Get to Know Shamsher Bam

Shamsher Bam, a public health nurse in the Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD), sees building trust with community members as central to his work.

Whether at a vaccine clinic site or the health department’s tuberculosis (TB) clinic, Shamsher is always striving to meet patients where they are at and help them access and make sense of the best available information for their healthcare.

“We try our best to make sure that we have the right information, and then we discuss with people, ‘What have you heard?’” he said. “And if there are things that are not necessarily correct, then we try to discuss them together.”

Highlighting the interconnectedness of the Cambridge community, Shamsher explained that working with the CPHD’s partner organizations is a valuable way to build trust among residents. For example, a collaboration with the Fire Department during COVID-19 vaccination efforts proved to be an important and successful way to reach residents.

“Coordinating with our local partners is very, very helpful, because when we trust each other’s work, then the community starts trusting, and then they rely on the information,” Shamsher said.

One aspect of Cambridge’s healthcare system that is unique is the connection between CPHD and the Cambridge Health Alliance. According to Shamsher, this arrangement, with the public health department directly linked to a local healthcare system, is one of only a few in the country. Shamsher explains that the CPHD/CHA relationship allows improved access and more coordinated healthcare for the individuals they serve.

“Say we come across a person who is not a patient and doesn’t know what to do with the primary care setting … it makes it easier for us to help them navigate and then connect with primary clinicians, should there be a need,” he said.

Shamsher, who has been with CPHD for over 20 years, began working in the TB clinic. After completing his nursing degree, he later moved into his role as a public health nurse.

In addition to his TB work, another major element of Shamsher’s role involves following up on cases of reportable illnesses, which the state (MA-DPH) funnels down to local boards of health. This involves contacting people who are known to have been diagnosed or exposed to communicable disease or foodborne illness. He says that while it can sometimes feel awkward calling residents he has not met, he knows this work is important to stopping the spread of illness in the community, a part of public health that is especially meaningful to him.

“Once we establish that initial connection, and then learn about each other, why we are calling, and then what are the benefits of preventive measures, it gives me a really good feeling,” Shamsher said. “I feel, in a sense, accomplished, that if the disease is not spreading in the community, it feels really good that a lot of people are prevented from getting sick due to our work.”

Shamsher also emphasized that information sharing with residents is a two-way street, and that working with members of the community can be a valuable opportunity to learn more about each other.

He shared the story of a time he called a resident and recommended they get Pedialyte, and the resident introduced him to Liquid IV, a flavored powdered hydration supplement. Shamsher shared this information with his colleagues at CPHD, who could then introduce this hydration option to other patients who could benefit from it.

“It’s an ongoing health education type of process. We learn from each other. It’s not a one-way street by any means,” Shamsher said. “Those are the things that when people teach each other … then we learn from each other, and then we share it with other folks.”

Beyond just patients, Shamsher noted that this openness to exchanging ideas and seeking feedback is characteristic of Cambridge residents and employees as a whole.

“For example, if I walk into the City Hall like, ‘Hey, can we look into this?’ There’s an interest, curiosity, and good brainpower in Cambridge,” he said. “The people who work here, there’s sort of a camaraderie…. I can share my ideas, and then people will have some feedback. It could be good, bad, I have to be ready for it, but there's a good opportunity to improve. It’s challenging, but it's a challenge with opportunity.”

Outside of his work as a public health nurse, Shamsher is a runner and avid gardener. He also loves to explore various restaurants and learn about other cultures in the area.

Above all, Shamsher wants Cambridge residents to know that he and the rest of the health department are always there for residents, even when a lot of their work may occur behind the scenes. He encourages community members to learn more about public health and reach out with any questions.

“There are areas in Cambridge where people either don’t have time to learn about public health, what it offers, or they just don’t know. We would like to extend our invitation to people to stop by or look at our website,” he said. “A lot of things go on behind the scenes, and I think people should be curious about the public health department.”