Unique Father-Daughter Journey in Public Health
In an inspiring academic journey, Terence “Terry” Chan is nearing the end of his Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, while his daughter, Cynthia Chan, has just begun her own studies in the same field.
“As a parent, it’s wonderful to be supportive. Having gone through the classes myself, I can help her prepare for what’s ahead,” said Terry. He specifically mentioned biostatistics, recalling how challenging it was and wanting to ready his daughter mentally for that hurdle.
Both are part of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, albeit from different locations: Terry is completing his studies remotely from Michigan, while Cynthia is on the Mānoa campus.
A Family Dedication to Community Health
Terry brings 25 years of experience as a pediatric dentist and joined the inaugural Distance Education (DE) cohort in 2022 to deepen his understanding of health beyond just clinical practice. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Hawaiʻi in 2024, Cynthia chose the MPH program to combine her clinical training with a broader, population-level perspective on health.
The pandemic and his dental practice caused Terry’s graduation timeline to stretch, but he eventually completed his practicum with the Pacific Institute of Hawaiʻi on the Big Island, focusing on oral health outcomes and the dental workforce.
Cynthia, still working through her coursework, aims to bridge clinical care with public health. Her practical experience at the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health fueled her passion, and seeing her father succeed in his program further solidified her decision to pursue this path.
“It was motivating to see him achieve his goals, and I realized I could do it too,” Cynthia remarked.
Despite holding several advanced degrees, Terry feels the MPH program has greatly expanded his understanding of how community health systems work. He shared, “This program has been enlightening. A key lesson is the importance of collaborating with lawmakers and being an advocate for community health issues.”
Having attended three other universities, Terry believes that his experience at UH has been the most fulfilling. “People often talk about the ‘ohana spirit in Hawaiʻi, but at Mānoa, it truly resonates,” he said.
