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NMC student to represent NMI in Health Equity AI/ML research, training program
Northern Marianas College student Maritoni Duarte has been selected to participate in the Health Equity Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Research and Training program at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa. She will represent the CNMI alongside two other students from American Samoa and the Marshall Islands.
The HEART program supports undergraduates and graduates in biomedical, health, and biology-related programs to enhance their knowledge and skills in data science techniques, methods, and projects. Students were tasked with surveying and exploring health equity questions that pertained to ensuring equal access to healthcare for all individuals.
Maritoni is currently focused on obtaining data that will compare the need for access to mental health care in the CNMI to that of other territories and the State of Hawaii. With her DataCamp training, she has been able to analyze data using Python and identify the significant role medical coverage has in correlation with seeking assistance in healthcare. She is also examining whether the stigma surrounding “mental health” in the CNMI impacts individuals’ willingness to seek help.
Maritoni Duarte
“We are proud to have Maritoni represent the CNMI in the HEART program. Her work on understanding the factors that affect access to mental health care will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the local community,” said Dr. Barbara Hunter, interim director of NMC’s School of Business.
The HEART program will provide Maritoni with valuable research and training opportunities that will enable her to further her studies and make meaningful contributions to the field of health equity. (NMC)
