MPH and health experience

[lmdiva21]

I am planning on pursing my MPH. I am a career changer who graduated with a GPA of 3.18 and Bachelor's in Communications. For the past 5 years I have been working in the IT arena doing COBOL programming. I plan on taking the GRE in the next few months and taking a prep course to help ensure I get good scores. Many of the programs I am looking at like people to have experience in a health field. I need some suggestions on what I can do get relevant health experience. I am in between jobs right now so this is the perfect time for me to get some of this type of experience.

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[Heal&Teach]

Hi lmdiva,

I'll defer you to a few threads:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=126693&highlight=public+health+experience

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=124314&highlight=public+health+experience

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=124963&highlight=public+health+experience

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=95160&highlight=experience

The gist of many of these threads is that you don't necessarily need experience, but a general interest in public health. Yes, it helps, but a showing of how your interests changed and why you want to go into this field should be sufficient. I'm not sure if you're looking for full-time employment, but depending on where you're located and your specific interests, you might want want to start by checking out community agencies and seeing whether or not they would let you volunteer with them (which I'd think you'd get an emphatic YES for your offer). You can also utilize the Public Health Employment Connection website to identify pertinent jobs in public health that you might be interested in, and possibly can volunteer with in order to get some experience: http://cfusion.sph.emory.edu/PHEC/phec.cfm.

By the way, what are you specific interests? I'd think it would be much easier to do some public health work along the lines of health education versus epidemiology. Once you've identified what it is you want to do, you might consider finding a mentor in your area of choice that you can work with to build up your resume.

Best of luck,
H&T

 

[lmdiva21]

Thanks,

I will definitely check out those threads. I have been thinking that it might be better to get some volunteer expereince while I am looking for a new job.

 

[Heal&Teach]

Good luck in your search lmdiva. I would also check out postings on http://www.Idealist.org.

 

[Thomasss]

My question is that if a person like me does not have work experience in PH (I have a degree in Biology, then worked in biotech, and now teach English in China), how to talk about public health in an informed manner in your personal statements and letters to professors. I currently do have a general interest in getting into public health epidemiology in International Health or Infectious Diseases, but currently am not very knowledgable about it and have no concrete focus beyond that. I was told that for graduate school one must present oneself as being much more narrowly focused (although I know this matters far more for a Phd). Thew gist of my current personal statment would basically read "I kinda like, ya know, heard about it and read a bit about it on university websites and think it sounds interesting and stuff and was hoping to get into your school to learn more about it cuz I it seems cool."

 

[Heal&Teach]

Good question. I think that beginning with a pertinent health issue that interests you will be sufficient for your essay. I had limited experience in public health (aside from some sociological research in a school of public health as a biology/sociology double major and taking an overview course), and basically talked about my interests in maternal and child health for my essay and their importance to the overall health of nations. If you're able to talk a little bit about a pertinent international health issue that interests you, I think you'll be in fine shape. Most people attending public health schools are straight outta college (except those programs that are restricted to folks with terminal degrees) and most have limited work experience (esp. in public health). Most schools understand that, and will give a student with genuine interest and promise a chance. It's not difficult to get into most programs. So make a compelling argument about your interests in PH, intentions for the degree once you obtain it, and how a particular school will fit your interests.

Best of luck!