Provider Pulse Ep. 28: Bayle Conrad, MPH (Part 2) - Finding Agency in the Work

Send us Fan MailAfter her crisis of conscience in Kenya, Bayle Conrad made a decision: no more international work. But finding her place in global health wasn't that simple.In this second part of our conversation, Bayle returns to Seattle with an MPH degree and more questions than answers. She turns down international jobs she's qualified for, takes a microfinance position that still involves those same power dynamics, and eventually stumbles into refugee resettlement work at the International Rescue Committee—a job she wasn't sure she could do.What follows is six years of transformation. The anxious teenager who couldn't speak up becomes a caseworker handling crisis interventions. The student who questioned her right to help finds meaningful work here in Seattle. And the questions that nearly made her quit? They become her greatest asset.This episode tackles the practical realities of refugee healthcare: Why "just pick up your prescription" isn't simple. How systemic barriers compound trauma. What happens when a care conference becomes an exercise in power dynamics. And most importantly, how providers can create space for agency rather than accidentally undermining it.We end with Bayle's hard-won advice for students navigating uncertainty, anxiety, and the messy path toward meaningful work.Topics covered:Transitioning from international to domestic workRefugee resettlement and casework at the IRCNavigating power dynamics in helping professionsBarriers to healthcare for refugee populationsWorking with interpreters and cultural brokersPractical guidance for providersAdvice for anxious, shy, or questioning studentsFinding your strengths in unexpected placesPerfect for: Healthcare providers working with refugees, public health professionals, students questioning their career path, anyone navigating the tension between helping and perpetuating harm, and those learning that their sensitivity might actually be their strength.Visit EthnoMed.org for additional resources. Follow us on YouTube and Instagram @EthnoMedUW