Study Public Health
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) curriculum is for students who want to apply the degree to social and behavioral sciences, while the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) is for students who are interested in a broad-based natural science.
May 6, 2025 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
Zohra Alikhail may have been born and raised in Anderson, South Carolina, but her Afghan roots have shaped her past, present and future. The daughter of immigrants, she knew she was passionate about advocating for marginalized groups, but she wasn’t sure which area to study. Knowing that her daughter wanted to pursue a career in health care, Alikhail’s mother nudged her to consider majoring in public health.
“I am super thankful my mom pushed me to do that because it was the best decision I ever made,” Alikhail says. “Public health is about population health and advocacy. I feel like with my culture and how I was raised, I always consider everyone around me. Afghan culture is not individualistic, so choosing public health just fit for me.”
Though she seriously considered another state school near her hometown, Alikhail was eager to branch out and live in a bigger city. A friend gave her a tour of USC when the weather was perfect, and the azaleas were blooming. As they were walking by the fountain in front of the library, Alikhail remembers thinking “I can’t not go here.”
Generous scholarships and an invitation to join the Capstone Scholars program completed the package. The B.S. path for her public health program helped prep Alikhail for applying to medical school, and she loved learning about global health, accessibility, policy, health care systems, and population health.
“My favorite thing about my global health course was learning about the micro level and macro level determinants because I felt that some people may not take into account how a built environment or behavior may be the reason why someone might not be able to receive the proper nutrients in their diet or may not be able to attain the educational status they want,” says Alikhail, who is fluent in three languages. “Growing up Afghan, I make sure to look at the world from an empathetic and holistic perspective.”
With that philosophy in mind, she volunteered with Prisma Health’s ICU and Medical/Surgical units and with VAW Global Alliances in Peru. On campus, she held leadership positions within her service sorority, served as a peer teaching assistant, and was active with USC Women in Healthcare. She found mentors in Arnold School faculty Kara Montgomery, Deborah Billings and Kersten Cope.
“Dr. Montgomery is caring, loving, passionate and determined, and I genuinely see her being in my life for the rest of my life,” Alikhail says. “Dr. Billings has taught me to reach for the stars, and Ms. Cope is kind and funny and makes class truly enjoyable.”
After graduating in May, Alikhail will work as a medical assistant at a dermatology clinic in Charleston while preparing her medical school applications. She’s looking forward to working from within the health care system to incorporate prevention into primary care and improve public health at the population level.
“My motto in life is to treat people with kindness no matter what because you never know what they may be going through,” Alikhail says. “Public health teaches individuals about cultural competency, empathy, discrimination, oppression, issues within each system, and more. It is very holistic, and I know I will use all of the lessons I learned to be the best doctor I can. It is my background and public health that have truly shaped me into the person I am today.”
