Sarah Krechel

Faculty Advisor: Kirsten Beyer, PhD, MPH, MS
Year Entered MCW: 2021
Previous Education: MPH, Medical College of Wisconsin; BA, Sociology, St. Norbert College

I grew up in Illinois and became a WI transplant when I moved to De Pere, WI to pursue my interests of sociology and political science at St. Norbert College. Upon graduation, I accepted my first job at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) in the Graduate School. During this time, I grew fond of MCW and knew it was where I wanted to further my education. I completed my Master of Public Health degree through MCW in 2018. As I was in school, I worked at the Children’s Health Alliance of WI as a project manager before taking a role as a research coordinator with Vivent Health. Over my time at Vivent Health, I helped grow a field-based research team that worked with a team of interdisciplinary researchers at the University of Wisconsin- Madison on two NIH-funded research projects. One study evaluated the effectiveness of a mobile health intervention on clinical outcomes of people living with HIV and substance use disorder. The other assessed the prevalence of injection drug use in rural Wisconsin and developed an evidence-based intervention to reduce the risk of HIV and overdose among people who inject drugs. With the data, we designed an intervention with voice and input from our clients. Thus, witnessing a client get access to the care and treatment they deserve because of the intervention was a humbling moment. After working with a priority population, hearing their experiences, heartache, and deep appreciation for non-judgmental support, I became further committed to the concept of health equity. I am interested in studying how health in all policies can address social determinants of health and uncover how patient experiences and social structures influence how we engage in the health care system. It is a great honor to have the opportunity to further my education with the faculty and staff at MCW and I look forward to beginning this journey in the fall.