Class of 2026: Gati Wambura extends her reach as a ‘global health citizen’
ati Wambura grew up in Kenya, spent time living in Thailand, earned her bachelor’s degree in the United States and completed her master’s in Britain. With her Ph.D. this spring from Virginia Commonwealth University, she will bring her global perspective to health policy and research that can transcend borders. “Coming back to the U.S. was […]
Community, connection at the center of National Public Health Week 2026
Community, mentorship, service and global health were the focus of NPHW 2026 at VCU School of Public Health, organized by the Public Health Student Association (PHSA). Observed each April, National Public Health Week recognizes the field’s role in improving health, preventing disease, and strengthening communities. At VCU, the PHSA organized daily events to highlight the various specialties […]
The Department of Health Policy mourns Ph.D. candidate Akpene Tetteh, M.S.
Healthcare Policy and Research Ph.D. student, Akpene Tetteh, M.S., passed away unexpectedly on February 12, 2026. A native of Ghana and a truly exceptional student, Akpene Tetteh, M.S., was on track to complete her Ph.D. this summer, in an unprecedented three years. The Department of Health Policy and School of Public Health are heartbroken by the sudden […]
Public health students team up with VPHA for Legislative Advocacy Day
Health Policy students in the VCU Public Health Student Association partnered with Virginia Public Health Association to support public health legislation. The VCU School of Public Health (SOPH) leveraged its proximity to the Virginia State Capitol this winter when Healthcare Policy and Research Ph.D. students and members of the VCU Public Health Student Association (PHSA) organized a joint Legislative Day with […]
Primary care shortage affects 44% of Virginia’s neighborhoods and almost 3.8 million residents, new VCU study finds
Rural communities are particularly hard-hit, and the research could point to workforce initiatives. Nearly half of Virginia’s neighborhoods don’t have enough nearby primary care physicians for their residents, with rural communities being hit hardest by workforce shortages, according to a new study led by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University. Using anonymized health care claims data, […]
Where doctors aren’t: New study shows why primary care shortages persist
By Austin Littrell, Medical Economics Nearly half of Virginia’s neighborhoods lack adequate access to primary care. That’s the conclusion of a new study published in the Annals of Family Medicine, which used all-payer claims data to map how and where patients in the state can reach a doctor within 30 minutes. Researchers found that 44% of […]
In the spotlight: David Zhu named Top 40 Under 40 in Minority Health
David Zhu, an M.D./Ph.D. candidate who will join the Department of Health Policy as a student in fall 2025, has a lot to celebrate — earning a spot on National Minority Quality Forum’s Top 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health for 2025 for his groundbreaking research on disparities in substance use disorders. And that’s not all! […]
Vimbai Dihwa recognized for excellence with Black History in the Making award
On Tuesday, February 25, Vimbai Dihwa, a Ph.D. student, received the Black History in the Making award from VCU’s Department of African American Studies. The award, established in 1983 by Daryl Dance, Ph.D. to honor the achievements of African American students, has recognized over 550 students since then, with 62 more added this week. Dihwa, a student […]
Student Spotlight: Vimbai Dihwa
Vimbai Dihwa is a Ph.D. candidate in the Healthcare Policy & Research program in the Department of Health Policy. She received both her Bachelor’s Degree, in Biology with a Chemistry minor, and her Master of Business Administration from Rosemont College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. However, she originally comes from Zimbabwe and completed high school in […]
New Year, New MPH Concentration
Applications are now open for the VCU School of Public Health’s Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) in Health Policy. By Hannah Wente, originally published at VCU School Of Public Health Blog This fall, students in the School of Public Health’s M.P.H. program will have the chance to choose a new concentration – health policy. The […]
