As an immigrant child who arrived in the United States from Mexico not knowing a word of English, USF College of Public Health (COPH) alumna Melody Schiaffino’s early years were marked by challenges and adaptability.
Melody Schiaffino, PhD, MPH. (Photo courtesy of Schiaffino)
"I didn't speak any English,” Schiaffino shared. “And before programs for English Language Learners in schools existed, I learned to grasp the language through the support of my compassionate kindergarten teacher.”
This experience exposed Schiaffino to the significance of effective communication, a lesson that continues to guide her work in public health.
Fast forward a few years and multiple grades and Schiaffino’s academic journey brought her to the University of Missouri, Columbia, where she earned two bachelor’s degrees—one in interdisciplinary studies and another in Spanish language and literature.
When looking at what the next chapter of her academic journey would look like, Schiaffino set her sights far from the cold Missouri weather. But it wasn’t just the warm sunshine that attracted her to USF. Schiaffino initially aspired to become a medical doctor, a dream she held since childhood. However, she said it didn’t take long for her educational journey to take an unexpected turn.
"I realized that I liked the idea of population health and epidemiology, specifically because it gave me a lot more bang for my buck. It let me affect greater groups of people, and as an immigrant, I felt the more I could do to help, the better."
Schiaffino graduated in 2008 with a master’s in epidemiology with a certification in biostatistics because she said she really likes analysis and methodological thinking, although it wasn’t part of her original plan in public health.
“I initially started as global health, but epidemiology just kept sucking me in,” she said. “I feel like life has a way of landing us in places that we couldn't have planned better ourselves.”
She decided to further her studies with a PhD in health services research at the University of Florida in 2014, where she explored the complex web of factors contributing to health disparities and inequities.
“My dissertation was about language in Florida’s hospitals,” Schiaffino said. “The idea was how to support our bilingual people who may not have formally learned their native tongue in school in their home country.”
Schiaffino (left) presented her research at the 2023 International Society of Geriatric Oncology annual conference held in Valencia, Spain. (Photo courtesy of Schiaffino)
Today, Schiaffino lives in California and has combined all her experiences and learning into the multiple roles she now holds. “I wear many hats,” she said.
Schiaffino is a tenured faculty member and an associate professor at San Diego State University's School of Public Health. She is also the youngest associate director for equity, diversity and inclusion at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center. And recently, Schiaffino served as a visiting faculty member in the College of Medicine that's attached to the UCSD Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center.
In these roles, Schiaffino said she is actively working to promote equitable practices in health care.“All of these roles work to improve equity, inclusion and access for low- income and minoritized Californians,” she said. “Being in these positions, I have an opportunity to really move the needle in that respect. It's a tremendous honor and I'm really excited.”
Schiaffino said her work on language diversity in health care has led to two main projects that she is currently working on. “The Legacy Speakers project aims to harness the potential of bilingual individuals, particularly legacy speakers, to improve diversity in clinical trials,” she said. “My research also encompasses cancer and aging, focusing on identifying age-related risk factors in medical records through Artificial Intelligence.”
Schiaffino said her research has the potential to bridge the gap in treatment planning for older adults, particularly those with limited English proficiency.
“What ends up happening is that older adults, especially those who can't communicate, are either undertreated or overtreated,” she said. “For example, the patient could be a healthy older adult, and they could actually take the full dose of treatment as regimented. Or, it could be communicated that the patient has some comorbidities and we should space out the treatments or make some modifications so that the patient isn’t overtreated, because then that could lead to some major adverse events.”
Schiaffino (far right) with other USF alumnae, Reenal Doshi and Candace Webb, who both live in DC now. (Photo courtesy of Schiaffino)
For the future, Schiaffino’s looks to the programs she is involved in piloting.
“One of my big driving goals is to do geriatric oncology at UCSD’s Center of Excellence, but fully focused on limited English proficient and refugee populations, who are some of our highest risk groups.”
Looking back at her academic years at the COPH, Schiaffino said the connections she fostered at the college still touch her today.
“I have so many people I'm still in touch with,” she said. “I think the connections that I made in the COPH program are probably some of the strongest. I still keep in touch with many of those folks.”
Schiaffino said the accreditation and rigor of the COPH program made a real impact as well. “Even today, as I teach in a public health program and MPH program, I've used the COPH as a standard bearer of rigor for my students. I felt well prepared as a result of my experience and I want the same for those I teach,” she said.
And she’s not stopping at helping only patients. Schiaffino has set her sights on being a beacon for others who are like her. “I want to encourage fellow Latinas and underrepresented researchers,” Schiaffino said. “It is important to find the right mentors and believe in your own potential. As a single parent and being a Latina faculty, it is a major accomplishment for me and many Latino faculty to exist in the roles I have within a university setting.”
Fast Five
What did you dream of becoming when you were young?
Definitely a doctor.
Where would we find you on the weekend?
In my garden or taking my dogs to the beach or watching Korean dramas.
What is the last book you read?
“The Lady Tasting Tea,” by David Salsburg.
What superpower would you like to have?
The ability to eat and not gain weight, or being able to sense where people are coming from, especially if they're grumpy.
What is your all-time favorite movie?
“The Breakfast Club” and “The Princess Bride”