FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Hacking can have a good result.
Sacred Heart University graduate student Melanie Reyes recently used her work experience and knowledge to address social injustices in health care during the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) weekend-long virtual hackathon event.
To Reyes’ surprise and delight, her team won second place in its category.
“Hacking Racism in Healthcare,” an inaugural event for MIT, brought students and professionals from all over the world together to “dismantle racial injustice in health-care delivery and address the social determinants of health,” according to the event’s website. Participants formed groups, discussed real-world health problems, developed a solution and then presented their scenario to a panel of judges over the course of three days.
Reyes, 27, is enrolled in SHU’s public health master’s program (MPH). The Easton native and Fairfield resident started her first year of the program this fall after working as a fitness and nutrition coach for several years in New York City.
Clinicial assistant professor Sofia Pendley told students in her social determinants of health class about MIT’s hackathon. Reyes thought the event could be a challenging and rewarding opportunity, so she signed up.
“The MIT Hackathon presented a great opportunity for students in the MPH program to work on developing creative solutions to health-equity problems,” Pendley said. “Students in the MPH program take coursework on health-equity issues throughout their graduate study, and the MIT hackathon presented a unique chance for them to put classroom learning into practice.”
Reyes joined the virtual event on a Friday evening with 900 people from 40 countries. After hearing from various presenters and guest speakers, participants divided into seven categories: public health, population health, individualized health, research bias, education, social injustice and intersectionality. Reyes was in the individualized health group.
“The group was really diverse,” Reyes said. She conversed with IT professionals, high school students, health-care workers, business specialists, artists and more. “It was really great to collaborate with all these people,” she said.
On Saturday, the group brainstormed about a health problem they were going to cover and its solution. Ideas were shared, but ultimately, Reyes’ group chose her suggestion.
As a personal trainer in New York City, Reyes visited her clients at their homes. This led to many conversations with doormen, maintenance staff, front desk workers and others. There was one man Reyes chatted with often who frequently asked her about his ankle injury. Reyes provided advice, but asked him if he had ever seen a doctor for his persistent problem. He said, “No.”
“I got the impression that maybe he was an undocumented immigrant,” Reyes said. She thought he might have been fearful to see a doctor, or didn’t have health insurance.
“This was the problem I wanted to address,” Reyes said. “How could we help undocumented immigrants get access to health care?”
Once her pitch was accepted, her group brainstormed solutions. Over the course of several hours, the team came up with an idea: A free smart phone application that undocumented immigrants could use anonymously. The app would connect patients with medical students for care. The students would come from a wide variety of specialties – from physical therapy to general medicine to orthopedics.
Reyes said immigrants are often uncomfortable disclosing their personal information, but this app would protect their identity and provide access to care. Additionally, the app allows students to put their knowledge to good use and get their clinical hours in, she said.
At the end of that day, she learned her team came in second for individualized health.
“It was a really pleasant experience, and it connected me with so many mentors and people I wouldn’t normally connect with,” Reyes said, referring to professionals who opened her eyes to other topics of health care, such as funding and liability.
“I am really proud of Melanie’s accomplishments,” Pendley said. “Her team’s success really shows the value of interprofessional collaboration and innovation. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for their product.”
Reyes said she was glad she participated, even though she initially worried that she got in over her head. On Friday, she expressed her anxiety to her mother, who told her, “You never know what will happen when you challenge yourself.”
“I would recommend this experience to everyone,” Reyes said. “I think it’s something everyone should do. It ended up being a very creative and challenging, but rewarding experience.”
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About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland and offers online programs. More than 9,000 students attend the University’s nine colleges and schools: Arts & Sciences; Communication, Media & the Arts; Social Work; Computer Science & Engineering; Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology; the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing; and St. Vincent’s College. Sacred Heart stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 386 Colleges–2021 Edition, “Best in the Northeast” and Best Business Schools–2020 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliated radio station, WSHU, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theater. www.sacredheart.edu