2015 Fellow Ramla Namisango Kasozi

Having lived in three different parts of the world (Canada, Uganda, and USA) and worked in the health sector in two different countries (Uganda and USA), Ramla has had the privilege of seeing healthcare in different settings. 

Working as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Global Complex Humanitarian Emergencies (CHE) Fellow at Emory University’s Center for Humanitarian Emergencies, Ramla conducted research with the Emergency Response and Recovery Branch (ERRB) on refugee health and participated in projects to offer primary healthcare to the uninsured, refugee population in Atlanta. As a former refugee, it was such an honor for Ramla to give back and help the migrant refugee population in the community. Consequently, her experience at Emory has given her working knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research; data collection and management; and data analysis using statistical programs (e.g. SAS, EpiInfo). 

In addition, Ramla has worked directly with cancer patients on the various clinical trials as a Clinical Research Scholar at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UHCMC). She has appreciated the importance of the multidisciplinary approach towards patient care due to her work-based interactions with Physicians, Surgeons, and Public Health Specialists. 

Currently, she is a Family Medicine Resident at the University of Minnesota’s St. John’s Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. With her interest in refugee health (as a former refugee) and tackling health disparities, during her residency training she hopes to learn new strategies to address health and wellness outside of the hospital. Her career aspirations include (but are not limited to) bridging comprehensive clinical care with community public health in an effort to reduce health disparities by creating community-oriented primary health care initiatives.

After her residency training, Ramla looks forward to practicing full-scope Family Medicine in under-served communities. In the long-term, Ramla hopes to pursue translational research and establish domestic and global health collaborations dealing with refugee health and emergency preparedness.