Meet Maya, Lown’s public health intern

Maya Drabczyk is a Master of Public Health student at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine. At Dartmouth she is a member of the Graduate Consulting Group and a Global Health Fellow.

At nine years old, I became aware of the deep flaws in our healthcare system, thus marking the beginning of my journey toward a career in public health.

I grew up in a small rural town in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. My memory of being diagnosed with epilepsy is hazy—misdiagnoses, conflicting medical opinions, jargon I didn’t understand, and a deep sense of isolation from other kids my age. As a child, understanding and navigating the healthcare system felt nearly impossible. Now, just months away from earning my Master of Public Health (MPH), I still find the system complex and often inaccessible. I was lucky to outgrow my condition, but the experience shaped me into the person I am today. I know what it’s like to be a scared patient, simply hoping to get better. This perspective connects me to the millions of Americans who have faced the same fear and uncertainty in a system that should provide reassurance but often does the opposite. 

Coming from a state that has long struggled with healthcare access and affordability, I have come to understand the role my privilege played in my healthcare journey. I had good health insurance, transportation – even if it meant traveling hours in and out of state to see specialists – and a support system that made a significant difference. Unfortunately, that is not the reality for many West Virginians. More than 13% of adults in the state report experiencing medical debt, far exceeding the national average of 8.6%. Barriers to accessing care like medical debt shape lives, decisions, and health outcomes every day. Witnessing these disparities and disadvantages shaped how I see healthcare—not just as a system of doctors, hospitals, and treatments, but as a complex web of access, affordability, and communication that can either empower or isolate patients. Growing up in a rural town exposed me to the many healthcare disparities that plague rural communities: long wait times, financial barriers, and provider shortages, all converging to result in delayed or avoided care altogether. I learned that these challenges weren’t just statistics or topics to use for political gain; they were realities for friends, family, and neighbors. 

My academic journey in public health began at Elon University. When I started college in 2020, I enrolled in an Introduction to Public Health course, naively assuming it would focus entirely on the ongoing pandemic. Instead, I was introduced to a much broader and deeper understanding of the field—one that resonated with the frustrations and questions I had long held about healthcare in America. Thanks to an incredible professor, Dr. Stephanie Baker, I finally gained the language and frameworks necessary to articulate what I had sensed from an early age but struggled to put into words. After receiving my BA in public health with a minor in health communications, I decided to pursue my MPH to gain a deeper understanding of how I can make meaningful change during my career. My time at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine has challenged me to apply what I’ve learned on a larger scale and given me the confidence to ask difficult questions while simultaneously brainstorming creative solutions. 

Reflecting on my academic and personal experiences, I feel fortunate to have gained varied perspectives on the healthcare system and the inequities that burden it. Looking ahead to my internship, I am thrilled to be working with the Lown Institute, an organization I have admired for years—particularly for its work on the Lown Institute Hospital Index. I am excited to contribute to research on medical debt in America and analyze hospital financial and state policies to better understand the landscape of medical debt in Missouri. I plan to use my time at the Lown Institute to gain real-world experience in public health and health policy while further developing the skills I have gained in the classroom.