Margaret Tait, PhD, ’23, is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Studies at the University of Richmond. Her research employs methods from public policy analysis, political science, and public health to examine how health and social policies are understood and communicated, as well as their implications for policy reform. Margaret’s research has been published in journals such as Social Science and Medicine – Population Health, Public Health Reports, Preventive Medicine Reports, and the Journal of Child and Family Studies. She recently received a small grant to support a new collaboration with colleagues from the local Catholic health system (Bon Secours), Point Park University, and the University of Virginia exploring how people who do not identify with the religion of a health system experience care and their perceptions of discrimination.

How did the PhD program give you the skills to succeed in your career?

“In addition to being able to hone research skills and benefit from exceptional advising working with Sarah Gollust, I served as a teaching assistant for Caitlin Carroll and Dori Cross and these experiences provided me with ideas for my own classrooms, of how to teach effectively and employ different strategies for student engagement. At the University of Richmond, I teach undergraduate courses in health policy, media and public health, and soon, global health. The transition from being a student in the PhD program to teaching students has been much smoother because of my experiences as a TA.”