CofC Student Makes Space for Health Care

by Lauren Winston, BHLI

With his eyes on the stars, College of Charleston senior Michael “Tyler” Glymph is learning how to combine his interest in extraterrestrial exploration with medical innovation. Fascinated by the worlds created in movies like Interstellar, The Martian and Wall-E, Glymph is in pursuit of navigating the complex dynamics between humanity, technology and space.

His calling to help others, combined with his interest in a world beyond our own, has propelled Glymph into the field of aerospace medicine. Over the summer, through the Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute, a nonprofit that fosters innovation among talented scholars in the field of health care, he learned more about how his interest in aerospace medicine could fit into the broader health care system. Glymph spent two weeks in Kansas City, Missouri, participating in professional development, educational seminars and community engagement that will continue to support him in his career trajectory.

RELATED: Check out this Q&A with Glymph regarding the NASA mission he helped plan.

Majoring in geology with a minor in astronomy, Glymph has developed an appreciation for the interdisciplinary nature of his studies. He combines history, physics and chemistry to develop layered questions and solve intricate problems. Glymph is a member of the Charleston Fellows, a top scholar program at the Honors College. Additionally, he has conducted research in collaboration with NASA and the Medical University of South Carolina. Glymph has explored topics such as the effect of gravity on bone density and how the brain can be affected by spaceflight. Insights from this research provide a deeper understanding of human health and its interaction with the environment.

Working With BHLI

Glymph was introduced to the BHLI through Valerie Frazier  ’91 (M.P.A. ’94), associate professor of English and director of the 1967 Legacy Program, where BHLI founder and CEO John W. Bluford III was a keynote speaker. Inspired by Bluford and BHLI, Glymph read about the journeys of more than 170 BHLI scholars and alumni. Glymph could envision a future for himself in this program.

The two-phased program begins with a cohort of 16 scholars from across the country who are committed to eliminating health care disparities. During this educational experience, students are encouraged to explore the vast field of health care and social influences on health through a variety of lenses. Glymph’s BHLI experience included visits to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Quest Diagnostics, a federally qualified health center, a level one trauma center and the behavioral health unit of an urban core health system.

Glymph is one of the most recent alumni of Phase I of the program and is currently awaiting his Phase II placement.

Upon successful completion of Phase I of the BHLI program, scholars receive a placement in Phase II at one of 56 premier internship sites that align with the scholar’s interests and aspirations.

“Through the BHLI, I learned not only what it takes to lead in health care, but also how to be a trailblazer for change in any space,” says Glymph. “What I do know for certain is that my heart remains deeply committed to advancing health, whether that is here on Earth or, one day, beyond it.”

Learn more about the opportunities and future programming of the Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute.