Lipin Lukose, BSPH '24

MPH, Johns Hopkins University

PharmD, Manipal University

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lipin-lukose-030a04214/ 

Lipin is a healthcare professional blending expertise in pharmacy, public health and clinical research. He is currently pursuing his Masters in Public Health from the Bloomberg School of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. He is passionate about clinical development with late phase research and implementation of interventions and is deeply interested in exploring the factors associated with uptake of interventions and medications among various populations.

In addition to his MPH, Lipin is a Health Policy Analyst Intern with the Prescription Drug Affordability Board of the Maryland Government where he undertook a project on establishing framework for therapeutic alternatives for the board and assisted in the activities of the board. Additionally, he also serves as a Research Assistant with the Implementation Science group of the Centre for AIDS Research working on a project on strengthening pharmacy system and usage of implementation measures in the literature.

Prior to his MPH, Lipin pursued his Doctorate in Pharmacy from Manipal University, India. In addition to his clinical role, he also served as a Research Fellow at the University of Sydney, Australia where he undertook a project on impact of pharmacist’s role in Home medication review. Lipin also served as a Care and Support Division Intern with the National AIDS Control Organisation of the Government of India where he was involved in analysing the burden of opportunistic infections after the implementation of the Test and Treat strategy by the Indian Government.

In addition to his academic endeavours, Lipin is a dedicated leader and an advocate for public health initiatives. Lipin founded an organisation focused on how pharmacists can contribute to public health and education in underserved communities. At Hopkins, Lipin founded the Indian Student Association to enhance public health collaborations with India, sensitise students to the diverse Indian culture and serve as a platform for prospective, incoming and graduating students and is currently serving as the president of the organisation. Apart from his professional and academic pursuits, Lipin has a keen interest in music and enjoys playing guitar and piano in his leisure time.

Question and Answers:

1. Being enrolled in Johns Hopkins and hearing that it is a hectic environment, will I still be able to stay in touch with my culture and take part in activities?

Answer: Even though being enrolled in the #1 public health school comes with it’s academic rigor, it is a highly stimulating environment and ensures that there is a place for everyone. Being one of the only schools to have a high percentage of international students, it is an environment that helps you grow not only in your own culture but explore other cultures as well. The school is very supportive in your personal and cultural growth and there is an Indian Student Association present in the school, who I am proud to serve as the President, to inculcate a sense of belonging for Indian Students and grow together. Apart from academics, there are many leadership and community roles you can venture, providing you with a holistic training of all aspects of public health. While undertaking the journey, I was thrilled that a specialised institute such as Gupta Klinsky India Institute (GKII) was present for nurturing public health Indian students and providing a platform for all Indian students to connect and provide support for our ventures.

2. Do I have opportunities to work while pursuing my master’s at Bloomberg?

Answer: Yes, there are many research opportunities that you can get involved in pertaining to your field of interest and the school being one of the most funded institutes in the U.S. There are various internal portals through which faculty post opportunities and even the administrators send out occasional emails as and when positions open up.

3. Will I have networking opportunities and be able to connect with people once I am at Bloomberg?

Answer: Yes, there are many networking opportunities held throughout the year to connect with fellow students, faculties and prominent personnel. There are many events and talks happening throughout the year, so be on the lookout for those. As an MPH student, we are also assigned a mentor to guide us through our academic and professional journey, who has been of great help for me. Additionally, I also encourage students to get involved in clubs and extracurricular organisations such as the Indian Student Association, the Asia Pacific Public Health Network and GKII’s One Hop Mentoring Platform. The Gupta-Klinsky India Institute (GKII) at Johns Hopkins is the best organization to connect with everything happening between JHU and India and to network and engage with Indian faculty, alumni, and fellow students.

4. Are there any financial aid options for International Students at the school of Public Health?

Answer: Yes, there are multiple financial aid options present for international students for MPH and other master’s degrees. For the MPH, multiple scholarships such as the Sommer Scholar and Dean’s scholarship to name a few. There is also a specialised P.D Agarwal scholarship, which is offered to an MPH student from India. GKII is also a great resource to know more about scholarship opportunities, travel grants and funding support for research.