Alumni Profile: Loretta Stein
Green Templeton alumna Loretta Stein (MSc Global Health Science, 2007) is a Commander and board-certified ophthalmologist in the United States Navy, and currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in support of the Navy’s only enlisted basic training location. She is also an Associate Professor of Surgery at Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD. Here Loretta reflects on her time at the-then Green College.
Why did you choose Green Templeton for your place of study?
I attended Green College in 2006 after graduating from Brandeis University with a focus in Anthropology and an interdisciplinary course of study called Health: Science, Society, and Policy to earn a Master’s of Science in Global Health at Oxford University. I was delighted to be a part of a community of graduate students who brought their diverse backgrounds and experiences together while enjoying a common interest in biological, social, and economic determinants of health and to improve the human condition.
What advice would you give to any student considering choosing Green Templeton about why they should come here?
You can’t go wrong! Take advantage of the opportunity to join a mature and thriving community of peers to create a network of lifetime colleagues and friends that share a common experience, interests, and passion for the world.
How has your time in college influenced you in your career path since leaving?
The education and professional development I gained at GTC has been invaluable in my continued professional development in medicine as a physician in the United States Navy and work in Global Health Engagement. Almost 15 years after I graduated from GTC, I was selected to return to GTC and Oxford as the 2022 Andrew Markus Visting Scholar to continue my interest in global health ethics. It was the privilege of a lifetime to deliver a lecture at the very place that provided me with the foundational education that has led me to some of the most enriching experiences in my career to date.
What is your most enduring memory of GTC and/or your time at Oxford?
When I think of GTC and my time at Oxford, I remember the feeling that stayed with me the entire year that I was there, a feeling of surreal privilege, of ‘pinch me, I must be dreaming.’ GTC and Oxford University offers an incredible atmosphere and a community of peers passionately pursuing understanding, growth, and desire to make the world a better place.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside work?
Outside of work My spouse, Josh, and I enjoy living, traveling, and finding adventure all over the world.
What would you consider your greatest achievement in life so far?
My greatest achievement is my service in the United States Navy as a physician and Officer, caring for those who have taken an oath to defend freedom and democracy around the world.
