SRPH student testifies at state capitol

Ryan Fuller, master of public health at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, testified before the Health Disparities Task Force at the Texas State Capitol. This group is composed of public health stakeholders, including researchers and policy makers, appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry and is responsible for setting the Governor’s agenda regarding health disparities for the upcoming legislative session.

Mr. Fuller presented his work on the Health Disparities Index along with Kirk Calhoun, M.D., President of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler as representatives of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Center for Research on Minority Health, and the Health Disparities Education, Awareness, Research and Training (HDEART) Consortium.

HDEART is an international group of research and policy institutions whose mission is to address and eliminate health disparities; both Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M Health Science Center are active members.

“I left knowing the work I have done will influence the policy recommendations for the upcoming legislative session,” stated Mr. Fuller. “This truly was an amazing experience for a student of health policy.”