Nadia Koyratty

I have always been interested in health-related issues of different populations. Before pursuing a degree in epidemiology, I was already working in in the food sector as a public health scientist. At the time, I only had a bachelor's and master's degree in food sciences. I felt that understanding the distribution and determinants of certain outcomes, such as diet-related diseases, food-borne illnesses, and nutrition issues would greatly help in the line of work that I was interested in.

While looking up research universities that offered programs in epidemiology, UB proved to be one of the leading options.  It appealed to me because of the location and the research opportunities. When deciding which university to apply to and receive my doctoral degree from, I wanted to choose a university that would give me options for field work anywhere in the world and UB provides those opportunities.

My coursework is fascinating. Given that my PhD is in a different field than my initial educational background, I feel that the coursework provides me with sufficient knowledge to be confident in epidemiology. Additionally, I work as a graduate assistant with my department professors on different projects. This has given me more practice with using epidemiology in identifying diseases in the public health context.

The coursework is extremely interesting and the practical part is fascinating. The department and professors are very encouraging in letting us find and follow our interests, while guiding us in our research activities.

Having a PhD from the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions is definitely an advantage. As part of the Association of American Universities, UB ensures that our research degree is of the highest standard and recognized as such everywhere.