Andrew Juan ’25

Andrew Juan visited Cornell in February of 2020, right before the COVID shutdown, and ended up walking the halls of Martha Van Rensselaer Hall with Professor Sharon Sassler. By the end of their conversation, Andrew knew he wanted to pursue a Health Care Policy degree at the Brooks School that allowed him to deepen his understanding of the intersection between politics and medicine. The chance encounter was a hallmark of his experience at Brooks, which was characterized by tight relationships with faculty members, peers, and student support staff. Andrew also discovered a passion for the discipline of sociology and fueled a new determination to pursue an MD/PhD. Since graduating, Andrew has been working in social services while studying for the MCAT and preparing to apply to combined MD/PhD programs.

Q. What was your favorite part about being a student at the Brooks School?

I was able to feel connected with others in my major through a lot of classes that overlapped, while also having the flexibility to take upper-level and graduate-level classes that were intellectually challenging and pushed me to think outside of my comfort zone.

Q. How would you describe the sense of community at the Brooks School?

I felt the sense of community was strong at the Brooks School. As the first class that entered the Brooks School as it was also being founded, I saw it grow from the nascent beginnings to having its own student services center, being known by others throughout Cornell, and having our own merchandise! I am proud to be a Brooks Student, and I will definitely keep following its growth into the future.

Q. What specific skills did you develop through your coursework, experiential learning opportunities, or internships?

I feel like I gained a profound ability to think critically and reason through problems of any type. Though I found my passion for the sociological perspective on public policy, I wouldn’t have found it without the diverse disciplinary requirements in the major. Since I had to take economics, sociology, psychology, and natural sciences (since I am also pre-med), I have a wide foundation of approaches to thinking that I have been able to synthesize and find patterns between fields, even when they are seemingly distant, such as chemistry and sociology. This multidisciplinary perspective is deeply valuable to anyone studying public policy, as it is always more complex and multifaceted than a single perspective.

Q. Is there anything that you would like to share with prospective students?

The Brooks School will give you the tools and skills you need to pursue anything – but keep an open mind and be willing to learn from different perspectives. There are so many ways to approach public policy, and there is not one “right” way. Your time at Brooks will help you become a deeply critical thinker while being able to contribute to the greater good in the world.

Studying Health Care Policy at the Brooks School

Examine the complex forces that shape health and health care through the Brooks School’s interdisciplinary Health Care Policy major. Grounded in economics, sociology, and demography, this program equips you to analyze how government policies impact health care delivery, social determinants of health, and health equity. Whether you aspire to work in government, health organizations, or research, the Health Care Policy major prepares you to lead with insight and make informed decisions that improve health outcomes and advance equity. Explore the Health Care Policy major and the undergraduate application process here.