The Scholars Table with Dr Banda brings scholars, leaders, practitioners, and emerging voices to the table for thoughtful conversations about health, science, academia, leadership, and public life. Hosted by Dr Banda Khalifa, each episode explores the journeys, ideas, and decisions shaping meaningful careers, public health, and global impact.
From medicine to leading global health with Prof. Judd Walson
What does it take to build a career in global health, and is the field still worth entering in 2026?
In this episode of The Scholars Table, Dr Banda Khalifa speaks with Professor Judd Walson, Chair of the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Professor Walson reflects on his unconventional path from anthropology and street performance to clinical medicine, research, and academic leadership. He shares the experiences that shaped his career, including his work in Nepal, Kenya, and the United States.
The conversation examines his research on childhood mortality and parasitic infections, the consequences of US foreign assistance cuts, and the future of international health at a time of considerable institutional change.
For prospective graduate students, Professor Walson also offers a candid account of PhD admissions at Johns Hopkins. He explains what distinguishes successful applicants, why mentorship is critical, and how privilege and unequal opportunities can influence academic selection.
The episode closes with his perspective on whether global health remains a worthwhile career, what young professionals should consider before entering the field, and why the next generation has an opportunity to help redefine its future.
The Scholars Table with Dr Banda. Conversations on health, ideas, and public life.
Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
1 Oct 2026
Inside the Johns Hopkins MPH: Admissions, Careers & One Health | Dr. Meghan Davis
An MPH is a major investment of time and money. What should you weigh before applying, and where can the degree take you?
Dr. Banda welcomes Dr. Meghan Frost Davis, chair of the Master of Public Health program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, for a conversation about public health training, leadership, and career choices.
From her path through veterinary medicine to her work in One Health, Dr. Davis explores the connections between human, animal, and environmental health. The conversation also covers MPH program formats, applications, financial support, and the questions facing students entering public health during funding cuts and job uncertainty.
For Dr. Banda, a Hopkins MPH graduate, this conversation is also a return to the program that helped shape his own career.
14 Sept 2026
Dean Monica Swahn: From the CDC to Leading a School of Public Health
Dr. Monica Swahn is Dean of the VCU School of Public Health, director of Global Women's Health for the VCU Institute for Women's Health, and holder of the Charles W. and Evelyn F. Thomas Endowed Professorship of Epidemiology.
She came to the role in July 2025 after serving as dean of the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services at Kennesaw State University, and before academia she spent nearly a decade at the CDC as a health scientist and epidemiologist.
In this conversation with Dr Banda Khalifa, she traces the route from a psychology degree to a PhD in epidemiology, through a decade inside government science, a Fulbright year building an alcohol research center at Makerere University in Uganda, and into academic leadership.
We cover:
What a decade at the CDC taught her about how evidence moves into decisions, and when it does not
Why she left government science for the university
Building research capacity in a partner institution so it survives after the funding ends
Presenting research to the WHO, UNDP, and PAHO
What a dean does all day, and what surprised her most
Her strategic vision for the VCU School of Public Health
What strong graduate applicants get right, and the mistake she sees most often
Advice for early-career professionals choosing between government, academia, and global work
The Scholars Table with Dr Banda brings scholars, leaders, practitioners, and emerging voices to the table for thoughtful conversations about health, science, academia, leadership, and public life.
Who has been a guest on Banda Global Forum
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Ashok Kumar Kanaparthi
Saana Kataria
Dr Abasi Ene-Obong
MPH Program Chair
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
807,663
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
73
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
0
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Guest appearances
Books guests
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Questions about Banda Global Forum
Who hosts Banda Global Forum?
Dr Banda Khalifa host the show. Published by Dr Banda Khalifa.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Banda Global Forum take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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