Justin Quiles

What is public health?

Public health is a fusion between health promotion, health protection and prevention of disease. I see the field of public health as the most forefront and practical health science that aims for positive health changes at a community level. In today's unprecedented time of COVID-19, the importance of public health in our communities has never been greater.

When was a moment you realized public health was the right fit for you?

When the pandemic started I was enrolled in epidemiological research and outbreak investigation. I found myself researching more and more on the pandemic to better understand COVID-19. The pandemic has shown all of us how important public health is.

What is an interesting experience you’ve had during your time at WVU?

Working within the School of Public Health has provided me numerous opportunities including a great research internship with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). I worked as an observationalist and principal investigator to conduct research and surveillance for the CDC’s student mask study. The community health issue that we targeted and focused on is the use of personal protection equipment (PPE) among university students. Mask use is essential for preventing overall spread of disease, especially viruses that are deemed airborne pathogens. College campuses are extremely susceptible to outbreaks so it becomes even more important that in today's COVID-19 pandemic we develop research to learn how to protect student populations at large public universities. I think that studying public health in a modern day pandemic was quite beneficial. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unfortunate crisis that has allowed for public health students to obtain practical learning on epidemiology outside the classroom.

What do you want to do after graduation?

After graduation I plan to enroll into graduate school to further my academic career. I will enroll into a Professional Science Masters (PSM) program to obtain a degree in biotechnology and entrepreneurship. My goal is to someday start my own government-subsidized, non-profit organization that focuses on helping susceptible communities in Puerto Rico. This organization will work with legislation and elected officials to implement public projects and programs to increase health outcomes.

What would you tell prospective students about the School of Public Health?

The School of Public Health is a tight-knit major with great caring teachers that will treat you like family. The public health faculty is fully invested in the success of their students.

What advice would you give to your freshman self?

I would tell all freshmen to relax! Freshman year can be very overwhelming with everything that is going on so it is important to not get caught up in it all and to take a breath. I suffered from an extreme culture shock my freshman year coming from urban New York to rural West Virginia. It's important to realize that life is a marathon and you can do more for your next mile than you can for your past. Don't be discouraged, keep moving forward.

What will you always remember from your time at WVU?

I will always remember all the great people that I encountered in my four years at WVU. The relationships I have been fortunate to develop will last a lifetime.

What do you think is the best tradition at WVU?

The best tradition at WVU is the football season. The atmosphere in Morgantown for game days is unmatched.