Gwendolyn McNeil Contributes to a Health Equity Community Health Assessment at the Durham County Department of Public Health

Gwendolyn McNeil was pursuing a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health when she served as a Region IV PHTC Pathways to Practice Scholar in the summer of 2023. She chose to intern with the Durham County Department of Public Health, where she contributed to the 2023 Durham County Community Health Assessment (CHA) and developed an executive summary report (ESR) on health equity. Gwendolyn collaborated with the Partnership for a Healthy Durham to participate in Community Listening Sessions to gain a better understanding of Durham’s history and the current state of the county and develop strategies to improve health equity.

During her internship, Gwendolyn had the opportunity to attend subcommittee meetings for the Partnership for a Healthy Durham, which consisted of collaborating with health workers, social workers, non-profits, and residents about the top five health priorities in Durham County. She also spent time researching and collecting data that provided insight into previous injustices that occurred in Durham County and helped her to provide information and recommendations to contribute to the CHA.  

According to Gwendolyn, this internship provided her with opportunities that will assist her throughout her career in public health.  

“My biggest takeaway was that health equity, specifically racial health equity, will not be reached without gaining historical context. Whether I decide to stay in Durham or go somewhere else, I will ensure that I am knowledgeable of the history of the community to ensure all my work is done with an equitable lens. 

I am thoroughly grateful for this experience that the Region IV Public Health Training Center has provided me, and I am excited to see what is next in my professional career.”