Rethinking Public Health with Dean Sandro Galea

As public health faces mounting challenges, what does meaningful progress actually look like? This inaugural episode features Sandro Galea, Margaret C. Ryan Dean and Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor at Washington University's newly established School of Public Health.

Salma and Dean Galea dive deep into his concept of "consequential epidemiology"—the idea that research should drive real-world change, not just academic publications. They explore the "Healthiest Goldfish" analogy and what it reveals about how we think about population health interventions. The conversation also tackles why this moment feels particularly significant for launching a new school of public health, and Dean Galea shares the one public health question that genuinely keeps him awake at night.

This episode sets the stage for our series by examining not just what public health does, but what it should aspire to do differently. What assumptions about public health do you think need challenging?

Useful resources:

• The Healthiest Goldfish:https://sandrogalea.substack.com
• Galea S. Well: What We Need to Talk about When We Talk about Health. Oxford University Press; 2019.
• Galea S. The Contagion next Time. Oxford University Press; 2022
• WashU Public Health 4x4 Plan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRa1zpLXwCc&t=1s

Host: Dr. Salma Abdalla Editors: Catalina Melendez Contreras and Zachary Linhares Music: Eden Avery / Melting Glass from Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/2fqOXWpHab/

 

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this episode do not necessarily reflect those of their institution, the funders, or the podcast team.