Learning From Local Experts in Mysore was ‘Invaluable’ For MPH/JD Student

Tayla Moore, pictured, traveled to India as part of the Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility's course, India: Global Health, Globalization and Leadership.

Tayla Moore first chose to study in India as an undergraduate at Tulane University. The experience turned out to be a happy accident.

“I literally looked on a map and chose the farthest place away that I could that had a public health program and that just happened to be India,” she said. “I had never had Indian food. I had never been to India.  It’s a good thing I liked it.”

Moore liked it so much, in fact, that she went back to India twice more, once as a Fulbright Scholar to study traditional Indian medicine and in 2024 as part of the Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility’s two-week course in Mysore, India: Global Health, Globalization and Leadership.

CGHSR’s course travels to Mysore each year for an interdisciplinary deep-dive into health and wellbeing in the Indian context. Applications for the 2025 course are currently open through Oct. 1.

Moore is a University of Minnesota student pursuing a master of public health and a law degree.

The experience taking part in the CGHSR course allowed Moore to explore southern India, a region she hadn’t been to before. Her trips during undergrad and as a Fulbright scholar took place in the northern part of the country.

The course also enabled her to see how Indian health care systems deal with the management of chronic illnesses and how these approaches differ from those in the United States. 

We sat down with Moore to learn more about her experience in India and how the course furthered her understanding of global health.   

What made you want to take India: Global Health, Globalization and Leadership?

Moore: I was interested in taking the course because part of my Fulbright study was focused on looking at health indicators in three different locations in India. But, unfortunately, I was part of the COVID class so right as I was starting to really dig into my research, we got sent home. So I didn’t get a chance to go and do what I needed to do in Kerala, India. Kerala has the best health indicators in the south and generally has better health indicators compared to north India.

When I saw that this program was in Mysore, I was very interested in going because I didn’t have any experience in south India as opposed to most of my experience which had been in Delhi.

Why do you think it’s important to study health abroad?

Moore: Especially for Americans, and in the West, I think having the opportunity to go across the world and learn from experts in the field in a different place is an invaluable experience. We had the opportunity to see primary healthcare centers, private hospitals, and understand the Indian healthcare system and how that operates.

It was eye-opening for me, someone who has family members with chronic illnesses, to see how much more streamlined some aspects of the Indian healthcare system were than they are in the United States.

I think that’s an important thing, especially for healthcare professionals – whether you’re in public health or you’re going to become a doctor – to see that the American way is not the only way, and to open your mind to greater possibilities. I feel like with that comes innovation, creativity and progress.

What were your days like in Mysore?

Moore: We would wake up and do yoga around 6 a.m. every morning before having breakfast in the dining hall. After breakfast, we’d go to our first lecture of the day. Then we’d have a tea break, our second lecture and then lunch. After lunch there might be a third lecture or we might do an excursion.

Some of the excursions included going to Chamundi Hill, an elephant park and a monastery. We did a lot of stuff, but we got to see a lot. We saw the famous St. Philomena’s Cathedral and we went to the Mysore Palace.  

I also felt like the lectures were really informative. They had experts from all different fields come and give us the lectures. Leaders in whatever discipline we were learning about were the ones educating us.

What was your favorite part of the experience?

Moore: For me it was probably the last night we had at a Carnatic music festival. That was really, really nice. Everybody got all dressed up in their finery and they had taken us to the market so that we could get some traditional Indian clothing. I already had some, so I had brought some with me. But it was nice to see everybody in their saris all dressed up and to enjoy the music.

Outside of that, I really liked being on the bus riding around with everybody. Some of the most memorable things can happen when you’re in liminal spaces. I just really liked being on the bus with everybody, on our way to and from things. I feel like that’s where some of the best conversations happened.

And the lectures. I really enjoyed the lectures. It’s different than the lectures we do here in the United States, and I think that this space and the way it’s curated is kind of different in general. I enjoyed being in the SVYM Institute. You can really see how far the reach is of SVYM and the type of work that they’re doing. I really agree with their mission and I was happy that I got an opportunity to go and see that work in person.

Would you recommend this course to others?

Moore: Mysore is a beautiful place. It has a lot to offer, and I think that anybody who has the opportunity to take this course should do it. It’s a great way to spend your winter break!