The following is a transcript of an episode of From the Front Row: Student Voices in Public Health, the University of Iowa College of Public Health’s student podcast.

Find our previous episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud.

Adriana Kotchkoski:
Hello everyone, and welcome back to From the Front Row. It’s that time of year again when we say goodbye to the graduating members of the podcast team. Today, we’re excited to celebrate three of our graduates From the Front Row hosts. Eric Ramos, Logan Schmidt, and Ben Sindt. Eric and Logan are graduating with their Master of Health Administration and Ben is graduating with his Master of Public Health, Occupational and Environmental Health. All three have made substantial contributions to the podcast. I’m Adriana Kotchkoski co-hosting today with Rasika Mukkamala. And if it’s your first time with us, welcome. We’re a student-run podcast that talks about major issues in public health and how they’re relevant to anyone, both in and outside the field of public health. Welcome to the show, Eric, Logan and Ben. Just to start off, why did you choose to pursue a graduate degree and why Iowa?

Ben Sindt:
I always kind of knew I needed a graduate degree and I got my undergrad in biology, which you can’t do a whole lot of with just an undergrad. And so initially, I was actually going to go more of a medical field, so I actually did a year of optometry school down in St. Louis and it was not for me to say the least, especially 2020, 2021 school year. Hard to move to a new area and then I kind of need to reevaluate my life. My mom suggested that I apply to the MPH program here at Iowa. This is my hometown, I should have started with that.

And just for backup plan because the deadline was due in a couple of days and so why not? And then I did some career counseling and two of the top three things on my list were occupational environmental work. And then I come to find out that there’s an occupational environmental program here at Iowa, Public Health Program that I was already accepted to. So it really worked out well during my mini quarter life crisis. Yeah, so it was great to come back to Iowa. I have a seven and 10 year old little sibling, so it’s been great to move back home and be near them and pursue my graduate education here.

Adriana Kotchkoski:
No, that’s nice. It’s nice that there was something literally laid out for you. Very perfect.

Logan Schmidt:
Yeah, it’s kind of odd being a guest to the podcast. Yeah. Why did I choose to get a master in Health Administration? Well, I had a similar story in the sense that I was pre-health before and I received my degree in biology and chemistry. I had some work experience before I entered grad school and I worked at a laboratory. And I realized that it wasn’t the most fulfilling thing, not having the ability to work with other people and expand on ideas. And what I’ve realized with my work experience here at the Cancer Center at the University of Iowa, I realized that it really fills my cup being able to work with others and see their insights on things and problem solve. And I realized I went into the right thing, because with health administration, it’s more of a global mindset of how do we transition healthcare to a direction as a organization instead of an individual level of treating patients.

And having that global level influence on things was while I went into grad school and this degree specifically. And coming out on the other side, I can absolutely say I went into the right thing and I’m looking forward to being able to have that influence. And then why Iowa? I went to here at Iowa because getting to know the program, I really felt welcome here and everyone was very friendly and I liked the cohort aspect of the education, and being able to have the same classes with individuals going through similar things. And because originally I’m from Minnesota, Wisconsin, so this is a home away from home for me. And throughout the last two years, I’ve felt very welcome and very glad I went to Iowa.

Eric Ramos:
Mine’s also very similar, getting my Master’s in Health Administration. I knew I wanted to be in healthcare, it’s something I’ve known for a while. Just experiences with my grandfather and just how I experienced healthcare through him. Obviously originally, I feel like a lot of people when they think of healthcare and they think of the traditionalist doctor, nurse track, you don’t really think about all the other aspects that go into healthcare. I was into junior or senior year of college and I really found out that a master in health administration or even just a degree in health administration was a thing. Obviously hear about business administration, but something like focus like health administration I didn’t realize was a thing. So that’s when I heard about the Master’s in Health Administration. I started looking into it. I’ve done a lot of administrative work and just in my career.

So I knew I loved the administrative aspect of things, so I just thought it was a good fit for me. I knew Iowa had a program. I knew a classmate from my undergraduate who had gone to Iowa and graduated I think two years before I did. So I knew it was a great program. He had a great time. I talked to some people there and met with Gwen the year before, just to learn more about the program. And I mean, Iowa was the only program I applied to. I knew it was where I wanted to go. I knew that it was going to be the place for me and I got in. So that’s why I’m here.

Rasika Mukkamala:
When you guys are looking back at the last two years, can you talk about your favorite memory of grad school?

Ben Sindt:
Yeah, I don’t think I have any specific memory, but just whole being able to go to class every day with people that have very similar academic interests, I think was very nice. Because in undergrad, you have a lot of friends, but you don’t always talk about your academic interests. I think it was just [inaudible 00:05:48].

Logan Schmidt:
Going off of that, Ben, it was a nice transition academically going and studying things that are very general and then studying things that are really applicable to our careers or our jobs in the future. So that was a big thing that I’ll remember of grad school and a favorite thing too. I would say another broad memory of grad school is just how terrified I was going into grad school and public speaking in general. And then also just speaking with individuals with big titles and they have a lot of experience under their belts and they’re doing important things. And then being someone who can just walk up to those people and start a conversation and ask what they’re all about is a growing point that if you would’ve asked me at the start of grad school, would’ve kept me up at night and raised [inaudible 00:06:45] levels for sure. Yeah, another general memory.

Eric Ramos:
Okay. So it’s hard to think of just one. I would say the one I’m thinking off the top of my head is just having so much fun in class. I think that’s something I’ve always done with myself is whether the content is dry or not that day, I’ve always had fun in class. I’ve always found a way to make a good time with friends. That’s always something that’s fun. I would say another memory, the time I was 45 minutes late to econ because I wanted to be there for the grand opening of Raising Cane’s. So I walked into econ with Raising Cane’s 45 minutes late. And I would say third one would probably be… [inaudible 00:07:25]. The third one was probably, I would say Congress. My first year of Congress was really fun just because we were able to just… I was able to catch up with a lot of friends and colleagues just was from across the country who I’ve met throughout case competitions. So it was nice to catch up with people and just have a good time there with the cohort. I think just going out to eat with everybody and go to Howl at the Moon with Todd. I think that was just a really fun experience. I think just honestly just the memories you make just in the hotel or the halls or whatever is so much fun. And I think the last thing I would say was just UAB this year, just with Sydney and Joe and Dr. Wilson. Just being able to experience UAB, actually place this year. We got third, so that was actually… I wanted to place-

Adriana Kotchkoski:
Congratulations.

Eric Ramos:
Thank you. I wanted to place top grade acute com before I graduated and I did it. So that was, I would say, one of our good memories.

Adriana Kotchkoski:
What was the response of you bringing Cane’s?

Eric Ramos:
Nothing. I mean, at that point, I don’t even remember. I just remember getting Cane’s, walking in 45 minutes late and then sitting down. And I mean, I passed the class, so must have been fine.

Adriana Kotchkoski:
So how long have each of you been involved with the podcast and what really drew your interest? What made you sign up?

Ben Sindt:
Well, I feel like most of us been here for two years, so I’ve been involved for two years. What initially drew me is I like listening to podcasts, so I wanted to see what it’s like to be on the other side of the mic.

Eric Ramos:
Yeah, I wanted the same thing. I think I started, I want to say first… It was the later half my first semester here. Is that right, Logan? I think so. I think it’s later half of my first semester here. I think just I wanted talk to more people who are experiencing healthcare, public health in the area. I think it was a really cool topic to be able to talk to people, get exposed to different people. That’s why I did it.

Logan Schmidt:
Similar with me also. I listened to the podcast when I was thinking about going to Iowa, so that was very helpful. And I guess giving back in that way, I wanted to do that, but also in the same sense of Eric, to be able to talk to interviewees on different topics and expand on my knowledge of public health. Because if you would’ve asked me of what are all the different departments in the College of Public Health? I wouldn’t have been able to tell you.

Rasika Mukkamala:
Eric, I actually listened to one of the podcasts that you did before I came here, and then the first day at orientation or one of the first days you were at a table and I kind of felt like I was meeting a celebrity.

Eric Ramos:
I’m dead. Yeah, I think the first time I met the whole bursary cohort orientation, I was like, you’ve probably heard that voice before in the podcast. [inaudible 00:10:05], so yeah.

Adriana Kotchkoski:
Yeah, that’s definitely how I felt. I was like, oh, he talks the exact same way as he does on the podcast.

Eric Ramos:
Yeah, that’s my voice.

Adriana Kotchkoski:
So you guys have done multiple episodes and do you guys have a favorite of one that you’ve been a part of and why?

Eric Ramos:
I would say probably for me, it was either for a episode I’d been on, it would be the episode I think Anya and I did with the Free Medical and Dental Clinic here in Iowa City. It was just like they’re so passionate about what they do and about educating others on what they do. I think that was such a great episode. And [inaudible 00:10:45] the episode about just disparities in Iowa City that I didn’t even think about until we were talking to them there. An episode I wasn’t part of I think would be the episode that they did with Aloha Will because since she was talking about the work that she did in my hometown, just tackling these different health disparities there, I would say that was probably [inaudible 00:11:03] too.

Logan Schmidt:
My favorite episode was with Mark and Bonnie Barnes with the Daisy Foundation, just probably a couple of weeks ago, maybe a month. We learned a lot about the Daisy Foundation and giving recognition to nurses and understanding how you implement and have an organization specifically for that was interesting to learn about. And then also just to have ability to ask them offhanded questions on a one-on-one basis before or after the podcast was cool too. And then another podcast, I think it was my first podcast was with Dr. Sin, Ben’s mom to learn more about ophthalmology and the thing she had been working on. And I can’t quite remember, and it would be interesting to hear if you have any updates, Ben, but the most interesting thing about that was her talks with some startup company with some contact lens technology where you can project things on that. I don’t know if there’s any updates on that, but that was pretty amazing hearing about it.

Ben Sindt:
Yeah, I’m not too sure about those updates because a lot of the technology doesn’t move super quick, but they’re still working on it. So yeah, a lot of hoops to jump through to put technology on people’s eyes for legislators [inaudible 00:12:24].

Logan Schmidt:
I can imagine.

Ben Sindt:
But yeah, my favorite episode I would say is when I personally interviewed Dr. McGehee from the National Advanced Driving Simulator. Again, I mentioned I’m from Iowa City, so when I was a little kid, elementary school, I was on a Lego robotics team and we did a project with the driving simulator. So it was just really interesting to have the childhood experience of working with them and then as an adult having a one-on-one more level conversation about the driving simulator and how it actually helps health and public health in general. So yeah.

Adriana Kotchkoski:
That’s cool. Full story. Have you all noticed any personal growth through gaining experience on From the Front Row?

Eric Ramos:
I would say yes. I think I’m more hyper aware of how fast I talk, especially now that I’ve been on the podcast, because when I edit my own episodes, I’m like holy moly, I talk so fricking fast. And I’m pretty sure I’m talking fast right now, but at this point, you’re going to learn to accept, but you can slow me down the [inaudible 00:13:24] man. But I think that’s what it is. I’ve been more conscious of how fast that I talk and I try to enunciate more when I’m podcasting than real life.

Ben Sindt:
Yeah, I think skill I’ve definitely gained is being a little more keyed into some of the smaller things people say in conversations to try to move things forward, as well as keep it still like on task.

Logan Schmidt:
I was going to say something very similar, with these podcasts, we have prepared questions and the skill of being able to go with the flow versus being robotic with those questions. And the skill of having small pieces holding onto them, either writing them down or keeping them in the back of your head, but also being able to listen and retain the things that they’re saying after you have that nugget of information. Something that I never really thought that was a skill until doing podcasts like this.

Rasika Mukkamala:
So a few of you have mentioned that you listened to this podcast before you came to the College of Public Health. So is there any advice that you can give to students who are interested in pursuing a degree either graduate or undergraduate at the College of Public Health?

Ben Sindt:
Yeah. For me personally, again, I mentioned I went to one graduate school and switched to another. I’d say a big one is make sure you try to pursue a degree or program that you could see yourself being happy in long term, because it’s a lot easier to do the schoolwork when you care about what you’re doing day-to-day.

Eric Ramos:
And going along with that, I would just say reach out to current students, reach out to faculty, reach out to staff. Everybody’s so open to talking to you, is talking to you about what they do and what goes on in the program. And then talk to alumni. I think just finding people who graduated from whatever program you’re interested in to see what they’re doing now and how their program has helped them get there, I think is really good for setting you up for success. I think just reaching out to anybody and everybody’s always so happy to talk to you. I think that’d be a really good step to take.

Logan Schmidt:
And then going off of that, of understanding what you want to go into. Each of these degrees are so broad. It’s important to go down some rabbit holes and get some experience in the sense of doing some informational interviews with those individuals, or looking for opportunities for practical experience. Whether it’s a graduate assistantship, or just taking a job at the hospital, or what have you that’s related in the field that you’re going into to understand what you’re actually getting into is very important.

Adriana Kotchkoski:
It’s very nice that at least the School of Public Health, I’m sure at all the other schools at Iowa, there’s just so many different things you can be involved with. I know podcasts, a couple of us worked with the Daisy Foundation, [inaudible 00:16:23], TAs, you really… There’s so many ways to fill your time and also limit your time because we also have school and everything is a lot, but I digress. Do you have any advice just for a future From the Front Row team members who might be listening in?

Eric Ramos:
I would say just when it comes to podcast specific advice, I would say just if you have someone you want to talk to, just tell whoever the director is and this year, it’s Anya or whoever it is, just tell them and they’re most likely they’re going to be so happy to let you do that. So never feel like you can’t explore your own interests on the podcast. I know sometimes we have themed months or something, but obviously, they add it to the docket. I think it’s going to be something really cool. I mean, that’s why we’re here, we’re here to expose people to different topics and different conversations. So if you really want to talk to somebody, no matter who it is, just tell the director or just schedule it and talk to them. I think that’s something that I wouldn’t be afraid to just talk to anybody if you want to in the podcast.

But when it comes to graduate school advice as far as juggling different organizations and stuff, I would say just prioritize more than you did in undergrad. I think in undergrad, I did everything and anything because I could and I had fun. But in grad school, I did my top three things I wanted to do rather than everything, just because A, you don’t have the time. And B, also, it’s more fun when you prioritize things and you’re able to allocate more time to things. So that’s what I would say.

Logan Schmidt:
I don’t have much more to add to that. I totally agree with Eric of being able to prioritize and then go in depth with a few interests that you have in grad school. You want to get that broad experience for sure. But those things that you do for extracurriculars or practical experience, you’re going to learn more and more as you go deeper with those organizations or work or what have you. And then for advice From the Front Row team members, specifically for the podcast, again, just follow your passions. And there’s always interesting things in the news, in the space of healthcare. And there’s experts all over the place, and specifically here at the University of Iowa, there’s always someone that’s willing to speak upon a certain topic that’s in the news or what have you. So whether it’s your interests or it’s just a hot button issue, there’s lots of opportunities to talk to people firsthand regarding those topics.

Ben Sindt:
Yeah, I’d echo all the things they’ve said. Just a final thing for future podcast hosts. Don’t be afraid, even though when the recordings ended, you can still ask questions if you’re personally just interested, maybe career wise. Because I’ve gone on, gotten some resources from some people we’ve interviewed, so use your resources wisely.

Rasika Mukkamala:
No, that’s super helpful. And I know that there might be some future podcasters listening, so it’s hard to believe that all of you are graduating this week. So what is next for each of you?

Logan Schmidt:
So I’m going back to where I came from and I have a fellowship with health partners in the Twin Cities area, Minneapolis and St. Paul, and I’ll be administrative fellow there.

Eric Ramos:
And I am off to Chicago, Illinois. I’ll be an administrative fellow at Northwestern Medicine in downtown Chicago.

Ben Sindt:
And I don’t actually graduate this week. I’m still walking at commencement, but my graduation got pushed back to August. So some advice for future MPH people listening is get started on your practicum early because [inaudible 00:19:58] people are really busy people, they can’t always cram things overnight like you can as a student. But after that, I’m not fully sure yet, but…

Adriana Kotchkoski:
No, thanks for sharing. Sounds like at least two of us are stay… Or two of you all are staying around the Midwest area, so maybe we’ll see you come back sometime. And to continue on, what was one thing you thought you knew, but were later wrong about?

Eric Ramos:
I’ve asked this question so many times and I don’t know why I didn’t think about it before.

Logan Schmidt:
Yeah, I’ve never thought of it for myself either.

Rasika Mukkamala:
Seeing you all think makes me want to prepare my answer for when I eventually have to do this on your end.

Adriana Kotchkoski:
We have at least a year. It might be enough.

Logan Schmidt:
So something that I was wrong about was I came into grad school with the perception that here I’m a student. I’m a knowing kid that’s going to go ask questions of someone who has a really important role or they have a busy life as a nurse or a doctor, what have you. And why would they want to talk to a student? I think it goes a long ways when someone is asking about someone’s passion. And to talk about your passion, and I’ve experienced this myself, but being the person asking those questions seems that every single person, if you’re asking them about what they do and why they do it, they’ll always find time for it. And to not be intimidated to approach people that you think, why would they talk to a student or someone younger or what have you. That’s generally the wrong mindset in the sense of they will make time for you to give you more information in their experiences of what they’re doing.

Ben Sindt:
I think one thing that I definitely gotten better at is especially coming into College of Public Health with all the different departments, is there’s a lot of different solutions to problems. So just hearing people out and listening to people to fully get the idea of what’s going on in the situation, health wise, small situation wise, whatever have you. Because I may view a solution to something as A, B, C, and you may view it as X, Y, Z, and both could be correct and both could be wrong. But just hearing people out, I think listening is definitely something I’ve gotten better at.
Eric Ramos:
I would say probably something I learned over high school, undergrad, in grad school, and I think this is my motto through grad school and honestly got me through it, was the fact that it’s just never that… It’s never as you think it is, it never really is. I think back to progressively, I stopped freaking out about things and I think by the time it got to grad school, it was just people would be like, “Oh my God, you do that assignment? It’s due tomorrow.” And I’d be like, “No, but it’s going to get done.” I think I’ve just learned to not stress about things. At the end of the day, it always works out and nothing is ever as bad as you think it’s going to be, and the next day, it’s going to be fine. So I think that’s something what I’ve learned. It’s just like it’s not that deep. I think that that’s what I’ve learned.
Rasika Mukkamala:
I’ve heard you say that so many times, so I’m glad that you included that in your answer. But thank you so much for your time and for spending a lot of your time on the podcast for the last two years. I know we’ve appreciated learning from you and listening to all of your interviews with our guests, so we really appreciate it and best of luck to you in your next steps. But this has been Rasika and Adriana From the Front row. See you next time.
Anya Morozov:
That’s it for episode this week. Big thanks to Eric Ramos, Logan Schmidt and Ben Sindt for joining us today and for the past two years of working with you on the podcast. It’s been really awesome. This episode was hosted by Rasika Mukkamala and Adriana Kotchkoski and written, edited, and produced by Anya Morozov. You can learn more about the University of Iowa College of Public Health on Facebook. And our podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. If you enjoyed this episode and would like to help support the podcast, please share it with your colleagues, friends, or anyone interested in public health. Have a suggestion for our team? You can reach us at cph-gradambassador@uiowa.edu. This episode was brought to you by the University of Iowa College of Public Health. Until two weeks from now, stay healthy, stay curious, and take care.