In honor of Black History Month, we’re excited to feature Michael Ampofo, a 1L focused on the intersection of law, public health, and equity. With a background in public health and plans to pursue a dual JD/MPH, Michael brings an interdisciplinary lens to legal education and advocacy. In his own words, he reflects on how the law can shape health outcomes and protect vulnerable communities.
“My name is Michael Ampofo, and I am a 1L from Bristol, Connecticut. I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut in 2023 in Allied Health Sciences, with a concentration in Public Health and Health Promotion. My academic experiences sparked an early interest in the structural factors that influence health outcomes and the ways in which legal and policy frameworks can either reinforce or dismantle inequities.
Before beginning law school, I worked with UConn, AmeriCorps, and College Advising Corps as a College and Career Adviser at Bristol Eastern High School from 2023 to 2025. In this role, I assisted high school juniors and seniors with post-secondary planning, including résumé development, career and college exploration, applications to colleges, jobs, and trade schools, and navigating complex financial aid processes such as FAFSA, AACTUS, the CSS Profile, and scholarship applications. This experience strengthened my commitment to advocacy and exposed me to the systemic barriers many students and families face—barriers that often mirror inequities in other institutions, including healthcare.
My decision to attend law school was shaped by my passion for health equity, which developed during my work as an Honors Scholar at UConn. My thesis examined the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on health disparities, particularly how an overwhelmed healthcare system contributed to increased discrimination by healthcare providers toward Black patients, women, people with obesity, and low-income individuals. Patient experiences highlighted the tangible consequences of discrimination in healthcare and reinforced my belief that legal advocacy and policy reform are essential tools for protecting public health.
Looking ahead, I plan to pair my JD with a Master of Public Health (MPH), focusing on epidemiology and health policy. By combining legal training with public health expertise, I hope to engage in policy development, legislative advocacy, and impact-driven legal work that advances health equity and strengthens protections for marginalized communities.
As a law student, I am motivated by the belief that the law is a powerful mechanism for addressing systemic injustice. Through my legal education, I aim to contribute to solutions that promote equitable health outcomes and ensure that public health considerations remain central to legal and policy decision-making.”