Lessons from COVID-19: Is Our Public Health Local or Globalized?

Lessons from COVID-19: Is Our Public Health Local or Globalized?

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed many inadequacies in the global public health system and security. First, it drove home the message that the health of the world is interdependent. No more African health; no more this is American health; no more we need to protect the health of our own people. It is now evident that it is “our health”—our globalized health is real. Second, it showed that although we are getting slightly better, the world is still ill-equipped to address global health crises. Third, it exposed the acute shortage of public health professionals who are so critically needed at every level of government to protect public health.

Having bodies called public health professionals is no good if they are unprepared to address the next impending global health security challenge lurking around. The world, and that is different parts of the world, needs well-educated and well-prepared public health professionals who will be at the vanguard of upholding and protecting public health. The US-based Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), prescribes a number of competencies for public health practitioners ranging from epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, program evaluation, biostatistics, etc.  CEPH is an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit schools of public health, and public health programs outside schools of public health.

That’s why I am excited about the next cohort of #publichealth360. This cohort will bring together emerging professionals and committed individuals from across the WHO’s region who will immerse themselves in deep learning in the art, science, and craft of public health. Using the CEPH competency framework, we are able to empower would-be public health professionals with the skills they need to work in the community, at the county level, country-level or global level protecting all of our health. I’m glad that Public Health 360 is back again. Our pre and post-test evaluations tell us who is ready and who is prepared to earn the title, public health professional. The wait is over.

 

 

School Prepares You For The Skills, Skills Get You The Job!!

School Prepares You For The Skills, Skills Get You The Job!!

Many of my mentees and followers have asked: “Dr. Romey, I have all this education with all these degrees, why am I not landing jobs as fast as I would like to?” This is a question that I know is in the minds of many young graduates or others desirous of landing their first jobs upon graduation.

In my response, I always use the above tag line. And I believe every letter in that statement. This tag line succinctly summarizes what school (call it college or university and the attendant degrees) does and what it does not. Understanding what school does and does not do is the foundation for saving yourself the melancholy of school-bashing and unrealistic expectations.

The reason why people graduate from school and do not land a job immediately can be attributed to school versus employment (SvE) gap. This refers to the gap between one’s academic qualifications and competencies / skills for entry-level job readiness. SvE gap is the secret sauce between what an individual gets from attending school and what they need to actually be successful in employment.

In a fiercely competitive labor market, it is because of this that folks make such misguided statements like: “education is overestimated, universities are scam, or education is fraud.” Don’t believe them. Rather than go derogatory about school or college, step back and ask yourself, what does school give me and how am I using what school gave me to land me a job? Where is my SvE gap and how can I fill it?

Managers, supervisors, and employers of labor will tell you about SvE gap. Schools generally arm you with the foundation to ingest skills—this includes the foundation to learn new skills fast, the foundation for broader mindset to work in a team, the preparedness to go the extra mile to fill a gap in your knowledge without prompting, etc. However, employers are looking for skills to be applied in a job position, right now. This inherent gap must be filled in order for the new graduate to land their first job and rise from there.  It is the difference between attitude and altitude.

Every potential college graduate needs to fill their SvE gap while they are in school or work hard immediately upon graduation to fill them in roles for which employment expectations are not raised. These may include internships, practicums, volunteer-experiences, paid or unpaid fellowship.

It is OK if those are free, for example through volunteer opportunities. It is also OK if those are paid short-term programs where for the tuition you get an intensive hands-on competency that will propel you to the next job by filling the gap between school and employment. Fortunately, many remote platforms make it easy for graduates to gain meaningful experiences covering their SvE gap and get them better ready to land their first roles in public health or other fields.

How Should I Make My Public Health Resume Stand Out?

How Should I Make My Public Health Resume Stand Out?

One of the questions that I often get asked by my mentees, students, and fellows is “What should I have on my resume to make it stand out?” Folks are always curious about what employers look for in a resume that makes them give you that initial screening call or email.

In my years of screening, hiring, and serving in recruitment panels, I have distilled the answer to this question to one thing—let your resume tell your story. The most important way to distinguish your resume from the pack is the story that you tell. From the jobs that you’ve done, through the school(s) you attended, and down to the short courses that you’ve completed, your resume should tell the story of your interest, your passion, and demonstrate where your heart is in public health.

Individuals seeking to work in the field of public health have an undue advantage over other fields. Why do I say this? It is because unlike other fields, public health students do not need to go far to gain valuable hands-on experience in public health. Public health is everywhere. If public health is everywhere, then what might be your excuse not to gain valuable experience to distinguish your resume from the pack?

I bet you that there is an average of 10 non-profit organizations within each 30 miles or single zip code in the United States. In fact, it is estimated that there are about 10 million non-profits worldwide and over 1.5 million non-profits in the United States alone. It could be a local diaper program, a tree planting event, a health fair, a health career fair, a homeless shelter, or an afterschool program that supports youths in your community. It could be your local faith-based organization—church, synagogue, mosque, temple, etc. Seek them out and get your hands wet and dirty. There is an abundance of places to gain the skills.

In conclusion, there are 8 questions that you can pose to tease out actual skills for your experience. Finding answers to these questions, writing them down and rehearsing them will get you ready for that next initial screening call from a prospective employer.

  1. What did I do?
  2. Where did I do it?
  3. How did you do it?
  4. What skills did you use or learn from this activity?
  5. What was the impact?
  6. What lessons did you learn?
  7. What worked, what did not work?

How is this relevant to the position you are seeking?