Higher Education with Dr. B Fran

Are you ready for a brand-new episode of Higher Education with Dr. BFran, this one will be a little long but absolutely worth it.  Dr. BFran is joined by Dr. Tiffany Joseph, Associate Professor of Sociology and expert on health care in the U.S., to discuss the history, complexity, current cuts, and future of health care in the U.S. Significant portions of the population was able to gain acces...

Are you ready for a brand-new episode of Higher Education with Dr. BFran? As pregnancy and birth have become central conversations for many governments globally, are we talking about reproductive justice? In this episode, Dr. B Fran shares her thoughts on reproductive injustice. Framing the conversation in the three tenets of the reproductive justice framework, this episode explores the policies t...

Are you ready for a brand-new episode of Higher Education with Dr. BFran, where today’s conversation will tug on both your heart and mind.  Dr. BFran is joined by Koiwah Koi-Larbi, the executive director of Action on Pre-eclampsia Ghana and 4x Preeclampsia survivor, to discuss the development, diagnosis and management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) across the world. HDPS is not...

What did RiRi say? Lock in for a brand-new episode of Higher Education with Dr. BFran where today’s conversation turns bold ideas into necessary dialogue. Dr. BFran is joined by Drs. Mary Bassett and Jourdyn Lawrence for a powerful discussion on reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade and why public health must be part of the conversation. While reparations are often framed around wealth gap...

Are you tuned in? Lock in to this new episode of Higher Education with Dr. BFran Dr. BFran sits down with Shahem McLaurin, licensed therapist, founder of an independent mental health agency, and public mental health educator for a powerful, eye-opening conversation about the realities of sexual violence and the systems that allow it to persist. Together, they unpack the mental and physical impacts...

In this episode of Higher Ed with Dr. B Fran, Dr. B Fran talks about the public health impacts of the growing surveillance and detention being done by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She breaks down how an increased surveillance state under ICE has increased anticipatory stress, interrupted health care visits, fractured community and family connection, and reduced access to prenata...

In this episode of Higher Education with Dr. B Fran, Dr. B Fran is joined by Zil Audi-Poquillon, a Kenyan health economist studying at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Join us for a timely conversation unpacking the new America First Global Health Strategy. Together, they break down how this deal came to be in the face of WHO and USAID funding cuts, what is at risk if countrie...

In this episode of Higher Ed with Dr. B Fran, Dr. B Fran talks about the state of public health in the United States for National Public Health Week. She breaks down the changes that have been happening domestically in terms of environmental rollbacks, health insurance, TrumpRx, rollout of rural healthcare programs, and more. The US is currently experiencing a major defunding and dismantling that...

In Episode 2 of Higher Ed with Dr. B Fran, Dr. B Fran is joined by Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens for a powerful and timely conversation unpacking Project 2026, also known as the Saving America by Saving the Family report. Together, they break down the report’s push around family structure, marriage, and reproductive policies aimed at increasing birth rates under the banner of “American values.” But thi...

“Weʻre back for a whole new season, and we are not easing in quietly!”  In this powerful season opener of Higher Ed with Dr. B Fran, Dr. B Fran gets real about where she’s been and what it means to navigate both the personal and professional toll of watching public health infrastructure unravel, not just in the U.S., but across the globe. This episode sets the tone for a bold new season. Dr....

In Part 3 of our deep dive into Project 2025, we’re turning our attention to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)—and what’s at stake as powerful forces push to reshape it. Fresh off the confirmation of CMS’s 17th Administrator, we’re already seeing the outlines of a radical shift: one that proposes over $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP over the next decade. Fram...

In Part 2 of our deep dive into Project 2025, we are turning our focus to two more health agencies: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Both have new directors, and both are making quiet but powerful moves that could shape public health in ways most folks aren’t even aware of. From cuts to health equity research that they categorize as "woke" to stat...

In this episode, we dig into Chapter 14 of Project 2025, a sweeping conservative blueprint for reshaping the Department of Health and Human Services. From the CDC to the FDA, the document outlines a radical restructuring of federal health agencies—one that could fundamentally shift the nation’s public health priorities. Dr. B Fran unpacks the goals laid out in the plan, starting with proposed chan...

Did you know that Black women in the U.S. are 3-4 times more likely to experience hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, leading to higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality? These complications not only affect pregnancy outcomes but also pose long-term health risks, including cardiovascular disease later in life. As we observe Black Maternal Health Week, this episode of Higher Education...

Homelessness isn’t just an issue of the present—it’s the result of decades of policy decisions that continue to shape who has access to stable housing and who doesn’t. In this episode of higher education with Dr. B Fran, we are joined by Dr. Margaret Sullivan to we break down the structural determinants of homelessness, from outdated policies still in use today to the communities most at risk, inc...

Let’s keep it real—health equity is under attack. From climate funding getting slashed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs being gutted, to reproductive rights being rolled back, the current administration is making some dangerous moves. And guess who’s getting hit the hardest? Marginalized communities, low-income families, and, well… probably you or someone you love. In this episod...

In this powerful episode of Higher Education with Dr. B Fran, we delve into the escalating battle for reproductive rights in the United States and the complex intersection of politics, healthcare, and personal autonomy with Dr. Elizabeth Janiak. From the ongoing challenges women face in accessing safe abortion care to the alarming political changes under the current administration, we explore the...

In part two of this deeply moving conversation, we turn our focus to the mental health toll of genocide, especially on children—the most vulnerable victims of conflict— even once it ends. Dr. B Fran and Dr. Sawsan Abdulrahim discuss the psychological scars that last long after the violence ends, exploring the immense impact of trauma, loss, and displacement on young minds. Children, often witnessi...

In this powerful episode of Higher Education of Dr. B Fran, we explore the far-reaching public health consequences of genocide, viewed through the lens of the structural determinants of health framework. Our guest is Dr. Sawsan Abdulrahim, a professor at the American University of Beirut and the granddaughter of Palestinian refugees displaced during the 1948 Nakba. Dr. Abdulrahim brings a personal...

The maternal mortality crisis is about more than just healthcare—it’s a reflection of deep social, economic, and structural inequities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities around the world. In this episode of Higher Education with Dr. Fran, Dr. B Fran examines the complex web of factors contributing to maternal death and morbidity, from systemic discrimination in healthcare sett...

Ever wondered what really shapes our health beyond doctor visits and diet charts? Tune in to this new episode in this podclass where Dr. B Fran dives into the fascinating world of Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)—the often-overlooked yet critical factors that influence health outcomes and drive health inequities. Spoiler alert: it’s way bigger than you think! Dr. B Fran breaks down the five ke...

Get ready for a timely and thought-provoking episode that tackles the complex relationship between politics and public health in the wake of the 2024 U.S. presidential election! Dr. B Fran dives headfirst into the dynamic changes shaping public health funding, research priorities, and global health initiatives—and how these shifts could ripple across the nation and beyond. Public health might seem...

Get ready for a powerful eye and ear-opening episode! Dr. BFran welcomes Dr. Monik Botero from the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health to dive into a topic that doesn’t often get enough attention: the deep links between mass incarceration and health outcomes. But this isn’t your typical academic chat—both Dr. BFran and Dr. Botero bring a unique, deeply personal perspective to the conversation...

Act II will begin right where we left off, realizing the impact of segregation is real life and not a conspiracy theory, and asking the question so what can we actually do about this and what is public health’s role? Join us as we continue to interrogate the status quo and unravel how these systemic barriers are not just cultural but critical drivers of health disparities for marginalized communit...

Why isn’t Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” considered country music? And what could that have to do with COVID-19, the opioid crisis, and redlining? In this BUCKIIN’ episode, Dr. B Fran is joined by Dr. Tori Cowger from the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University to uncover the hidden threads and global connections between music, segregation, and health inequality. Part I takes a dee...