The first computer was too impractical. The first cellphone was too big. The first flight was too short. All important achievements that may have been lacking polish, but they were all starting points. Uncarved blocks. Just the raw physical material and shape of big ideas, eventually chiseled away into the foundations of modern society that they are today. That is what this first issue of Public Health Magazine is. The physical representation of a bigger idea. A glimpse at a larger vision. My goals for this magazine are bigger than myself but its inspiration comes from the very school it serves.
During my short time in the Loma Linda University School of Public Health I have noticed a passion that stands out amongst other professions; an almost palpable sense of urgency and excitement from the people who have chosen to make the health of the public their life’s work. Through numbers, mapping, policies, overseas trips, diet or even curriculum, a passion seeps through that is contagious. An epidemic of purpose, duty and importance that has been quickly rubbing off on me and starting a fire under my feet.
This magazine is the first attempt at flight. Perhaps not reaching the limits of my vision, but it is airborne. My goal is to tell stories about public health with as much passion, enthusiasm and purpose as the people who practice it. Buen viaje.
Marcus Chapman, Director of Communications, Loma Linda University School of Public Health