MPH
Oregon Health and Science University
Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Farzana Karim is an Epidemiologist who recently graduated from OHSU-PSU School of Public Health located in Portland, OR. She was born and raised in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees in microbiology from the University of Dhaka. She then moved to the USA, where she completed a master’s degree in biology at San Jose State University in California. After completing her degree, family circumstances required her to delay pursuing a professional career.
In 2007, Farzana relocated to Oregon. Over time, she began volunteering with various non-profit organizations. During this time, she first encountered refugee families and became aware of the health disparities and the significant impact of social determinants of health on the outcomes of minority populations. Inspired by her experiences with the refugee community, she realized that a career in public health would be more fulfilling and aligned with her passions. In 2021, she began pursuing this dream and graduated with an MPH in Epidemiology from OHSU-PSU School of Public Health in March 2024.
Farzana’s public health interests are primarily in infectious disease epidemiology. She is also strongly interested in health inequities among minority populations such as refugees. Her short-term goals include gaining more experience in public health and applying and expanding her current skills and knowledge. She aspires to become an infectious disease epidemiologist to make a positive impact by protecting vulnerable populations through research and data-driven interventions.
Farzana enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and cooking in her spare time.