Improving health through nutrition-centric education and awareness

“It was fulfilling to be a part of every aspect of this new plant-based workshop – from creating the promotional material and partnering with physicians to vet the content to securing funding and participating in the first workshop in early April 2023,” said Reina Obeid, a 2nd year UCI MPH student. “I am so proud to see the workshop come to fruition and help patients learn healthier eating habits.” 

As part of their master of public health (MPH) degree, students are required to intern and fulfill a set of learning competencies at one of dozens of regional practicum sites. For Reina, choosing a practicum site that would allow her to flex the curriculum she learned in the classroom was especially important. She has spent over 6 months working with the UCI Health Patient Education Department which is well beyond her requirement to create the Plant-Based Cooking Workshop Series, Diabetes Overview Workshop Series, and many more.

During her time with UCI Health, Reina spearheaded the development and launch of an innovative patient education workshop focused on virtually teaching plant-based cooking skills in order to improve healthy eating habits. She felt prepared for this challenge as the rest of her volunteer experiences were also centered around patient empowerment and education. She had additional support from the H&H Lee Charitable Foundation, which awards merit-based scholarships to students who are conducting research around community engagement and health equity.

It was fulfilling to be a part of every aspect of this new plant-based workshop – from creating the promotional material and partnering with physicians to vet the content to securing funding and participating in the first workshop in early April 2023.”

Reina Obeid, 2nd year UCI MPH student

As a relatively newer practicum site for UCI Public Health MPH students to work at, the Patient Education Department has already fostered 12 undergraduate and graduate students since coming on board in 2022. The Department offers free health education classes, support groups and on-demand educational videos not only to UCI patients but also to the community at large.

Tiffany Vo, MPH, CHES, the department’s Patient Education Coordinator, worked closely with Reina during her practicum and said, “Our department is small but mighty with the help of UCI Public Health practicum students, like Reina. We are tasked with providing relevant patient education materials for patients, caregivers, and the community with health literacy and health equity in mind.”

Reina feels prepared to embark on the next chapter in her life and career after her practicum ends and her impending graduation in June as a member of the Class of 2023. With medical school in her sight, she looks forward to incorporating her experiences at UC Irvine in how she will serve her future patients. 

“Our community needs public health professionals who rise up to meet the specific needs and priorities of the populations they serve and address all people inclusively, accurately, and respectfully,” said Reina. “And it’s been a privilege to be able to do just that here at UC Irvine.”