Med student honored for public health efforts

Frantzlee LaCrete, a fourth-year medical student who recently matched in otolaryngology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, has been named a recipient of the United States Public Health Service Excellence in Public Health Award.

The award was established to recognize medical students’ contribution to public health.

The award was a result of the work LaCrete had been doing as part of his work on a master’s degree in the UNMC College of Public Health. LaCrete paused his medical studies in 2021 to earn the MPH as part of UNMC’s MD-MPH program.

Public health always was part of LaCrete’s plan.

"As physicians, we can treat the symptoms of ailments all day, every day," he said. "But that doesn’t change the issue unless we go upstream. Focusing on public health helps you figure out the cause of these tough issues we see in the clinics."

LaCrete, a member of the Delta Omega public health honor society, interned for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services in the early hearing detection and intervention program. There, he created a series of infographics for parents regarding hearing tests and screening for infants and children throughout Nebraska. The infographics also provided information on risk factors for hearing loss in the state.

His MPH capstone project involved examining the distribution of otolaryngologists in Nebraska in an attempt to quantify, by county, the distance in miles to the closest ENT.

Nicole Kolm-Valdivia, PhD, director of professional programs at the UNMC College of Public Health and LaCrete’s nominator, said the college was "incredibly proud" of LaCrete’s accomplishments.

"Mr. LaCrete's dedication to serving historically underserved populations with dignity and respect is inspiring," Dr. Kolm-Valdivia said. "He is passionate about improving the health of the public and exemplifies the mission of UNMC by transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals. He is so deserving of this award."

LaCrete, an RHOP program graduate from Chadron State College, said his public health studies — concentrated in epidemiology — provided him with research experience and analytical experience that will help him work with large databases to pinpoint community and regional needs.

"Most importantly, it will help me advocate for patients," he said. A native of rural Nebraska, he said he’d heard many stories of patients who didn’t get proper hearing care.

"I want to be involved in the Department of Health and Human Services, especially within my community, in terms of hearing detection and intervention — making sure that kiddos who may be at risk for losing their hearing get proper treatment, so we can salvage what is left of their hearing," he said. "I want to advocate for patients across my state and within my community to give them the best hearing health possible."

In addition, LaCrete, himself a head-and-neck cancer survivor, wants to focus on head-and-neck cancer detection, prevention and treatment.

LaCrete said the award made him feel that his work to help Nebraska was being recognized.

"But the most rewarding feeling is to know I’m helping out the people where I came from in the state of Nebraska," he said.