School and Jobs Advice Megathread Part III

[u/SadBreath]

All job and school-related advice should be asked in here. Below is the r/publichealth MPH guide which may answer general questions.

See the below guides for more information:

1. MPH Guide
2. Job Guide
3. Choosing a public health field
4. Choosing a public health concentration
5. Choosing a public health industry

Past Threads:

1. Megathread Part I
2. Megathread Part II

[u/[deleted]]

Hello fellow New Yorker! Not sure about everyone having it together here, cause I sure don't (career changer here from Education to Public Health). The most important question is; what are you passionate about? I totally get where you are coming from; I am also not the most academically inclined individual, hence why I never pursued an undergrad in biology which would have helped me get to my career of choice quicker and sooner (Medical), but instead I choose to be lackadaisical and choose the longer/harder route into it .

As someone who is hitting their late twenties, do analyze thoroughly how and what you see yourself doing ten years from now. You don't want to end up like me taking the longer more challenging route, which brought me in full circle. Explore your options through internships (AmeriCorps/PeaceCorps), volunteer service in your community, talking to professionals in your field of interest (Nursing) someone in PH and seeing what their insight is. There are so many resources to getting first hand experience that will help you determine what is right for you, I urge you to take advantage of them because they will be highly useful now and down the line for yourself (EXPERIENCE = RESUME)!

[u/Urbasebelong2meh → u/[deleted]]

I definitely think I could get experience (already do in the environmental health side to an extent side having interned the past 3 summers at a private park up in Riverdale, worked on a city project as well that helped with wildlife/coyote management and education in NYC)

Though my concern is definitely on the job side of things, but my passion definitely lies in helping my community or just, educating people on those kinds of things more than anything else. I thought through nursing I'd be a lot more hands-on about it, but the actual material just early on has been really taxing and I'm really in a place where I don't think I'm cut out for something with that high of a bar for expectations.

Thanks for all the tips, though. My first real step would definitely be in finding experience through the stuff you listed—but I'm worried it'll be a bit tough to really get my hands on and I'm not sure how much I'll be rammed up the bum by loans and such in the next few years.

Though my parents took my student loans out in their name (with the expectation that I'll pay it back, so as to not damage my credit) I'm still worried about how I'll be able to make enough money to pay it all back by the end of it all, but I'm hopeful I'll find something.

[u/[deleted] → u/Urbasebelong2meh]

Look into AmeriCorps. I believe all their opportunities award a certain amount towards education.

[u/Urbasebelong2meh → u/[deleted]]

Thanks so much, I'll look into their offers/positions ASAP (gotta get ready for these finalssss)

Though I don't think nursing will really be the end game for me at this point, it's definitely what I'd like to do. But like I said, I'm not a big brain all A's student (though I'm not really bad either) but it's what my school looks for in its nursing students. Regardless, I'm giving it my best, and if I can't get through then PH seems like a good change for me.