SOAR Member Profiles

Casey Epting

• SOAR Position: Member
• Major: Biochemistry
• Faculty Mentor(s): Dr. Liz Barnes, Dr. Laura Clark

Current Focus: Investigating the healthcare experiences of Karen migrants to Tennessee

Additional Interests: Science Communication and Education, Public Health

Project Description

Now I am working on my thesis project which is focused on hearing the experiences of individuals as they manage their own health and receive care from doctors and other providers. Specifically, I am focusing on interviewing members of the Karen ethnic group, originally from Myanmar and Thailand, who have settled in Middle Tennessee for the past two decades. I will ask them questions on their personal history with sickness and health and their feelings or feedback based on previous experiences with a healthcare provider. Further I will try to identify between interviews common factors that were discussed as relevant to one’s health. No matter who you are, there are a multitude of factors affecting what comes to mind when you hear words like “health”, “medicine”, or “doctor.” For example: genetics, first- or second-hand experience with illness or injury, cultural attitudes on health, sources of information, access to social and monetary resources, and so many more. I hope that through this research I will be able to share which aspects are most influential for these individuals and whether they as a group have common influences due to their shared culture and experiences.

Why does this topic interest you?

We do not all have the same ideas on what is considered healthy, what to do when we are not well, and at what point we should seek a professional’s help for a health problem. Going to a doctor may be a regular experience for some and for others, it could be limited to emergent situations. As I prepare to take the MCAT and apply for medical school this Spring, I realize that there is a whole lot I do not know. Going into primary care, however, will require me to acknowledge and consider each patient’s personal history and needs. By interviewing people who have been patients, I can practice hearing these stories and assess whether their needs are being met or there are still gaps to be filled. By focusing on a sample of individuals who share a cultural identity and an experience of immigrating to this region of Tennessee, nuances unique to this minority population may be discovered and shared. In the process, I will improve my own social and cultural awareness, and hopefully enjoy rich conversation. Maybe people will mention ideas that I had never considered, or perhaps they will not have given much thought about their health or past visits to the doctor–learning as we go is the fun part of research!

What are your professional aspirations?

After graduating from MTSU, I hope to attend to a school of osteopathic medicine to become a physician. The specialties I have pictured myself in are family and internal medicine, but my mind is still open. Rural, under-served, and multi-cultural is the direction I am currently lead toward as far as patient population. If I could plan that far ahead, I would work for the Indian (Native American) Health Service or the National Health Service Corps to help repay educational loans and to see if I can make a career in public service or should opt for another direction. Ideally, I want to connect with people and guide them toward healthy and happy lifestyles to prevent problems, yet have the ability to treat pain and various ailments when patients present them.

Do you have any advice for future researchers?

To anyone who is interested in research, I suggest you just try it. Try to find something you are interested in, but keep an open mind because you will be learning and challenging yourself a lot. When it gets hard, and it will, stay focused and keep trying. There is a satisfaction that comes with seeing your project through development and having the experience and knowledge to present your hard work to other people. More than that, there is a good chance you will meet new friends or discover new interests through research. The research world is full of community and passionate individuals.

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