A Public Health Love Story

Greg Buchert, MD, MPH (PHTM *79, M *83, R *85) took the helm in January as chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. A proud alumnus, he also met his wife, Arline, while at Tulane. To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we caught up with Greg to learn more about his public health love story.

Arline (M *85, PHTM *85) and Greg met as students in the MD/MPH program. Greg was two years ahead of Arline at the School of Medicine and was assigned to be her mentor to introduce her to clinical activities. At a Mardi Gras mask-making party at his home that Carnival season, they clicked. Greg learned several weeks later that he was matched to a residency in New York, which would have taken him away from both New Orleans and Arline.

After a lot of soul-searching culminating in a shared five pounds of crawfish and a six-pack of Dixie Beer at Audubon Park, Arline and Greg decided they wanted to make a go of it – Greg made the fateful decision to change his residency to Tulane, and the two have spent 42 blissful years together.

How do they keep the romance alive? Dining around New Orleans brought them together, so they enjoy searching out new experiences through restaurants and cuisines.

Since leaving Tulane, Greg has served as a pioneer in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, with a passion for making system changes that benefit children today. He then transitioned to a role as a health plan executive so that he could use his public health training to impact thousands of patients through meaningful health policy.  He now works to leverage decades of experience by advising multiple startup companies, leading one and serving on multiple nonprofit boards assisting low wealth and disadvantaged individuals.

Interested in learning more about Dean's Advisory Council or how to get involved? Email sfoose@tulane.edu.