is “Never stop learning. Always keep honing and developing skills to open more doors for you. The more difficult the skill you master, the more opportunities will come your way”. Building networks and interacting with classmates is key. Reflecting back on her experience as a student, the lifelong relationships she built with her classmates made the experience more memorable.
ACTIVITIES TO DECOMPRESS: Shabitri loves trying new food, traveling and watching movies at the theatre. She is always on the lookout for new coffee shops in NYC to sit and read in.