Alumni Spotlight: Bryan O. Buckley, DrPH ’20

With 87 graduates since its inception in 2014, the DrPH Program has developed an illustrious, talented group of public health professionals who have taken their DrPH degree and have become public health leaders.

We recently reached out to Bryan O. Buckley, DrPH ’20, to find out where his public health career has taken him and the current work he is doing!

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• Where are you currently located?

• Where are you currently working and a brief description of your job?

Bryan: I am a Fellow at the Institute for Quality and Safety for MedStar Health. In my position, I lead and support healthcare delivery research, education, and consulting related to community health, patient safety, and quality for a large academic health system in the Baltimore–Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

• The 4 pillars of the DrPH Program are leadership, management, communication, and innovative thinking. Which of the pillars (if any) do you use most in your new position and how did the program prepare you for it?

Bryan: The four pillars of the DrPH have impacted me professionally and personally. I would say I use leadership and innovative thinking the most for my current position. One of my passions is to maximize partnerships to address health equity in Washington, DC. This requires leadership that involves listening, reflecting, and framing with an eye toward action. Getting others to see the vision and getting them excited about the possibilities.

Another passion is thinking about creative ways to address equity in quality and safety. This requires innovative thinking on the best paths to make an impact both internally and externally. The program prepared me well through our immersions, reflections, and coaching system. I still meet with my peer coach and coaching pod to discuss current challenges.

• If you are in a management position, what would you look for if you were hiring new graduates from the DrPH Program?

Bryan: I would be looking for someone with a pioneer spirit. As we all strive to create a more just and equitable world, it requires questioning current assumptions and thinking outside the box for potential solutions. Every time I have had to interview someone, I am always looking for that passion and drive to want to make a difference.

• If you could do things all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? Why? What would you change?

Bryan: Yes, yes, and again yes! I believe that through every experience we have, both good and bad, there are always lessons. Even times when I thought I made a bad decision, over time the lessons I learned helped me for my next thing.

• Is there any work/document/article that you are currently working on that you’d like to promote? Our current students would love to find out what our alumni are currently working on. 

Bryan: I co-wrote a paper that I think is very important as we think about Race, Place, and Structural Racism and its impact on communities. This article talks about the history of DC Health (click here). Several months ago, I shared my story about administering CPR to a bystander/man who was experiencing cardiac arrest while cycling with a friend on a local trail. At the DC Heart Ball, I shared the story at the American Heart Association (AHA) Greater Washington Region Heart Ball and AHA also shared a video link of the incredible experience. Check it out here!