Special Edition Announcement and General Conference PSA

 In this episode of the Y Health Podcast, Dr. Cougar Hall announces two exciting new formats being added to the show: 

1. Y Health Classroom Edition – Faculty members will highlight key concepts from their courses at BYU, providing educational content that is both informative and accessible to a broad audience.
2. Public Service Announcements (PSAs) – Short, timely episodes meant to benefit listeners, sometimes shared by Dr. Hall and other times by invited guests.

To introduce the new PSA format, Dr. Hall offers the podcast’s first PSA, reflecting on the unique integration of faith and education at BYU. As a faculty member, he discusses the privilege of opening each class with prayer and weaving in gospel truths—especially the teachings of Jesus Christ—when they align with course topics. In cases where professional material may not align with church teachings, Dr. Hall presents the content professionally, then reaffirms his personal testimony of gospel truths.
 
With General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints approaching (held each April and October), Dr. Hall invites listeners—just as he does his students—to participate as much as possible and to reflect on how conference messages relate to public health themes studied in class. A strong connection is drawn between gospel teachings and public health principles.

The episode includes the parable of the river, a well-known story in public health illustrating the value of prevention. In the story, two people tirelessly rescue drowning children from a river until one decides to run upstream to find out why the children are falling in. This metaphor highlights how public health focuses on addressing root causes and preventing harm, while healthcare focuses on treatment and healing.

Dr. Hall draws a parallel between this idea and the role of Jesus Christ, emphasizing that He prevents, repairs, and transforms. His gospel not only protects us from harm and saves us when we’re in trouble—it also changes us for the better.
 
The episode concludes with gratitude to listeners and encouragement to join in the transformative experience of General Conference. The team looks forward to continuing engaging interviews and adding new, educational content through the Classroom Edition and PSA formats.

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale