The other Melanie

A post by Melanie Mahoney, PD4

Hi everyone! My name is Melanie Mahoney and I’m a fourth year pharmacy and public health student and the University of Minnesota. I was born in France but have lived most of my life now in Minnesota. My husband and I both love travelling and have been to lots of interesting places around the United States and Europe together. We also have 2 cats that we love despite how spazzy they are!

My professional interests include infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, and global health. I am currently in the Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Research Emphasis and have been working in Dr. Elizabeth Hirsch’s lab, studying Escherichia coli ST131 for about a year and a half. I have also had the opportunity to expand my understanding of global health through several international trips in pharmacy school. My first and second year I traveled to Haiti and set up a temporary clinic with other students. This past fall I attended an international pharmacy conference in Glasgow, Scotland and just last month I presented a research poster at an infectious disease conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands. While I have been fortunate enough to have traveled a lot, this experience is my first in Africa!

I am very excited to spend the next 5 weeks in Uganda! I am most looking forward to learning about a culture and healthcare system that is new to me. While I was nervous at first about my clinical knowledge and being able to apply it when asked questions, those nerves have worn off already in a couple days here. In my first few days here I have already had the chance to see infections and treatment plans that are not commonly seen in the United States.

I can’t wait to see what the rest of this experience brings!