189: Collectivism For Health & Bridging Health Equity Gaps with Wanji Banda, MPH

Interview with Wanji Banda, MPH

Listen Here:

Highlights from this episode:

How she navigated success in her career switching from pre-med to public health as an immigrant to the US
An immigrant’s perspective on public health and health systems
How she was able to leverage an internship with SIPH to become a chapter chair
How education looks different in the US vs Zambia and the individualism vs collectivism experienced
How being a medical scribe shifted her mind on wanting to pursue public health

Episode 189 of Public Health Careers

Wanji is a Program and Outreach Manager at Elevated Co, a Healthcare Manager at Hollymead Rehab, and a Chapter Chair with Sisters in Public Health.

She is a motivated and result-oriented public health professional with a background in Biomedical sciences, Healthcare finance management, and Nonprofit partnership development.

Born and raised in Zambia, Wanji’s passion stems from growing up in a healthcare system that has been unable to provide high-quality, culturally appropriate healthcare services. And now she is committed to implementing change and bridging health equity and inequality gaps.

She conferred an Associates Degree in Biology at Alvin Community College. A Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at Sam Houston State University. And a Master of Public Health at Baylor University.

In this interview, Wanji shares insights into her career journey, including her transition from pre-med to public health, her perspective as an immigrant to the US, and her experiences leveraging opportunities such as internships to advance her career. She also discusses the importance of collectivism in supporting public health efforts, both in the US and Zambia.

Listeners will gain valuable insights from Wanji’s experiences and perspectives, including advice for students pursuing careers in public health, recommendations for professional development resources, and reflections on personal growth and improvement. Overall, Wanji’s story highlights the importance of passion, resilience, and dedication in driving positive change in public health.