Finishing a 40-year academic career, Randy Page reflects on his experience in public health and at Brigham Young University, where he created change and introduced new developments that left a lasting impact on the program.
When Page first began his public health journey it took him time to find his footing. He started as a business major but paused to reflect on his interests. After evaluating different possibilities, he found a path that was a better fit: public health. At the time, the program was called community health at BYU.
“It seemed to be a good fit for me, so I’m really glad I made that shift before it was too late,” Page said.
After finishing school, Page pursued academia, teaching at five different universities. In 2003, he joined BYU as a professor in the public health department. Initially focused on research, he primarily taught epidemiology and biostatistics.
“I was very riveted on a research career and in doing research. That was my love,” he said.
However, after some time, Page shifted his attention to an international focus. In 2013, he became the director of the Global Health Internship Program, demonstrating his ability to adapt and embrace new experiences.
“I was teaching a lot of research method classes and things like that. But it just became evident that I needed to go in a more global direction, and so I switched entirely to an international focus,” he said.
After pivoting to make those mid-career shifts, Page dedicated the last 15 years at BYU to building up the program. The Global Health Internship Program launched in 2014 with trips to India and Cambodia. Over the last decade, more than 900 students have participated in one of 20 different programs.
Having built the program and changed countless students’ lives, Page has now handed it off to the next director. However, he still has hopes for BYU’s global involvement.
“I hope that they will continue on a trajectory where students can participate in medical shadowing and medical observation programs internationally,” Page said.
With the integration of a medical school at BYU, Page hopes faculty and students will combine medical careers with a public health perspective.
“I hope that the public health faculty isn’t so short-sighted that they cut themselves off from the international health that can happen at the university,” he said.
Although Page has stepped away from BYU, his global aspirations remain. Launching this week, Pages Abroad is a study-abroad experience created for adults.
The first trip that Page and his wife are leading, “Eat and Cook like a Greek”, will teach travelers how to apply the Mediterranean diet in their lives. The trip will include countless experiences: food tours, cooking classes, learning about the diet of Crete, and more.
Beyond creating and pursuing the Pages Abroad program, Page is adjusting to the idea of retirement.
“We’ve kind of made a mistake,” Page said. “We stayed too busy right up to the very end and then just jumped off the cliff into retirement.”
As he gets used to a slower pace of living, Page also has aspirations to serve people. Through the Pages Abroad program, and potentially a mission in the future, he plans to dedicate this new chapter to meaningful experiences.
Reflecting on his career, Page doesn’t have many regrets. In fact, he feels fulfilled by the twists and turns of his public health journey.
“What I don't regret is that I was open to change at so many points in my life,” Page said. “I look back and I can’t believe what I was able to do, who I was able to work with, and the students that I met.”
From research to global internships, Page has left his mark on the public health world. As he says goodbye to his time at BYU, he encourages students to have faith in their journey.
“I think that whatever students are pursuing, whether it’s public health or something else, you just need to have faith that your Heavenly Father has a particular path for each and every one of us,” he said.
To hear more about his public health journey, listen to A Legacy of Global Health with Dr. Randy Page.
