A chance selection of a freshman seminar on environmental health made Derek Shendell recognize there were entirely new ways of using his interest in science and medicine. A subsequent international experience showed him first-hand how geography and other social factors were involved. Public health had been an unknown career path to him, but rather quickly he realized it was exactly how he wanted to make an impact in the world. Getting a little bogged down by joint MD/MPH programs, he stumbled a bit at the start but got on the right track and found he could make impact with a number of different lines of work, all focusing on shining light on inequities and doing good science to help shift policies to make society healthier.

In this episode, find out from Derek how looking beyond your own environment can sometimes help you see how you can do the most good…on today's Roads Taken with Leslie Jennings Rowley.

About This Episode’s Guest

Derek Shedell is Professor and Concentration Leader for Environmental Health Sciences in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health & Justice at the Rutgers School of Public Health. He is also the Director of the New Jersey Safe Schools Program there. He is widely published and continues churning out high-impact work.

For another story about seeing the world around you and wanting to make it healthier, listen to our episode with John Peoples.

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Health Plan: Derek Shendell on providing the best guidance as soon as possible

Roads Taken