Student Spotlight: Maclaine Barré-Quick
Maclaine's passion for public health began as a JHU undergrad, during her Introduction to Public Health course.
Meet Maclaine Barré-Quick
- Degree Program: MSPH
- Area of Interest: Women’s, Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Hometown: New Providence, NJ
- Previous Degree Earned: BA Public Health Studies, Johns Hopkins University
- Fun Fact: My favorite activities all include my rescue dog, Lou, who is a spunky girl who has learned SO much about public health in the last 2 years since I adopted her from BARCS in Baltimore.
What sparked your interest in Public Health?
My interest in public health was sparked by shadowing medical providers when I was in high school and observing the stark contrast in patient outcomes depending on whether they considered the broader context of the patient and population health. Witnessing the profound impact of holistic care, combined with my desire to follow in the footsteps of my grandmother, a dedicated pediatrician, inspired me. Her commitment to improving the health of our community deeply influenced my goal to make a similar positive impact on people’s health. When I got to JHU, I sought out a discipline that would further my understanding of the social context of health, and in doing so found “Introduction to Public Health.” I was introduced to the broad and varied impact that public health professionals can have on the health of the community, nation, and world. From there, as I continued to take courses in public health and become immersed in the Baltimore community, I knew this was the field that I wanted to pour my energy and soul into.
Why did you choose Bloomberg School of Public Health?
I was lucky enough during my undergraduate education at JHU to interact with and learn from many Bloomberg faculty both in classes at Homewood campus as well as beginning to take classes at Bloomberg campus in my senior year. When presented with the opportunity to continue learning and working with and from this wonderful community of scholars, I couldn’t pass it up!
What led you to join the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health?
Seeing many of my high school peers struggle to access reproductive health services highlighted to me the critical need for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, accessible healthcare, and additional public health interventions in the field of reproductive health. In addition, working with the non-profit The Violet Project during my undergraduate education illustrated to me the depth of period poverty and the prevalence of misinformation and lack of comprehensive education on sexual and reproductive health among teenagers, especially in Baltimore. In particular, one interaction with a high school student who experienced panic upon getting her period because she didn't know what was happening, and who stressed to me that she was not alone in this, underscored the urgency of addressing these gaps. Finally, I had wonderful experiences while I was an undergraduate at JHU with Population, Family and Reproductive Health professors who further inspired and mentored me.
What is one experience in PFRH that stands out as a favorite or most memorable?
While I have had many opportunities to grow academically and professionally in this department, my favorite experiences revolve around the camaraderie that has truly developed within my cohort. We are so supportive of each other both in our education and in life, and it has enhanced my experience at Bloomberg exponentially. Not only is there a deep friendship within our cohort, but the supportive environment of the students, faculty, and staff in the department in unmatched. The experience that pops to mind is our annual department gathering at an Orioles game. As we cheer on our home team and eat ballpark food, you can feel how kind and committed everyone in the department is not only to their work but to fostering a supportive environment and community for all who learn and work in PFRH.
The scoreboard at Oriole Park at Camden Yards welcomes PFRH staff and students to their annual back-to-school game.
Tell us about your field placement.
I am working primarily with Teresa Yeh and Caitlin Kennedy to conduct a number of systematic reviews on a range of topics, including gender affirming care, menstrual health, menopause, and HIV. Many of these projects are part of contracts with the World Health Organization and I have had the opportunity to contribute to a variety of reviews that will ultimately inform WHO guidelines and impact health on a global scale in various stages of the systematic review process.
What do you hope to do or accomplish after graduation?
My dream is to ultimately become a pediatrician or pediatric surgeon and practice medicine with a public health lens, continuing to do research with the skills I have learned in this program, and always keeping my practice trained on the context in which patients, live, work, learn, play and exist. So much is missed when practitioners focus only on what is physically presenting itself in the exam room. I hope to continue the trend of practitioners who see patients not as simply conditions to treat, but as people who exist in a broader community context.
