Alumni Spotlight: Creason Walter
Creason Walter received a Bachelor of Science in Community Health from Salisbury University and recently graduated with a Master of Public Health degree from the Bloomberg School of Public Health (BSPH) and was a Bloomberg American Health Initiative (BAHI) Fellow in the Violence Focus Area. She currently works as an Injury Prevention Program Coordinator at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics.
What is your favorite memory from your time at Johns Hopkins?
While at the BSPH, I completed the majority of my courses online due to work commitments. However, I was able to create friendships with my fellow students. One of my favorite memories was going out for dinner with a fellow classmate and fellow, Nehali, when she would visit Baltimore and spending time with her while at the BAHI Summits. We were in multiple classes together and would often work on group projects together as we knew each other’s schedules and way of completing homework. She went to JHU as an undergrad student so it was fun to visit some of her old stomping grounds while she would visit.
What research topic (or project) have you had the opportunity to work on that was the most interesting to you? Why was it interesting?
I worked on a safe storage of firearms project with Dr. Katherine Hoops and a non-accidental trauma clinical pathway with my collaborating organization (a fellowship requirement). Both were very interesting to me.
When working on the safe storage of firearms project, we developed a pilot distribution program for clinicians and community violence interrupters to in turn distribute to their patients and clients. It was interesting to see the whole process come together and to use my program planning and quantitative reasoning skills that I had learned during my coursework.
When working on the non-accidental trauma clinical pathway, we developed a “storyboard” of the necessary referrals and process for when a patient enters through to discharge. The storyboard was to help providers give an unbiased assessment of the non-accidental trauma patient. During the creation of this pathway, we worked with many different teams. It was interesting to see how the multi-disciplinary groups worked together toward the common goal, and each had their own way of approaching the issue. This was also challenging at times to get buy in from all the stakeholders.
What are your future career plans? Or what is your dream job?
After graduation, I plan to stay in Baltimore and work for the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Pediatric Burn and Trauma Programs, in the Injury Prevention Program. My dream job is to teach at a collegiate level about public health, just how my undergraduate and graduate professors taught me.
If you could pick any fictional place to visit, where would you go and why? And who would you want to bring with you?
My all-time favorite movie is Princess Diaries. I would love to visit Genovia. In the movie, Genovia is the place where her grandmother is the queen on, and subsequently Mia is the princess of. The movie makes Genovia look so pretty – nestled between the Alps, full of hills and agricultural crops. The movie’s portrayal of Genovia’s architecture is very detailed. I would take my sister as we grew up together watching the movie together and can quote character’s lines.