Student Profile
Like many students in the Institute for Public Health Genetics (IPHG), Krysta Barton Shutske entered the Master of Public Health (MPH) program with a lot of prior experience. She taught high school biology for six years, obtained an MPH, and worked in Public Health for four years before beginning the MPH program at the UW IPHG. Since her first MPH did not focus specifically on genetics she sought training in the Ethical, Social, and Legal issues (ELSI) of public health genetics. Considering the breadth of material that falls under the umbrella of ELSI, Krysta realized that a key to future success would be to focus on a specific subject area to hone her skills and develop expertise. As a research assistant under the direction of Wylie Burke with the Center for Genomics and Healthcare Equality she has sharpened her independent study and research skills. The UW IPHG has allowed Krysta to focus her coursework and research on ELSI, specifically her interest in ethics and law. As Krysta nears completion of her MPH she looks forward to beginning the IPHG PhD program. Krysta will continue to focus on her areas of interest and expertise and the training offered through the public health genetics program is the ideal medium through which she can achieve her goals.
Note: This page features a profile of one current IPHG student. Student profiles will be rotated periodically. For student profiles published in the past, see Student Profile Archive.