Hazal Kayalioglu is pursuing her graduate studies at NYU School of Global Public Health and works as a Grants Coordinator at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
She’s previously conducted population‐based surveillance for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emerging Infections Program (EIP) at Yale University, working in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Public Health to provide surge capacity in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic, and has conducted testing for infectious disease at the Connecticut State Public Health Laboratory. Through her current role, she presented at the 2019 Northeast Epidemiology Conference on Candidemia Surveillance, and become a published author in the Clinical Infectious Disease Journal.
To learn more about Hazal Kayalioglu, we spoke with the master’s student about her interest in the field of public health and her experience in infectious disease surveillance. Read our Q&A with Hazal below!
Interviewed by Shelagh Herzog.
Q: What do you enjoy about public health?
A: The ultimate goal in public health is to protect the health of communities and populations. It’s heartwarming to know the people I work beside have the same goal in mind. The public health community is compassionate, good‐natured, and strong‐willed. The people I have met and worked with have given me enormous faith in our ability to persevere in anything we face. Most of all, I enjoy the professionals I’ve had the privilege of meeting and collaborating with. There are so many brilliant minds in this field and all of them want to help this world a safer and healthier place.
Q: What sparked your interest in pursuing a career in public health?
A: While pursuing my bachelor’s degree at Southern Connecticut State University my advisor at the time directed me to public health based on my interests as I was undecided for my first three semesters. I was immediately intrigued, finding out the myriad ways in which professionals come together to protect our populations and the planet. It’s unbelievably multifaceted, and knowing there were so many different ways I could contribute tied me in. My first professional experience in the public health field began just before the COVID‐19 pandemic started, and working during the pandemic showed me how crucial our jobs are.
Q: We would love to hear more about the work you did with emerging infectious diseases at Yale. Can you tell us about that?
A: The Emerging Infections Program (EIP) is run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They have ten sites in different states around the US. The goal of the program is for epidemiologists to conduct surveillance on emerging infections in their state, and analyze the data so it can be of use to infectious disease doctors and scientists, and the overall public health and research community.
There are different sectors within the EIP, such as the Healthcare‐Associated Infections Community Interface (HAIC), CDI‐Network, HIV‐Network, Flu‐Network, etc., all for main pathogens that contribute to illness and disease in our country. I worked as a surveillance coordinator within the HAIC, conducting surveillance on patients hospitalized with candida infections in their bloodstream.
I also monitored candida species’ antifungal susceptibility to detect changes in resistance to antifungal agents. Our findings have provided an infrastructure for research, aided in monitoring the effectiveness of prevention strategies, created a better understanding of the causes of antifungal-resistant species, and helped create policies and procedures to make healthcare safer.
Q: Why are you interested in the field of emergency preparedness and response?
A: During my internship at the Connecticut State Public Health Laboratory, I attended a simulation for bioterrorism response. During this simulation, I was able to see all the different sectors that come together for a disaster response of this magnitude, and from there I knew public health response was something I wanted to be a part of. I’ve seen the way emergency preparedness and response are integrated into various fields in public health, and how all public health professionals essentially contribute in one way or another, whether it be in the lab, research, or immediate response on the ground, to preparing the public for emergencies.
Q: What is a current emergency or disaster that you believe is critical to address?
A: I think the relationship between science and society needs to be significantly focused on. I don’t think we’re living in a world anymore where scientists and public health professionals can handle the disasters we are facing alone. As climate change, mental health crises, racial conflicts, and gun violence (to name a few) continue to worsen, the tools learned in this discipline can provide citizens with the ability to effectively respond.
Q: If you could cure a disease, which would it be and why?
A: If I could cure a disease, it would be Alzheimer’s disease. It is one of the most devastating experiences both to witness and experience, and a frightening number of individuals in the US alone fight this disease year after year. It is unbelievably saddening to see someone have to live their life with no memory of how they spent it.
Q: How do you handle stress and pressure?
A: I have learned it’s best to stay positive, proactive, and focused on finding a solution. Planning and organization are key ways to manage stress and workload, as well as setting goals and deadlines. Communication is also essential to handle stressful situations. I’ve realized more often than not everyone around you in the situation is likely to be as stressed as you are. A critical part of making a team or situation work out in the best way is to be open, honest, and collaborate with one another.
Q: What is next for you after you complete your MPH degree?
A: I’m eager to apply the knowledge and skills I’ve learned over the years, and hope to further my impact in the field. As I mentioned before, there are so many different sectors one can go into with public health, and all of them have an impact. I’m excited to work with different government agencies, healthcare settings, and organizations in ensuring we are prepared for whichever public health emergency is to come next.