Canada’s first Doctor of Public Health graduate: Zachary Miller makes history at U of T

From left to right: Doctor of Public Health Program Director and Professor Ted Witek, Zachary Miller and Adjunct Professor Anne Wojtak. Photo by Katia Taylor.

When Zachary Miller graduated, he made history. Last October, wearing red and black robes, Miller walked across the stage at Convocation Hall and received a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree. The Dalla Lana School of Public Health is the first school in Canada to offer a DrPH program and in that moment, Miller became the program’s first graduate and made history by being the first to graduate from such a program at a Canadian university.

A historic graduation: Canada’s first DrPH graduate

“Walking on that stage was monumental for me as I reflected back on my academic journey: the successes, the momentary failures, and the growth,” says Miller. “I wasn’t a student that got 98 and 99s on every exam. I was the one who had to push myself extra hard to get in the 90s. So the fact that I was able to finish first at the top public health school in the country was incredible for me.”

Miller is Kanienʼkehá:ka from Six Nations of the Grand River and has spent his career working in community with the local government of Six Nations of the Grand River, in the areas of healthcare, research and data analytics. Becoming the first Doctor of Public Health graduate is also particularly meaningful to him as an Indigenous student and leader.

“I knew how inspiring it could be for others to be first, especially as an Indigenous person because we’re usually not at the front of the line,” says Miller, adding that he hopes this achievement brings pride to his community and other First Nations students.

From six nations to public health leadership

Growing up, Miller’s father worked in management for Toyota Manufacturing Canada (TMMC), and his mother was a nurse, so conversations about management, healthcare and leadership were frequent around their family’s dinner table. Early on, Miller was driven to pursue a career in healthcare, and as an undergraduate student, he discovered a deep interest in epidemics and pandemic responses. That passion led him to public health, first as a graduate student and then in a career working with Six Nations of the Grand River, serving the largest First Nations reserve in Canada.

“I didn’t want to just accept the barriers that my people often receive. Instead, I wanted to try to find a way to change these systems on a higher level,” says Miller, thinking back on his motivation for pursuing public health. When he learned of the launch of DLSPH’s Doctor of Public Health program — a program aimed at mid-career professionals with a focus on accelerating the use of research evidence to inform practice and policy — Miller jumped at the opportunity. It was 2020 and Miller was a core member of the team that was leading the response to the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic in Six Nations. When he joined the DrPH’s inaugural cohort in 2021, Miller was surrounded by classmates and faculty who were also leading efforts to combat the pandemic.

“One of the things I really appreciated about the program was the interaction with other public health leaders,” says Miller. The program opened a powerful network, including the experts on the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, to emerging leaders like Miller.

A program designed for practice and impact

With an existing interest in pandemics, Miller deepened his research into epidemic and pandemic responses during the program. His dissertation, titled “Learning from the past, as we look to the future,” explored how leadership lessons learned from the influenza pandemic of 1918 could improve future pandemic preparation and responses. This type of practical application of academic research, improving public health leadership and competencies, is at the heart of the Doctor of Public Health program.

“Having Dr. Miller as our first graduate, who has completed a rigorous program with an impactful dissertation, is truly a grand achievement,” says Doctor of Public Health Program Director and Professor Ted Witek. “Importantly, Zach’s dissertation findings stand ready for implementation and impact.”

While it took an incredible amount of dedication and hard work to get to convocation, Miller credits this achievement to his family, his people and his ancestors. “I’m the first in line because of all the various challenges my ancestors, community and family have had to overcome along the way,” says Miller.

Miller defended his thesis at Macdonald-Mowat House, the former home of Sir John A. Macdonald, the Canadian prime minister whose government founded a national system of Indian Residential Schools. “I had a great grandparent who was a residential school survivor and as the years passed on, I saw the generational impacts that his experience caused to my family” says Miller. He remembers stepping into that building, entering the room for his defense, facing a portrait of Macdonald and saying, “I’m still here and we’re still strong.”

Miller’s dissertation was accepted as is and a few months later, he celebrated this monumental achievement at convocation alongside his wife, parents, a cherished community leader, Witek and Adjunct Professor Anne Wojtak. “I thought to myself, I shouldn’t be here right now, right?” says Miller. “And yet, I graduated from U of T. All of that is mind blowing for me.”

Originally published by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health