Antonio Malloy is in his final year as an undergraduate public health major. We spoke with him about why he decided on public health, what he likes about Temple, and his plans for the future.
What got you into public health?
I was in the Army for eight years and worked in the pharmacy during my service. All of my work was clinical, in a hospital setting and in the pharmacy. I did diabetes awareness classes, HIV compliance, event planning and teaching people—they all go hand-in-hand with public health. So this is exactly what I wanted to do, because of the things I’ve done and what I’m interested in, health-wise. I also feel like my experience is unique. I’ve had so many experiences that color all of what I see, and what interests me in public health. I’ve been stationed in Korea and all over the U.S. So I’ve gotten used to seeing a lot of other perspectives.
When did you know you’d made the right choice coming to the College of Public Health?
My first professor at Temple has a style of teaching that is very dynamic and interactive. At first, I was quiet in her class, because I’m a non-traditional student— I’m older, and my experience is different from that of a lot of other students. So I like to listen. One day we were talking about race and ethnicity, and it made me speak up. I felt confident. Then at the end of that semester, I got all ‘A’s. So I thought, “Oh, this is something I’m good at.”
What will you be able to take from the public health program for your future career?
Temple’s program is very geared toward public health promotion and health education, and I’m able to talk to people about disease, prevention, treatment— anything involving personal health. With internships and volunteering, I’ve made a lot of connections, and I’ve been able to draw on what I learned at Temple to speak with authority about serious issues. So I’m very grateful. Temple helped me find my voice.
What sets Temple apart from other schools?
At the College of Public Health, what really stands out are the professors. One of my epidemiology professors inspired me to make that my grad school focus. My environmental health and research methods professors encouraged me a lot, and my professor for disease prevention and control made what could have been a monotonous subject really engaging. My professors have been great coaches along the way. I’ve learned so much from them, everyone is collegial, and everyone knows each other. This is a community.
What’s your advice to future graduates?
Your program is what you make of it. Make a real investment in your career exploration: Don’t take an internship or volunteer somewhere just to do it – make sure it’s something that you’re genuinely interested in as a career possibility. And be committed to your goals.
What are you planning to do after graduation?
I’m going to be pursuing an MPH in epidemiology, and I’ve applied to seven graduate schools. The research I want to focus on is how HIV affects transgender women. It’s an emerging population: Three years ago, the CDC did not even have a category for them in its HIV statistics, so there was no way to pull out information about them and apply it. And even now, a lot of healthcare facilities and doctors don’t have a box for them to check that lets them properly identify their gender identity, so it’s not that much better. I’m interested in improving the health of transgender women. What are you excited about in your last year? It’s bittersweet because I really enjoy Temple. I found myself here. But I’m looking forward to maintaining my core of good friends and colleagues. And I’m looking forward to doing the work—dipping myself in the pool of possibility and making a change in public health. I want to make a difference.