Student Spotlight: Puranjay Shori was surprised to discover that his passion for people was embedded in his passion for public health

Puranjay Shori, a graduating MPH student at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, discovered his passion for public health while volunteering at a Florida charitable organization, Hearts for the Homeless Gainesville, a non-profit that provides healthcare resources for underserved communities, namely the unhoused.

“I had the chance to conduct blood pressure screenings for unhoused individuals, educate them regarding different chronic conditions, and provide them with information about accessible healthcare resources,” he said. “Interacting with this community on several occasions, I noticed that many of the people I met discussed different barriers that impacted their ability to make positive health decisions. I decided to pursue my MPH to learn about things like the social determinants of health and how they play a role in health outcomes.”

One class Shori found particularly applicable to his interests was the Tropical Infectious Diseases course, which he says expanded his understanding of public health on a global scale. “I really explored the different coursework opportunities available at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. Several classes provided me with unique learning modalities that allowed me to participate in case-based learning or more collaborative-based work,” he said. “There are classes that I took when I first started my graduate studies that have shaped the focus of my degree as I entered my second year [of graduate school].”

Shori reflects fondly on other standout experiences at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. “My practicum has shaped into a memorable learning opportunity for me, and I attribute it to the people I work with at my practicum site and their encouragement of my efforts,” he said. “Coming in with the desire of wanting to create positive change at my practicum location, it has been very rewarding to immerse myself in my project and use the skills and knowledge from my MPH education in ways I see myself doing as a public health professional.”

Shori completed his practicum at The Samaritan Inn, a non-profit organization that offers a comprehensive housing program. Students enrolled in the MPH program are required to complete a practicum, which connects the application of learning to a ‘real world’ setting. Shori plans to leverage his understanding of public health to engage in population-based research. He wants to work directly with local populations through service and advocacy to promote preventative health practices. Shori believes attending UTHealth Houston School of Public Health has been the best decision he has made.

“UTHealth Houston School of Public Health provides a unique environment where I have been able to meet people from various places through my classes. With multiple campuses all over Texas, it has been a wonderful experience for me to collaborate and attend ITV classes with people who are from different backgrounds and gain new perspectives at the same time,” he said. “UTHealth Houston is also one of the biggest public health institutions in Texas, and being a powerhouse in health advocacy and research, I knew this school would be the place for me to have the most opportunities and prosper as a student.”

Shori received his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Florida, will soon graduate with an MPH as a customized major, as well as a certificate in Infectious Disease Epidemiology. Shori will attend medical school this year.

His diverse experience in wet labs and clinical research settings added meaningful context to the wide range of biological science courses he completed at the School of Public Health.