What do you do?
I'm a health service consultant in the Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA) division.
Describe your educational path. What was your area of study?
I have always had an interest in being the health care or public health realm of work since I always have wanted to help others, but I did not ever have my mind set on one path over the other. I started out studying dental hygiene and did a lot of health care administration work throughout my prerequisites to gain knowledge on the dental side of our health care system.
After being in the program, I decided being a clinician was not meant for me and decided to pursue the administration side of health care instead. This led to me graduating from Eastern Washington University with a bachelor's degree in health services administration, followed by a master's degree in public health.
How did you enter your career in public health?
I finished my undergraduate degree during the pandemic when things were very unknown, which prompted me to pursue my graduate degree right after.
During the pandemic, things were changing constantly, which ultimately affected all communities around the nation. Living in this chaotic time while just starting my studies in public health made me eager to be part of the process of creating change in the future and hopefully eliminating the burden of overworked public health professionals going forward.
I first got into the workforce by applying for an internship at the Spokane Regional Health District in the data center and then right after grad school I joined the Workforce Pathways Program at the Washington State Department of Health. After being a part of the Workforce Pathways Program for one year, I have now transitioned into a new role within the agency joining the HSQA division in the Office of Health Professions.
What is your typical day on the job?
I have lots of meetings and lots of follow ups with internal and external partners. I complete projects and tasks in the gaps of my day when my schedule allows.
What advice would you give a student pursuing career opportunities in public health? What is something you wish you knew earlier in your career?
From experience, the best thing you can do when job searching or looking for opportunities is to put yourself out there. Be personable, be persistent, and be patient. Public health is a field that will always evolve due to changing needs and circumstances, therefore your pathway can always evolve as well and new opportunities will become available.
What is something that would surprise people about your day-to-day job?
Although many of us work remotely, it is still very important to be personable whether you are replying to an email or attending a virtual meeting.
The connections and partnerships you make can really help you succeed in any role, project, or job you take on. In a remote working world starting conversations or scheduling a meeting to get to know someone can make a huge difference in the work you do and can potentially provide you with resources that you can take advantage of.