Public health student travels long way to attend college

Bernie Medise, M.D., a pediatrician, is UNMC’s first public health student from Indonesia to be sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

USAID is an independent agency that provides economic, development, global health, democracy and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States.

Bernie Medise, M.D.

Dr. Medise is a faculty member of the Child Health Department, University of Indonesia-Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, the oldest tertiary-level educational institution and teaching hospital in Indonesia.

She teaches medical students and pediatric residents, practices pediatrics in the teaching hospital and conducts community service and research. As part of the Growth Development — Community Pediatric Division, Dr. Medise works with normal and high risk infants after they are discharged from the neonatology ward.

• Name: Bernie Endyarni Medise, M.D.
  
• Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia
  
• Year/program: First year, Master’s of Public Health

Why are you interested in public health?

I want to expand my knowledge so I can improve the foundation of community health, such as prevention, promotion, access to health care and children’s health. Through this program, I also wish to gain expertise so I can teach community pediatrics.

Less than a week away The Harold M. and Beverly Maurer Center for Public Health — the new home for the College of Public Health — will officially open Wednesday during an 11 a.m. ceremony at the center. The center sits south of Dewey Avenue on the east side of 40th Street near the campus art feature.

Why come to UNMC?

I have four reasons. First, I was pleased to learn that faculty in the colleges of public health and medicine at UNMC work closely together to offer a dual degree of M.D./M.P.H. Secondly, I was impressed with Dr. El-Mohandes (dean of the College of Public Health) when he visited my university. He has a prominent international reputation, a pediatrics background and now dedicates himself to public health. UNMC was a perfect fit. I hope my stay here will ignite a relationship between UNMC and my university in Indonesia. Third, I’m also excited about the Munroe-Meyer Institute, where I want to do my capstone learning. And finally, I became even more excited about the future master’s program in maternal and child health — a degree I would love to pursue.

What are your goals?

While at UNMC, I want to build professional and academic network and introduce Indonesia to the American people. After graduating, I want to improve developmental pediatrics in the hospital and community when I return to my university.