Sanchez Studies Hispanic Health Interventions in Fort Worth

Mary-Katherine Sanchez wanted to be a doctor when she was growing up. And now she is.

On Saturday, she walked across the stage at the Fort Worth Convention Center and received her doctorate in public health from UNT Health Science Center. But when she was a little girl, Sanchez thought she would be getting her doctorate in medicine.

â??Originally, I was planning on applying to medical school,â? Sanchez said, â??but I graduated early, so I wanted to do something in the interim.â?

Sanchez earned her bachelor of science degree from Texas A&M University in three years, and on the advice of a professor at A&M, she enrolled in its School of Rural Public Health, where she earned her masterâ??s of public health degree.

â??I got more and more into [public health], and it became my passion,â? Sanchez said. â??I was hooked. I felt really lucky that I had found something that I loved.â?

Sanchez, an Aledo High School graduate, came back to the Fort Worth area to complete her doctorate in public health after her stint at Texas A&M. Her dissertation topic drew on her knowledge of Fort Worth and the Hispanic community.

â??Iâ??m interested in looking into health disparities, particularly among the Hispanic population,â? Sanchez said.

Sanchezâ??s research for her dissertation, â??Factors that Motivate Hispanics to Participate in Church-Based Health Interventions,â? took place at parishes in Fort Worth. She used focus group sessions conducted in Spanish to discover the social and behavioral factors that make Hispanics want to become involved in health interventions at their parish.

â??I discovered that a lot of it depended on the familiarity that people had with the church,â? Sanchez said. â??The church is seen as a gateway in the Hispanic community. Once the word is out and people begin participating, more individuals are likely to come. They think of the church as their second home.â?

Sanchez comes from a diverse background. Her father was born in Mexico, and her mother is of Native American and Hispanic descent. Her older sister practices law in Fort Worth and Weatherford. Sanchez is a graduate of Aledo High School, and currently lives in Aledo.

She said she hopes to continue her community work in health disparities.

â??Iâ??d really like to stay around here if I can,â? Sanchez said. â??Iâ??m interested in academia, and Iâ??d really like to continue with my community-based work. This is my passion.â?

###

Contact: Kay Colley 817-735-2553, cell 817-980-5090, e-mail kacolley@hsc.unt.edu.

Recent News

Jackie In Dc
  • Our People
|Mar 27, 2024

Personalized Health and Well-Being student repays generosity through advocacy

In 2019, The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth student Jacqueline Green said she felt hopeless. She became pregnant while experiencing hard financial times, and she didn’t have insurance. Compounding her stress was terrible grief. Her mother-in-law suddenly passed away,...
Image1 3
  • Our People
|Mar 26, 2024

The first licensed DO in Chile is a TCOM graduate and an unlikely osteopathic physician

If you’re looking for the unlikeliest of people to practice osteopathic medicine, osteopathy, or osteopathic manipulative treatment then look no further than Patrick Wedlake, DO. So, how did a self-described “hippie from California,” end up becoming the first licensed osteopathic physician in ...
20240316 215451 1
  • Our People
|Mar 25, 2024

Six from HSC are honored as Distinguished Fellows of the National Academies of Practice

Six of the best from The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth were inducted as Distinguished Fellows from the National Academies of Practice on Saturday, March 16. Provost and executive vice president, Dr. Charles Taylor, Dr. Lillee Gelinas, an assistant professor from the ...
New Logo Hsc Install On February 16th On Ead Building.
  • Community
|Mar 22, 2024

HSC honored with Institutional Investor Award at DEC's State of Entrepreneurship

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s innovation wing, HSC Next, was recently named the Institutional Investor of the Year at The Dallas Entrepreneur Center’s State of Entrepreneurship, presented by Bank of America. This recognition highlights the institution's comm...