My decision to pursue psychiatric postgraduate training got bewildered stares and remarks from many who were influential in my academic life.

Melva Green worked hard to become a psychiatrist, but she's never pictured herself sitting in some oak-lined office listening to the "worried well." She's seen too many instances of health care disparities—whether due to gender, race or economics—to turn her back on the underserved populations of the world.

She comes to the Bloomberg School to learn how to combine her scientific knowledge of behavior and psychology with economic theory and social marketing, so she can develop culturally competent, non-traditional, psychiatric services for poor communities here and abroad.

"Within five years," she says, "I plan to lead a nonprofit organization that will promote positive health-seeking behaviors and affect policy development."