Ricardo Noriega, a recent Public Health Master’s graduate from BYU, is bridging the gap between clinical medicine and public health to address systemic health challenges.
“I’ve been studying for 15 years,” Noriega shared, reflecting on his journey from medical school in Ecuador to becoming a physician in 2016. Despite his medical training, he quickly realized that many hospitals lacked the resources necessary to effectively treat patients. “I had all the training, but I didn’t have the tools to make a significant impact.”
This realization motivated Noriega to pursue public health, a field he believes is essential for addressing the broader factors driving health outcomes. “During medical school, I was not taught about social determinants of health. And to me, I think that each physician needs to know that more than just medicine is driving the health of people.”
Noriega joined BYU’s Public Health Master’s program, where he gained critical skills in research, data analysis, and community engagement. Under the mentorship of Dr. Chantelle Sloan, he secured an internship at the Paso Del Norte Health Information Exchange (PHIX). This nonprofit organization connects hospitals, clinics, and laboratories in El Paso, Texas, through an electronic health record system, ensuring patient information is accessible across providers.
Noriega has continued working with PHIX as an epidemiologist, where he is currently working on publishing a diabetes data brief to provide insights on the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in El Paso.
“We are trying to create a connection between hospitals and the community. We can prevent diabetes by educating the people of El Paso on the social factors that influence health,” he said. To Noriega, creating awareness is the backbone of public health.
Using tools like SAS and DOMO for dashboarding creation, along with GIS for mapping, Noriega and partners have transformed complex data into actionable insights. “I learned these skills at BYU,” he said. “The program also improved my public speaking and writing, which has been invaluable since English is not my first language.”
After graduating, Noriega served as an adjunct professor at BYU, teaching a public health course during the summer. During this experience, he was able to connect and inspire other aspiring public health professionals.
With his new knowledge, Noriega hopes to return to the clinical side of medicine. “I can combine my knowledge in public health with my medical background to integrate benefits to more people,” he said.
“I felt that when I was a physician I was trying to help people one-on-one. But now with this knowledge, I can help more people.”
Noriega believes public health professionals play a vital role in shaping a healthier future. “The focus of public health is helping other people, and the world needs more of this kind of mentality,” he said.
Through his work at PHIX and beyond, Noriega exemplifies the power of combining clinical expertise with public health to create systemic change and improve lives.
To learn more about Noriega’s journey, listen to Global Health Journeys: From Quito to BYU with Ricardo Noriega
