ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
Open Access
SPOTLIGHT ON EMERGING PROFESSIONALS
My Summer in Nome: A Journey of Environmental Public Health in Rural Alaska
Umikka Chopra
Editor’s Note: In pursuit of our mission to build, sustain, and empower an effective environmental health workforce, the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) is pleased to offer a new column in the Journal that shines a spotlight on emerging professionals in the field of environmental public health. Through these columns, we highlight the next generation of professionals in our field and the work they are doing, as well as share their experiences, new perspectives, and passion for our profession. The conclusions of this column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of NEHA, the agencies of the authors, or any internship host agency or funder.
and OEH is to engage in these activities for the health of Alaska Native populations. While in Nome I became a certified State of Alaska laboratory analyst by shadowing and helping to process drinking water samples. I also helped deliver bed bug kits in Nome and ship them to surrounding villages. Toward the end of my internship, I planned and par- ticipated in a solid waste management train- ing program. Since rural Alaskan landfills are allowed special classifications, I learned a lot about solid waste and recycling practices in rural regions. Finally, I traveled to several villages where we performed landfill assess- ments, clinic health and safety assessments, rabies vaccinations, and per- and polyfluoroal- kyl substances (PFAS) sampling. I became lay vaccinator certified, which allowed me to pro- vide rabies vaccinations to animals in Nome and the surrounding villages (Photo 1). Photo 1. Umikka Chopra provided rabies vaccination during her NEPHIP internship in Nome, Alaska. Photo courtesy of Amber Fernandez.
I n my senior year of high school, I read the book, What the Eyes Don’t See , by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha. This book, part au- tobiography, focuses on the Flint water cri- sis and Dr. Hanna-Attisha’s early recognition of its effects in pediatric patients. Becoming aware of the fact that our environments di- rectly influence our well-being ignited my passion for environmental health. I also de- veloped a passion for research through my involvement at the University of Washington. To gain further exposure to research and en- gage in work promoting environmental jus- tice, I applied to the National Environmental Public Health Internship Program (NEPHIP). During summer 2024, I was given the opportunity to participate in NEPHIP, where I was matched to the Office of Envi- ronmental Health (OEH) at Norton Sound Health Corporation in Nome, Alaska. Before the internship, I had never heard of Nome, Alaska. The shift from a large city
to a quiet town of just more than 3,000 people was definitely challenging. From adjusting to the colder weather to worrying about how I might contribute to the envi- ronmental health team, I was stressed about my move to say the least. Once I arrived in Nome, however, most of my anxieties were dispelled. My mentor, Alicia Reitz, and the entire OEH department welcomed me with open arms, guiding me through my role as an intern and helping me feel at home in Nome. I participated in many unique experiences with the help of the OEH team including going camping, driving an ATV, and collecting salmon berries on the tundra! OEH engages in a wide range of initiatives, and I was given the opportunity to assist in several of those activities. The department focuses on clinic safety, solid waste man- agement, vector control, healthy homes, air quality, and harmful algae bloom (HAB) monitoring. The main mission of the hospital
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Volume 87 • Number 7
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