As a published student researcher, PhD in Public Health student G. Thomas Wilson shares his research, advice, and the importance of the mentors who helped him along the way.
PhD student research is about asking complex questions and developing the skills to find meaningful, evidence-based answers that can improve health and well-being. In the study of public health, this often means examining how people interact with health systems, information, and each other to identify opportunities for better outcomes.
For G. Thomas Wilson II, those questions center on informal caregivers—individuals providing unpaid care to loved ones with chronic diseases or disabilities. His research explores which information sources caregivers trust or distrust, whether they are more likely than non-caregivers to seek out health information, and how that behavior impacts their mental health.
He found that caregivers are highly engaged in seeking health information, but that this can both worsen mental health as a burden and serve as a coping mechanism to improve it. His work also highlights differences in trust, with caregivers reporting less trust in some formal sources such as doctors, pointing to broader shifts in healthcare systems and the factors that shape how people experience care today.
Additionally, Wilson is the first author in a peer-reviewed journal about his research on caregivers who identify as sexual and gender minorities.
A first-generation student in the PhD program in Public Health, Social & Behavioral Sciences, Wilson’s work reflects both academic curiosity and a commitment to improving health systems for patients and caregivers alike—with strong mentorship and interdisciplinary support along the way.
Below, Wilson shares insights into his experience, lessons learned, and advice for future public health students.
How has your mentor supported you?
Dr. Rodman Turpin supported me in completing this as my first solo analysis, reviewing countless drafts and code files. He also reviewed my poster and was a great support as I practiced intense time management for this quick work.
What were the biggest lessons you learned from your research?
Time management is everything, and just because you don’t know how to do something doesn’t mean you can’t learn and can’t succeed. I have never claimed to be a statistician and my coding prior to this project was novice. Now I have reached a more advanced level of understanding statistical analysis while completing my own research.
What do you love about the PhD in Public Health program?
The thing I love most about my program is the direct access we have to multiple different mentors from many fields of expertise in order to really broaden my understanding of methods and techniques I never pictured needing, liking, or wanting to learn more about. Yet, they have become imperative, and Dr. Turpin has been so open to the inclusion of an interdisciplinary mentorship approach, allowing me to expand my support system.
How has your research experience prepared you for your career path?
In the future, I hope to incorporate dyadic and relationship research into formal systems of health to improve patient and caregiver outcomes. This is a foundational work to build upon as I continue in my career.
What advice do you have for students interested in research?
Research is a practice and none of it should be considered a failure. We all get null hypotheses every now and then; we all find out we were wrong about something. Consider each of these experiences an improvement and an experience that will make you a better researcher. Always incorporate reflection after successes and challenges to contribute back as a transparent voice of expertise within your field and your networks.
Learn more about the PhD in Public Health.
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