Sarah - Public Health Sciences (Health Promotion & Prevention)

Hej! My name is Sarah Pechtl and I’m one of the bloggers of the Digital Ambassadors team and am very excited to share my experiences of studying at Karolinska Institutet (KI) with you! I grew up in Salzburg, Austria so I hope that I will not experience too much of a “climate shock” as I pursue the Master’s Programme in Public Health Sciences – Health Promotion and Prevention at KI.

Before starting my master’s, I completed my bachelor’s degree in the United States where I studied nutritional science and sociology. I am really interested in the intersection between nutrition and the social determinant of health and aspire to help design and implement sustainable interventions to alleviate the burden of food insecurity in under-resourced communities.

KI has a lot to offer those who are interested in a career in the health field. When I learned about the university’s emphasis on collaboration and the diversity of the student cohort, I knew that KI is where I wanted to pursue my master’s degree. I’ve loved getting to know many of my peers over “fika” which has definitely been one of my favorite ways to spend my free time. I also really enjoy spending time outdoors, exploring Stockholm and­­––on colder days––knitting.

A fun fact about myself is that I am a certified Austrian cheese connoisseur.