Hello future self! As you know, my name is Madgean Joassaint. I am a rising senior studying Sociology at UofM.Originally from South Florida, I am a first-generation college student proudly raised by her large family. Due to the pandemic, I’ve never been able to be on campus during the summer. As a result, I’m ecstatic to be spending my first summer here in Ann Arbor and I can’t wait to experience everything it has to offer. I plan on attending the film/art festival, relaxing around the arboretum and finally entering the UMMA (I know, I’m pretty late to the party). Additionally, I am a person of varied interests. Since coming to the university, I have been able to branch out and learn about completely new areas that I had never been exposed to. Of my interests, I am extremely passionate about women’s health, public health, social activism, sociological research, history, etc. Up to this point, I am extremely happy to have had prior opportunities to delve into these areas of interest, even if momentarily.
This summer, I will be joining Dr. Justine Wu and her amazing colleagues on the Equity in Newborn Screening Study (ENDS Study). This research project under Michigan Medicine hopes to tackle the overwhelming issues of health inequity through Anti Racism-based research. Research has shown that there is an apparent racial disparity among newborns who are drug screened. Due to these findings, the team is conducting a mixed-methods study to further understand the issue and provide possible steps towards health equity for these newborns and their family. As a research assistant, I will be conducting qualitative interviews. While I am extremely nervous due to my somewhat limited interviewing experiences, I am excited to start and develop this skill as a researcher.
Finally, I am thrilled that I will be spending my summer working on this project. It encompasses many of my passions and allows me the opportunity to finally experience research within the field of women’s health. I can’t wait to fully immerse myself in this project and see how this summer pans out.