personal statement for mph in epidemiology

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HOW TO WRITE A WINNING PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONAL STATEMENT

Public health is one of the most diverse fields in healthcare practice, and the public health industry is expanding and changing at a rapid rate. 1 To break into this competitive field, strong qualifications, such as a Master of Public Health (MPH) , are essential, and a winning public health personal statement is a critical component of a successful MPH application. However, writing a personal statement for public health graduate school is substantially different from crafting one as a recent graduate or first-time job-seeker.

This post explains the importance of the MPH personal statement, and highlights four elements to consider when crafting a strong, engaging, effective statement as part of your application.

WHY IS A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONAL STATEMENT IMPORTANT FOR AN MPH?

In public health professions more than in most careers, who you are matters. Because public health focuses on the human side of sickness and well-being, public health professionals interact continuously with individuals, communities, policy makers and educators. 2 Your personality is an important factor in determining the professional you will become. Admissions committees, therefore, need to understand you as a person in order to appreciate you as a candidate.

Among your application documents, your personal statement most effectively reveals who you are to an admissions committee. It demonstrates your passion and suitability for the program you are applying to and establishes you as more than the sum of your skills and qualifications.

SHOW, DON’T TELL.

A list of who you are, what you do, and where you see your career going will give the admissions committee a good sense of your suitability for the program to which you are applying. However, if you really want to engage your readers, show them rather than telling them. Human beings are narratively wired; we learn, remember and relate to material better when it is delivered in the form of a story. 3 A strong personal statement will be made even stronger if it is structured around a particular narrative.

To incorporate storytelling effectively in your personal statement, think about your strengths as an individual and the episodes in your life that have demonstrated and developed them. Emphasize the strengths that best align with public health professions: interpersonal and communication skills, an analytical and problem-solving mindset, a strong sense of social justice , and cultural competency are all good choices. 4 Tell the story of your life and career with your chosen strengths in mind. Show how each new experience has helped you progress toward being the ideal public health candidate.

BE PASSIONATE.

The story you tell must illustrate more than just your relevant skills and experiences; it should highlight your passion for and commitment to public health. Admissions-committee members know that the field of public health is demanding, 5 and a good MPH candidate is one who has the drive and dedication to face its many challenges. In your personal statement narrative, explain why public health matters to you.

Public health is a universal concern , and the work of public health professionals touches many aspects of our everyday lives. As you decide on the experiences you’ll include, consider how they demonstrate your personal connection to the public health profession. How have public health leaders inspired you? Where have public health issues affected your life? How have your achievements contributed to improving public health? Where do you hope to see further improvement, and why? By linking the answers to questions such as these with personal narrative, you will demonstrate your passion for the field.

WHY YOU? WHY THIS PROGRAM?

Competition for admission to graduate school is always fierce, and this is especially true when it comes to MPH programs. 6 To craft an effective personal statement, therefore, you must show that you are the perfect candidate for the specific school and program to which you’re applying.

Provide details on how your goals, experiences and passions align with the specific MPH program to which you are applying. You may want to comment on the research opportunities embedded within the program, for example, or the research specializations of key faculty members . Show how the unique details of the program align with your unique characteristics as a candidate.

By including specific references to the MPH program, you show that you’ve done your research and invested your time and energy in choosing a program carefully. Your demonstrated desire to be a part of the unique community and culture of your chosen program will make you a significantly more attractive candidate.

TONE MATTERS.

Finally, it is essential that you pay close attention to the grammar, expression and tone of your personal statement. As it is in many careers, writing is a crucial component of effective public health professionalism. 7 A successful public health practitioner must speak and write effectively. Producing a well-crafted, accurate, clear, engaging personal statement will demonstrate your competency in this area.

As you compose your personal statement, strive for a tone that is professional and formal. It will help balance the intimacy of the narrative style discussed above, resulting in a personal statement that feels both human and competent.

Check your work carefully for any errors in formatting, grammar or vocabulary, and make sure that you’re using technical terminology appropriately; mistakes in these areas suggest a lack of care and attention to detail that will reflect negatively on you. Ask someone whose writing skills you trust to proofread your personal statement. Even proficient writers can become blind to their own typos, and someone else’s knowledgeable perspective is always helpful, even if only to confirm the strength of your work.

PUT YOUR STRENGTHS AND EXPERIENCE TO THEIR BEST USE.

An MPH is the first step on the path to success in a dynamic, fulfilling career. With your Kent State online Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management , Social and Behavioral Sciences or Epidemiology , or your Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology , you can make a difference in a field with wide-ranging impact.

• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from degreequery.com/top-20-demand-careers-public-health/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from apha.org/what-is-public-health
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from time.com/5043166/storytelling-evolution/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from phf.org/programs/corecompetencies/Pages/Core_Competencies_Domains.aspx .
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from mphprogramslist.com/50-great-reasons-to-pursue-a-public-health-career/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from mphprogramslist.com/mph-admissions-process/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from nursingcenter.com/journalarticle?Article_ID=682376&Journal_ID=420959&Issue_ID=682375

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Epidemiology Personal Statement Examples

Epidemiology personal statement example.

Being a part of such incredible work as a disease prevention volunteer during the covid 19 pandemic has piqued my interest in epidemiology and disease prevention. The natural sciences, mathematics, and human physiology were all areas in which I excelled long before I entered university.

My high school chemistry teacher, who was also a practising physician, and two of my professors at the university where I earned both my undergraduate degree, gave me my start as a research assistant, where I honed my lab and research chops, gained self-assurance, and expanded my technical vocabulary.

While in university, I did a lot of research on DNA sequencing, which turned out to be a topic I liked studying and sparked my interest in pursuing a career in academic research. I was one of just three students chosen from the entire student population to perform the research.

It was an honour and privilege I took exceptionally seriously because my professors had noticed how passionate I was about the subject matter. The fact that we could present our findings made me feel very accomplished and encouraged me to continue along this path in life.

Field monitoring of chemical applications and informed recommendations have been the mainstays of my work. I have always known that I want to go into epidemiology. Growing up, I was exposed to more fields of study, learned more about science, and honed in on the specific areas of study that most interested me.

I have always made time to volunteer, and I have spent many of those hours working in hospitals and classrooms, where I have enjoyed interacting with interdisciplinary teams, patients, and students.

I felt compelled to learn about the various people I had met, identify patterns among them, and find ways to make a positive difference in as many people’s lives as possible. My whole life has been spent caring for ailing friends and family. I have earned the nickname “Dr. ABC” due to my many hours of reading up on health and disease topics and consulting with epidemiologists and biostatisticians.

My social skills, cultural understanding, sense of agency, confidence, and sense of self have all improved due to my participation in interdisciplinary research teams and volunteer work in clinics and schools. What’s more, coming from a disadvantaged background and making it out has given me a deep empathy for those who are also struggling and a strong desire to give them the resources they need to improve their lives.

My experience working and volunteering in high-pressure settings has taught me to maintain my composure no matter how intense the situation is.

This expertise, born of solid time management and organisation, will help me tremendously in my research work, where I can confidently take on the rigours and expectations of the epidemiology program. I do all I can to boost people’s confidence and sense of competence, and I steer them gently toward solutions that make sense given their specific situations.

As a result of my extensive involvement in a wide variety of volunteer, academic, and professional settings, I can communicate effectively with people of all walks of life, creeds, cultures, and backgrounds, and have even had strangers confide in me or seek advice from me, usually on matters of health.

In any case, I appreciate your time and thought, and I look forward to my future with your institution. Please consider my epidemiology personal statement for admission.

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How to Write a Great Personal Statement for the Global MPH

May 15, 2019

Imperial College London’s School of Public Health is renowned for conducting world-class research on today’s most pressing public health issues. No matter how compelling your research findings are, it is essential to communicate them clearly in order to promote positive change.

The same principle applies to your personal statement for the Global Master of Public Health (MPH) program . This personal statement is a chance to make the case that you belong at Imperial. Making that case clearly and effectively can be as important as your academic and professional qualifications.

Many students get anxious about this portion of the application, or worry that their writing skills aren’t up to the task. Our advice? Don’t panic!

You don’t have to be an outstanding writer to craft a great personal statement. Your task is to provide Imperial’s reviewers with the information they’re looking for in 1500 words or less. Let’s break the key points down into three specific areas: your past, present, and future.

1. Past: your background in public health

Start by introducing yourself. You’ve already provided a CV with your application, so this is an opportunity to put your experience in context. Tell us how and why you became interested in public health, the skills you’ve developed, and what you’re most proud of in your studies and career. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through!  

Key points:

• Previous academic and professional experience
• Relevant exposures to public health related work and research
• Areas of interest in healthcare and why they interest you

Examples from the MPH Class of 2018-19:

“Throughout my years at University and recent postgraduate studies, I have worked in a pharmacy as a pharmacy/ dispensing assistant, in both community and hospital settings with the latter being involved with cancer clinical trials. These roles have greatly advanced my knowledge of patient care, different treatment options and health awareness strategies within the NHS and local CCGs.”

“I worked on a retrospective study to examine the trends and outcomes of aortic valve replacements performed on veterans from 2005 to 2015. Prior coursework in statistics equipped me to interpret data analyses. I co-authored two abstracts. I often considered how researchers contribute towards reducing health inequities in specific populations.”

2. Present: why you are applying to the Imperial College MPH

After you’ve introduced yourself, explain your motivation for your application. What is driving you to take your career in public health to the next level, and why is the Imperial Online MPH right for you? Make a compelling case why you are applying to this program, specifically, and why now is the right time.

• Your motivation for your professional and/or research career in public health
• Why you are applying for the Online MPH program, specifically

Examples from MPH Class of 2018-19:

“My healthcare background has given me the drive to move my career from disease treatment to increasing awareness of disease prevention. With an increasing life expectancy and an uncertain national healthcare budget, prevention of poor health from preventable diseases has never been more imperative.”

“I am particularly interested in studying at Imperial College London due to its Public Health Policy Evaluation Unit, as the research areas of the unit match my own areas of interest for future research which include big healthcare data, healthcare access and health policy; within these areas I have an interest in mental health, cancer and primary and secondary care.”

3. Future: goals for your research at Imperial and your career beyond graduation

Finally, show that you have a specific vision for your time at Imperial and your post-MPH career. Include a short proposal (150 words or less) for a research project that you would be interested in carrying out as part of your dissertation over approximately a three month period. This gives the team more of an idea of your research interests and motivation to undertake the online Global MPH program. If you are accepted, you will not be required to carry out the proposal from your application. If you’d like to pursue the proposal from your application as part of your research portfolio, you can.

Key Points:

• Your future career goals
• Your proposed research area

“I believe the course will be able to provide an opportunity to obtain a more in-depth knowledge within these areas, but also developing a strong theoretical understanding of health policy, epidemiology and research methods, which I will give me the underpinning knowledge to undertake a PhD in Public health evaluation and policy in the future.”

“I aim to perform research to evaluate and improve the effectiveness and accessibility of health services for chronic conditions in low-income communities.”

__________________________

One last piece of advice: write an honest statement that gets across your true character and motivations, rather than writing something you think the panel will want to hear. Imperial’s goal in requesting these personal statements is to get to know prospective applicants on a personal level. Focus on providing a clear account of who you are, why you’re applying, and what you plan to do during and after the program.

The Global MPH offers the opportunity to get a world-class graduate degree in public health from one of the top 10 universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2019). The program is affordable, flexible, and 100% online. As such, it attracts a diverse, highly-qualified group of students from across the globe. With a great personal statement, you can significantly increase your chances of joining the next cohort!  

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Personal Statement Writing Tips

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Why a Personal Statement is Important

Personal statements are used as part of the application process for many Ph.D. programs, medical schools, fellowship programs, and even, in some cases, jobs.  Personal statements help assess an individual’s commitment to their chosen area of study or work. In addition to strong writing skills, the admissions committee is also looking for something standardized tests and GPAs cannot quantify — your personal story or sense of purpose as it relates to the program or position you are seeking.  While the importance of the statement in terms of the overall application varies from place to place, it is a key factor in the decision-making process.

Consider two goals when writing your essay: persuading the admissions or hiring committee to admit/hire you and demonstrating that you are far more than a GPA or test score. You are an authentic person who would be an asset to the school or to the organization.

The Three-Step Process to Writing a Personal Statement:

1. brainstorming.

In this step you engage in self-reflection, research and the development of ideas for your personal statement.  Allow yourself time to perform this step, and consider the following questions:

• What events, personal experiences, or difficult situations shaped my character?
• What experiences were most influential in choosing my career path?
• What skills, knowledge, and experiences distinguish me from other candidates?
• What do I find meaningful or purposeful? What is my passion?
• What are my goals or hopes for my future career?

2. Selecting Your Statement Topic

As you begin Step Two, ask yourself:  “What impression do I hope to create through my statement?” Select a topic that will allow you to synthesize the information from Step One into a well-written document, giving a positive and memorable impression.  Consider some of the following tips as you make your selection:

• Avoid using gimmicks, but select a topic that grabs the reader’s attention in the first paragraph
• Provide vivid supporting experiences to your topic
• Avoid repeating information that can be found elsewhere in your application (such as GPA)
• Seek feedback from your professors, advisors, and career counselor(s) about the topic

3. Tips for Writing Your Personal Statement

As you write your statement, keep in mind that your goal is to convince admissions or the hiring committee that you are the candidate they want.

• Start by creating an outline and journaling your first draft of your statement
• Be yourself – your readers want to learn about who you are as a person
• Use imagery and clear, vivid prose – describe your life experiences using graphic images
• Determine if there is a theme to your statement – a common thread.
• Don’t summarize in your introduction
• Create curiosity or intrigue in the reader’s mind by raising questions. If there is a theme to your statement, introduce your theme at the beginning.
• Relate all paragraphs in the body of essay to the introduction; or to your theme
• Make smooth transitions  to preserve the flow of your essay
• Link your conclusion to you introduction; focus on your career goals – where do you see yourself in 5/10 years? How will this position help you get there?
• Discuss the broader implications of your discussion.
• Redefine a term previously used in the body of your essay, end with a famous quote that is relevant to your argument.
• Take a break  from a draft of your statement – then come back to it with a fresh pair of eyes
• Ask someone else to read a draft of your statement and request feedback.  In addition to reading for content and flow, others may spot grammatical errors or typos that you overlooked.

Additional Resources:

• Sample Personal Statement  (PDF)
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MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics

About the program.

IN-PERSON, ONLINE  |  FULL-TIME, PART-TIME    SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

The MPH in Epidemiology & Biostatistics trains students to design impactful population health studies and to translate research into tangible urban health improvements. Students explore the nuances of epidemiologic methods, collaborate on applied research and master the art of interpreting and communicating findings to facilitate the development of evidence-based interventions. Students can choose either the epidemiology or biostatistic concentration in this degree program.

For students who began matriculating in Spring 2019 or earlier, please review the previous course sequence for the MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics here .

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Is this degree right for you?

This program is designed for students who want to design impactful population studies that inform evidence-based epidemiological interventions to improve the health of urban populations.

What will you learn?

Epidemiology students learn to understand the principles, methods, strengths and limitations of epidemiological study designs. Biostatistics students gain an awareness and basic understanding of advanced statistical methods and learn to apply core and intermediate level statistical methods to public health data management, statistical analysis and interpretation.

Where to after graduation?

Graduates of both specializations are employed in government and private health agencies, industry and research institutions as research administrators, analytics managers, safety directors and trial coordinators, along with positions that rely heavily on data integrity.

Admissions Information

Admissions requirements.

• Completed  SOPHAS  application
• Undergraduate degree from an accredited university with GPA (overall and major) of at least 3.0 preferred.
• Personal statement/statement of interest explaining why you are interested in pursuing an MPH in general, and specifically why in Epidemiology and Biostatistics (recommended length is 500 words)
• Background in the field: paid or volunteer experience in epidemiology, biostatistics, health-related research, or other public health related field
• 2 Letters of recommendation, at least one from a professor
• Evidence of preparedness for the quantitative coursework involved in an MPH program in Epidemiology and Biostatistics that will include computer programming and statistics. Applicants who have not completed any college-level math (e.g. calculus) with a grade of B or better must provide alternative evidence of preparation for quantitative coursework involving math, statistics, and computer programming.  Submitting GRE scores is an alternative way to meet the requirement for evidence of preparedness for quantitative coursework.  Applicants with no evidence of quantitative preparedness will be deemed ineligible for this program.
• Optional GREs (Graduate Record Exam (General Test)) – use SOPHAS code 7914-CUNY Sch Pub Hlth SOPHAS. Applicants who did not take any math in college or who took math but did not receive a B grade or better, have the option to submit GRE scores to demonstrate their quantitative abilities, which may increase their chances for admission.
• TOEFL scores are required if language of instruction for prior degrees was not English
• Transcript evaluation from  WES  or  ECE for foreign transcripts.
• Strong foundation in social or natural sciences and quantitative training in statistics and math strongly recommended.

Application Deadlines

• Fall 2024: We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis until  June 1, 2024 or until all seats are filled . (May 15, 2024 for international students seeking an F-1 student visa)

For students who began matriculating in Spring 2019 or earlier, please review the previous curriculum for the MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics here .

*Students who have a CEPH-accredited undergraduate or graduate degree in public health can be waived from PUBH 601 by submitting a Course Waiver Request .

Recommended Course Sequence

These sequences are recommended for full-time students. Part-time students are encouraged to meet with a staff advisor to map out an appropriate plan of study.

*PUBH 601 should be completed during a student’s first semester. Students who have a CEPH-accredited undergraduate or graduate degree in public health can be waived from this requirement by submitting a Course Waiver Request .

Competencies

For students who began matriculating in Spring 2019 or earlier, please review the previous competencies for the MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics here .

Core Competencies:

Evidence-based approaches to public health.

• Apply epidemiological methods to settings and situations in public health practice
• Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate
• Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice

Public Health & Health Care Systems

• Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings
• Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and systemic levels

Planning & Management to Promote Health

• Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health
• Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design, implementation or critique of public health policies or programs
• Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention
• Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management (“Resource management” refers to stewardship (planning, monitoring, etc.) of resources throughout a project, not simply preparing a budget statement that projects what resources will be required.)
• Select methods to evaluate public health programs

Policy in Public Health

• Discuss the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence (This competency refers to technical aspects of how public policies are created and adopted, including legislative and/or regulatory roles and processes, ethics in public policy making and the role of evidence in creating policy.)
• Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
• Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations (This competency refers to the ability to influence policy and/or decision making, such as through stakeholder mobilization, educating policy makers, etc. Ability to argue in support of (or in opposition to) a position, as in a standard debate, is not sufficient. Students must produce a product that would be part of an advocacy campaign or effort (e.g., legislative testimony, fact sheets, advocacy strategy outline, etc.).)
• Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity
• Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue (Such principles may include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration, and guiding decision making.)
• Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges (“Negotiation and mediation,” in this competency, refers to the set of skills needed when a common solution is required among parties with conflicting interests and/or different desired outcomes. Such skills extend beyond the level of negotiation required in a successful intra-group process; effective communication within a work group or team is more closely related to competency)

Communication

• Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
• Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e., non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
• Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content

Interprofessional and/or Intersectoral Practice

• Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health (This competency requires direct engagement (in-person or online) between the student and an individual or individuals in a profession or sector other than public health; students must combine the external sector/profession’s perspective and/or knowledge with their own public health training to complete a task, solve a problem, etc.. Role-playing, in which public health students assume the identity of an individual from another profession or sector to which they do not already belong, is not an acceptable substitute for actual engagement with an individual or individuals from a profession or sector outside of public health.)
• Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative (Systems thinking tools depict or map complex relationships, demonstrating, for example, how component parts of a system interact with and influence one another. Examples include causal loop diagrams, systems archetypes, network analyses and concept maps. Logic models and evidence tables are not sufficient to address this competency.)

Systems Thinking

Environmental sciences.

• Apply concepts from relevant scientific disciplines, such as toxicology and physiology, to anticipate effects of environmental, occupational and nutritional exposures on both human health and overall planetary health

Concentration Competencies

• Critically evaluate the strengths, limitations and assumptions of epidemiologic, statistical, and other research methods in the public health literature.
• Identify key threats to validity within and across epidemiologic studies and analytic approaches
• Use information technology and computer software effectively for collection, management, retrieval, analysis, summarization and presentation of public health data.
• Effectively describe, interpret, and synthesize health research findings and disseminate them in written and oral formats appropriate for diverse audiences
• Correctly apply epidemiologic and statistical methods to examine public health outcomes including developing research questions, conducting literature reviews, applying causal inference, utilizing surveillance data, and developing prediction/risk stratification models.

Alumni Outcomes

Alumni outcomes data was collected via surveys of CUNY SPH alumni one year after graduation from 2016 to 2022. See more program outcomes here .

Sample Personal Statement Public Health (MPH)

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

In this article, I will be providing a sample grad school personal statement in the field of public health. It is written by an applicant who got accepted to Masters’s program in Public Health (MPH). Variations of this personal statement got accepted at the University of North Carolina, Columbia University, and Emory University. This example aims to show how prospective applicants like you can seamlessly weave your passion, skills, and relevant experiences into a compelling narrative.

In writing this personal statement, the applicant has drawn upon key insights from a number of my previous writings on personal statements. You are also welcome to use my previous writings to help you write your personal statement. 

In those posts I’ve discussed the  art of constructing a captivating personal statement for grad school , and I’ve highlighted the  pitfalls to avoid  to ensure your statement leaves a positive impression.

I’ve also shared valuable tips on  structuring your personal statement for clarity and readability, not to mention  how to create a powerful opening  that grabs attention from the start. And let’s not forget about maintaining brevity while effectively telling your story, as well as offering a vast range of  personal statement examples  from different fields for reference.

And yes, do not forget to explore my  8-point framework  that anyone can use to self-evaluate their personal statement. Complementing this, I’ve also created a  7-point guide  to help you steer clear of potential traps and missteps in your personal statement.

I encourage you to explore these topics in depth, as they will be useful while we explore the sample personal statement for public health.

In this Article

1) Research the Program:

2) outline your mph personal statement:, 3) start with a compelling introduction:, 4) showcase your public health achievements and interests:, 5) unveil your public health motivations:, 6) highlight unique qualities for public health:, 7) addressing potential weaknesses or gaps:, 8) write a persuasive conclusion:, sample personal statement for public health masters (mph), my feedback on this sample.

• My In-depth Feedback on this Sample 

What do you Write in a Personal Statement for MPH?  

Writing a personal statement for a Master of Public Health (MPH) program requires careful consideration of your career aspirations, an organized outline, and a compelling introduction. The steps below will guide you to create a well-structured and captivating narrative that effectively presents your unique journey towards public health.

Before applying to an MPH program, conduct a thorough examination of its specifics. Explore the program’s website, paying attention to its mission, curriculum, faculty expertise, and unique opportunities such as fieldwork experiences or community partnerships. Tailor your personal statement to emphasize relevant qualifications and match the admission requirements.

Attend informational sessions, connect with current students or alumni, and familiarize yourself with faculty research. Reflect on how the program aligns with your career goals in public health and infuse this understanding into your personal statement to showcase your commitment and compatibility.

Organize your content for a well-structured personal statement. Begin with a captivating anecdote or statement about public health, followed by your academic achievements and related work experience. Highlight projects, skills, and honors that underscore your commitment to public health.

Express your motivations for pursuing advanced studies in public health and articulate your long-term goals. Highlight unique strengths like leadership, analytical, or community engagement skills. Address any potential issues honestly, explaining the situation and remedial actions.

End by reaffirming your passion and qualifications for public health and your eagerness to join the program. This structured approach ensures a compelling, coherent narrative.

Grab your reader’s attention with an engaging opening. A significant experience, a compelling quote, or a statement about your passion for public health can effectively hook the reader.

For instance: “When I volunteered at a local health clinic, I saw first-hand the impact of social determinants on health.”

Introduce the core theme of your personal statement, possibly your drive for public health, reasons for pursuing advanced studies, or the unique skills you bring.

Example: “This experience solidified my desire to delve deeper into public health through graduate studies.”

Detail academic and professional accomplishments that demonstrate your readiness for the program.

For instance: “During my internship at a local health department, I contributed significantly to a community vaccination campaign, enhancing my understanding of health promotion.”

Discuss key achievements such as successful projects, publications, or recognitions. Explain how these experiences have prepared you for advanced studies and influenced your public health interests, showcasing your passion and expertise.

Articulate your motivation for pursuing an MPH program.

You might share: “My interest in public health was sparked when I worked on a project addressing childhood obesity in my hometown. Since then, my focus on public health studies and relevant internships have deepened my resolve to improve community health.”

Outline your goals, such as aspiring to influence health policy or public health practice, and discuss how the program aligns with these goals.

Strengthen your personal statement by emphasizing personal qualities suited to an MPH program. Highlight traits like leadership, problem-solving abilities, or a commitment to social justice, providing concrete examples:

“For example, as a health promotion volunteer, I led a team to implement a successful community nutrition program, demonstrating my leadership and community engagement skills.”

Confront any weaknesses or gaps in your application honestly. If you had a period of low grades due to personal issues, briefly mention it, emphasizing what you learned from the experience.

“Despite a challenging semester, my subsequent performance in advanced public health courses and my successful community project at my recent internship prove my dedication and capacity for this program.”

Summarize key points in your conclusion, such as your strong interest in public health, the skills you’ve honed, and your career aspirations.

For example: “My academic experiences, internships, and ongoing commitment to public health have equipped me well for this program.”

Express your enthusiasm to contribute to the field, stating, “I am excited to bring my passion and expertise to your program, working towards creating healthier communities.”

Reaffirm your alignment with the program, highlighting its distinct features that attract you, concluding with a confident statement of your readiness to excel in their program.

The countryside is said to be beautiful, with the melodious chirping and tweeter of birds, seas of high clouds in the palatial sky, and a feeling of a cool-tempered breeze dancing through tall swaying trees and flowing streams with evergreen meadows. Still, my village was quite the contrary. The beauty of nature was polluted with weapons of warfare.

I opened my eyes in a town that was rife with internecine disputes. The first voice I heard was the heart-wrenching cacophonic sound of machine guns and missiles. Despite living amid meadows, I saw decapitated human heads and torn skulls. My relatives were illiterate and fought over trivial issues. For example, generational wars ensued if the enemy tribe’s donkey came grazing in another tribe’s fields. Villagers believed “two eyes for an eye and thirty-two teeth for a tooth”.

It is well said, “As the company, so the colour”. As a result, I also craved power and became a part of that barbaric culture. I always wanted to join the military, the most privileged post in our community. On the contrary, my father, who was literate in our village, saw our bleak future in the town. Subsequently, on his orders, we migrated from country to city life. Relocating to a cosmopolitan city transformed me from a power-hungry person to the saviour of humanity. I reformed my mindset from a tribal savage to a civilized individual.

One day while roaming the city, a powerful blast ripped through the massively crowded, killing indiscriminately. I swiftly moved towards safety, and on the way, I encountered many people running for their lives. Sirens of ambulances and police vehicles echoed in my ears. I was deeply shocked at the nightmarish scenes. How gruesome and heart-wrenching it was. I saw pools of blood peeping out of the bodies of the injured. Scattered body parts were scattered everywhere, and human flesh was pasted on the walls. I saw screaming mothers and frantic relatives searching for their beloved. So many innocent people were killed by the wild beasts cloaked in human skin, far worse than my uncivilized villagers. Ambulances carried the critically injured to the hospital. Yet, many survived because of the endless endeavours of “Doctors, the saviours of humanity”.

In those brutal circumstances, a doctor made all the difference. The lives of seriously wounded depended on the skills of emergency surgeons and physicians. The absence of doctors simply meant death. Since that very day, I have developed a deep love for this profession. Only doctors, not bureaucrats, politicians, military officers, or engineers, could save lives. From there on, I strived hard to qualify for a prestigious medical college and became a doctor.

Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Similarly, my life has been a story of exemplary philanthropy. During my 8th grade, I taught underprivileged students. Nowadays, I treat indigent patients in my I.C.U. Ward. At college, I loved serving the sick and needy while I was serving as the Chairman of the Patients’ Welfare Organization. This association of students worked day and night under pitiful conditions in underdeveloped government hospitals.

Moreover, being a committed health activist, I worked during national disasters such as floods, earthquakes etc. I implemented various community strategies to engage volunteers at flood camps during these times. Due to these tactics, I successfully provided 90% coverage to children under five against nine deadly diseases, including Polio.

Furthermore, during my senior year, I organized a relief camp for the Rehabilitation of the victims of drought in the Sahara. I secured $1.7 million in aid, including edibles and emergency medicine. My team of senior doctors and I treated over 700 children suffering from Pediatrics diseases. During this time, I was exposed to people who lived in extreme poverty. I saw women and children with multiple infectious diseases. I saw the unhygienic environments in our hospital wards, where patients were prone to many hospital-acquired disorders.

I also saw levels of extreme malnutrition in children. The kind you have seen in the scenes of B.B.C. documentaries on African countries. It was heartbreaking that 824 children died from preventable diseases. 

Considering all the public health-related problems and the associated mortalities, I felt a need for time to become a public health professional to help people stay alive and increase life expectancy. Using health awareness, I want to reduce child mortality through continuous vaccination programs and family planning. In addition, I desire to eradicate infectious diseases that spread through the air, water, and unhygienic hospital environment.

It was well written on the wall of our research institute that medicine aims to prevent disease and prolong life. The ideal of medicine is to eliminate the need for a physician. In this journey in the medical field, being an active health professional, I also proved myself to be a social reformer. I opened a library with the assistance of my family and friends in our war-torn village. The library was a torch bearer for many inquisitive villagers who started sending their children to schools. Though at a snail’s pace but our literacy is perpetually increasing. 

I am an extrovert, and it’s exciting to move to a different country and meet people from different backgrounds. I aim to get professional and technical knowledge about various public health layers, such as program management, health research and disease surveillance. Using this skill set, I will serve in my country, nipping diseases in the bud at their primary occurrence level.

Moreover, I believe in good global philosophy and eradicating children’s malnutrition from my society. Similarly, providing universal healthcare saves everyone, and one of the best aspects of healthcare reform is to start emphasizing prevention. Martin Luther King Jr once said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”

• Hook and Introduction (4/5): The imagery you used to describe the harsh realities of your village effectively captures the reader’s attention and sets the stage for your transformational journey.
• Background and Motivation (4.5/5): Your personal history is very impactful and your motivation to transform from a person with a violent mindset to a saviour of humanity is convincingly presented. However, the transition could be slightly more detailed to clearly convey this change in you.
• Relevance and Competency (4/5): Your work in various challenging environments and your dedication towards community service underline your competencies and your commitment to public health. However, make sure to highlight academic achievements and theoretical knowledge that you’ve gained and how it supports your practical work.
• Passion and Personal Drive (5/5): Your passion for public health is well demonstrated through the various initiatives and projects you’ve been a part of, as well as the life-changing events you’ve witnessed. The depth of your experiences and your commitment to improving health conditions in your community is compelling.
• Program Fit and Future Goals (4/5): Your future goals are well-aligned with the field of public health. It might be beneficial to specifically mention how this MPH program fits into your plan and how you intend to use the knowledge gained from this program to further your goals.
• Conclusion (4/5): Your conclusion effectively ties your story together. However, adding a final, focused statement on your immediate goal of joining the MPH program and your long-term vision of improving public health in your home country could be more impactful.

Overall, I’d rate your personal statement as 4.3/5. It is compelling and emotionally charged, highlighting your dedication to public health. However, it would benefit from more specific connections between your past experiences, your present aspirations, and the MPH program you’re applying to. Remember to articulate what unique qualities or perspectives you can bring to the program and how the program will help you achieve your long-term goals.

My In-depth Feedback on this Sample  

• Introduction: Your opening paragraph effectively sets the scene by illustrating the contrasting landscape and realities of your village. However, this part of the introduction is somewhat lengthy, and it may be more impactful to move sooner into the realities of warfare and conflict that were part of your upbringing. This would provide a more immediate hook for readers.
• Background and Challenges: You’ve described the challenges of your early life, including tribal conflicts and violence. You present a clear picture of a tough upbringing and the motivation that led you to seek a different path. The section could be improved by highlighting a few defining moments or experiences that influenced your decision to migrate and pursue education.
• Transferable Skills: Your transformative journey from a conflict-ridden region to becoming a doctor demonstrates perseverance, adaptability, and resilience. While these are valuable transferable skills, it would be beneficial to also include the academic and professional skills you’ve gained that are directly relevant to the field of public health.
• Passion and Goals: The story about the bombing incident and how it influenced your decision to become a doctor is very powerful and effectively shows your passion. However, you should also clarify how these experiences led to your specific interest in public health, not just medicine.
• Relevant Experiences: You’ve done an excellent job describing your various experiences working with underserved communities, disaster relief, and even establishing a library in your village. Each of these experiences speaks to your commitment to public health. However, you could strengthen this section by detailing some of the skills and knowledge you gained from these experiences and how they’ve prepared you for an advanced degree in public health.
• Program Fit and Future Aspirations: You clearly articulate your future aspirations in public health. However, there’s a lack of specificity about the program to which you’re applying. Detailing how this particular program will help you meet your goals would make your case more compelling.
• Conclusion: Your conclusion nicely ties together your past experiences, current motivations, and future goals. However, a more direct statement about your desire to join the program you’re applying to and a reflection on the benefits you anticipate from it would make the conclusion stronger.

Overall, your personal statement is strong and paints a vivid picture of your journey. However, adding more concrete examples of skills you’ve acquired, highlighting the influence of specific events on your career choice, and a clearer connection between your experiences and the program you’re applying to could make your statement even more powerful.

If you want me to review, critique, and give detailed feedback on your personal statement, then please share your email with us [email protected]

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Guide to Effective Public Health Personal Statements

Table of Contents

A  public health personal statement  is a written account of an individual’s experience, qualifications, and expertise in public health. It demonstrates your suitability and capability for a position or program. 

A personal statement allows the writer to display their knowledge while providing insight into their values and beliefs related to public health initiatives.

Whether a student or professional, you’ll likely encounter a task requiring you to write a personal statement. Most special programs and postgraduate programs require applicants to include a personal statement .

The Importance of a Personal Statement

A personal statement is crucial in any application process because it provides recruiters and admissions board members a glimpse into your values .

Understanding an applicant’s values is important because you learn about the things that matter to them most. The values they embody will often determine their suitability for a role, program, or community. This is based on the premise that someone with specific values will likely work well with like-minded people.

Moreover, your personal statement is a golden opportunity to cement a good impression in your reader’s mind.

Tips for Writing an MPH Personal Statement

Add specific examples.

It’s easy enough to make bold claims and sweeping statements that sound great. Specific anecdotes are a surefire way to stand out from the crowd. They sound more authentic and are a chance to create a vivid image in your reader’s eyes. Be sure to also add specific, factual evidence to support your claims. 

Write with Emotion

Speak from the heart. We are inherently drawn to people and things that know how to evoke emotions. Choose words that evoke emotion in your reader, and show off your passion for the subject matter. Your reader may not remember every detail of your personal statement, but they will surely remember how they felt reading it. 

Avoid Repetition

Vary sentence structure and syntax to make your writing more exciting and engaging. To avoid repeating yourself and try using synonyms or uncommon words whenever possible. A clear, interesting personal statement will keep your reader hooked until the end. 

Use Colloquial Language Properly

Try sprinkling in slang or colloquial language throughout your essay to give it a casual, personable feel. However, remember to keep it professional by avoiding overly informal terms. 

Provide Clear Explanations

Your essay should always include clear explanations of why you want to pursue public health and what makes you passionate about the field. Explain in detail why this is the right path for you and how it will benefit you and society.

Public Health Personal Statement Samples

If you have difficulty applying these tips to your personal statement, try to gain inspiration from these examples.

I am an experienced healthcare professional eager to leverage my skill set and passion for public health management in a postgraduate program. From managing critical patients to delivering data-driven insights, I have gained invaluable insight into the importance of preventive and proactive approaches to healthcare. 

My commitment to taking calculated risks and never shying away from difficult conversations or challenging problems makes me an ideal candidate. Through my dedication to interpersonal relationships, I am confident I can serve as a strong collaborator and leader within any public health organization. As someone who thrives in chaotic environments, I look forward to this next step. I am to hone my expertise and become a respected figure in the field.

I have been passionate about the field of public health since I first started college. After completing my undergraduate degree, I pursued a Master of Public Health to further my knowledge and understanding of global health issues. My academic background and professional experience have enabled me to understand the importance of tackling public health challenges from different angles. This inspired me to create an interdisciplinary approach combining epidemiology, basic medical science, research, and practice for better disease prevention and health improvement initiatives. 

I am aware of our work’s impact on people’s lives and the world at large. This drives me to continually seek new opportunities to contribute positively to public health management. 

From researching effective interventions to helping communities access healthcare services, I strongly believe in making positive change through collaboration.

A master’s program in public health is the best step toward achieving this goal while also sharpening my skill set. In particular, I want to excel in global health promotion, policymaking, and data analytics. Attending such a course will undoubtedly enable me to become part of the worldwide effort to improve human well-being and life expectancy. 

Therefore, it is my sincere hope that this application will provide me with an opportunity to attend the desired postgraduate program. I wish to fulfill my ambitions of effectively addressing pressing health issues worldwide.

I am a student applying for a postgraduate program in public health management to further develop my career. Throughout my educational journey, I have had the opportunity to attend diverse universities and schools while focusing on the science of care. 

Through this time, I have been able to think critically about what it takes to lead policy development and teaching focused on public health. Each class has allowed me to expand my knowledge base and better understand how to best serve our community. I’ve been able to develop thought-out initiatives that are both effective and innovative. 

I am confident that I will be able to leverage the skills gained through my education to bring tangible results.

I am a graduate student highly interested in studying public health management. After researching this area for over a year, I have realized its importance in medical care and research. This is especially true when it comes to providing access to crucial information and resources to those who need them most. 

As a student passionate about medicine, my story has always been one of dedication and understanding. It has led me to take a deep dive into the world of public health. 

My experience with public health began long before I ever stepped foot in a classroom. Over the past few years, I have taken on various internships and worked closely with healthcare professionals to gain invaluable insight into the sector. This work has left me feeling strongly connected to public health as a whole and eager to further explore its implications. Throughout my studies, I have become more confident in asking questions and seeking answers that will contribute to better patient care. This is why I believe furthering my education is absolutely essential. 

A postgraduate degree in public health management is the perfect way to combine my passion for medicine with my knowledge of public health-related topics. It would allow me to apply what I have learned throughout my studies. 

Writing a public health personal statement is a straightforward affair that emphasizes your values and character . If you want to increase your chances of success, take the time to master these tips. While they won’t help you master the task overnight, they offer you the opportunity to create good habits. These will serve you well in your future endeavors, whether you work in a local hospital or with an international team.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Personal Statement and Writing Sample

Personal statement.

In your statement of purpose, please discuss the following in one to two single-spaced pages:

• Your professional, academic, and community experiences
• The area of research you wish to potentially pursue as a student in the program, the name of at least one member of the Epidemiology PhD Program Faculty or Participating Faculty who shares this research interest, A brief statement regarding your proposed research area interests with the research of the identified faculty member(s),
• Your specific interest in UNC Charlotte’s program
• Your career and personal goals including how the program aligns with your career plans
• How you plan to actively participate in UNC Charlotte’s mission to advance health equity and well-being in an urbanizing world

WRITING SAMPLE

In addition to the statement of purpose, a writing sample is required for all applications to the PhD program in Epidemiology. Your writing sample should:

• Demonstrate aptitude for scholarly writing e.g., a literature review, a report of a needs assessment or evaluation project, a master’s thesis, or a published original research article on a public health or an epidemiologic topic where the applicant is the sole or first author.
• Demonstrate conceptual and analytic skills
• Use appropriate and consistent citation and reference formatting
• Applicants without existing examples of academic or scholarly writing should develop a 10-20 page paper on an epidemiology topic of interest that demonstrates conceptual skills and writing ability, use appropriate and consistent citation and reference formatting

Writing the Personal Statement

The personal statement, your opportunity to sell yourself in the application process, generally falls into one of two categories: 

The general, comprehensive personal statement:  This allows you maximum freedom in terms of what you write and is the type of statement often prepared for standard medical or law school application forms. 

• The response to very specific questions: Often, business and graduate school applications ask specific questions, and your statement should respond specifically to the question being asked. Some business school applications favor multiple essays, typically asking for responses to three or more questions. 

What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story? 

What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants? 

When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained? 

How have you learned about this field—through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field? 

If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth? 

What are your career goals? 

Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)? 

Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life? 

What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics? 

What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess? 

Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school—and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants? 

What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you? 

If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar. 

Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked. 

• Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.
• Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of a specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.
• If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.
• The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.
• The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you'll have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgement.
• There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).
• If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.
• Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions officers say that good written skills are command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.
• A medical school applicant who writes that they are good at science and want to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements.

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MPH in Epidemiology

The MPH program provides students with both epidemiologic training as well as broad exposure to other public health disciplines. Our curriculum includes a strong foundation in epidemiologic and biostatistical methods, critical appraisal of the epidemiologic literature, and opportunities for hands-on application of the concepts covered in the classrooms. Our graduates are prepared for positions in government, non-profit, industry, and academic sectors.

Identify, collect, manage, analyze, interpret, and report population-based data to drive control and prevention.

MPH graduates find work in such settings as federal agencies, industry, research settings, health departments.

Click the pie chart to see careers of alumni, by sector.

Admission Requirements

As part of the SOPHAS application , all applicants will need to submit the following materials when applying to Rollins:

• Personal Statement, including your interest in the field of Public Health as well as your interest in the Rollins School of Public Health. Please address your career goals. 
• Two letters of recommendation
• College transcripts
• T he submission of GRE scores are optional for all candidates applying to MPH and MSPH programs for fall 2022 admission .

Detailed information about each of these admission requirements  can be found in Admissions .

We do not have specific GPA or GRE score requirements. 

Stats for recently admitted students:

Average GPA 3.5

Quantitative GRE (25%, 75%) 155, 163

Verbal GRE (25%, 75%) 154, 160

Application Requirements

Mph degree requirements.

42   credit hours: Includes an  Integrative Learning Experience   and an   Applied Practice Experience .

This degree program is also offered as a dual degree and in part-time format.  For additional information, please email [email protected] .

BA/MPH in Human Health and Epidemiology

The Department of Epidemiology at Rollins and the Center for the Study of Human Health at Emory College jointly offer a five-year bachelor of arts (BA) in human health and master of public health (MPH) in epidemiology degree program. With similar objectives and program goals as the Epidemiology MPH program, students will earn a BA and MPH over the course of five years that will prepare them to tackle the most challenging epidemiological questions of the future. This accelerated track to earning an MPH adopts a uniquely interdisciplinary approach and allows students to tailor their degree to their specific interest area. This program is available to Emory Human Health students who apply during their junior year. 

Interested students should contact [email protected] for more information and to apply for admission to the program.

Applied Practice Experience

All Rollins MPH and MSPH students are required to complete a 200-400 hour Applied Practice Experience. The Applied Practice Experience (APE) is a unique opportunity for graduate students to integrate and apply practical skills and training learned through coursework in a professional public health work environment. In most cases, students can use a part-time work position, graduate assistantship or internship to meet the Applied Practice Experience requirement. The Applied Practice Experience is a significant educational experience that requires a minimum of 200 clock hours in a public health agency, institution, or community under the supervision of a Field Supervisor and the guidance of the student's department and/or the Office of Career Development. 

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Certificates

Students can also choose from a range of Certificates to pursue deeper exploration of specific areas of interests such as Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology , Maternal and Child Health, and Socio-Contextual Determinants of Health among others.

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Integrative Learning Experience - Thesis

Examples of past thesis titles include:

Spatial analysis of attrition along the HIV care continuum in Atlanta metropolitan area

Interaction of cannabis use genes and implicated genes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in a molecular pathway analysis

Sleep duration, sleep quality, and mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia after acute myocardial infarction

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What is the difference between an MPH and an MSPH in EPI?

The MPH degree is a professional degree that requires 42 hours of coursework, a thesis, and an applied practice experience.

The MSPH degree is a professional degree tailored to students with strong quantitative skills seeking to specialize in epidemiologic research and methods. It requires 48 hours of coursework, a thesis, and an applied practice experience.

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Personal Statement for Master of Public Health(MPH)

Are you finding it challenging to put together your thoughts and ideas clearly for a personal statement for the master of public health course? Not sure if the current sample personal statement for MPH will help you get admission? Are you not comfortable with the current MPH personal statement format?

We can help you effectively overcome all these concerns and improve your chances of winning admission considerably. We are a team of experienced personal statement writers  and we have written tens of thousands of personal statements.

During the last decade, we have developed creative personal statements for MPH for our students looking to study the master’s in various popular academic writing service destinations such as the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand along with many others. And we can help you realize your dreams as well.

MPH Personal Statement Examples

Computers and technology are the most powerful forces in the modern era. With time, technology’s appearance has changed, and it is currently depicted as a fundamental power for human endurance. Our lives have been covered in the cloak of technology, which has made things simpler and more proficient while acquainting us with a better approach to living. Technology is developing and evolving rapidly, so it has spurred an interest in experts who are talented at taking care of and dissecting it. To keep up with the latest trends as an IT practitioner, it is necessary to adjust to the tides of shifting technology. By studying at the respected XYZ University’s Masters in Information Technology programme in Australia, I hope to focus on my domain expertise.

Since I was a child, computers have been a constant presence in my life. My interest in computers led me to choose computer science as my intermediate studies’ major. It made me more familiar with the world of technology. The capacity of signs, numbers, and images to modify an idea charmed me. At that point, I chose to pursue a B.Tech. in Computer Engineering. I got a great deal of openness to the major thoughts in computer engineering all through my undergrad years at XYZ College in xx. I procured a 9.5 total grade point average and graduated with first rank from my college. To widen how I might interpret computer engineering, I likewise completed various web-based courses. To satiate my developing longing to dive into the different parts of computer science, I have taken courses in big data, Python, coding, technology, computer science, and AI.

I have considered scholastic assignments to be opportunities to fortify my comprehension since I learn best through training. I finished a project in my senior year that was beneficial to the people around me. The staff expressed dissatisfaction over the loss of several crucial files. The absence of filing maintenance consumed a lot of staff time. The absence of a filing system really worried my mother, who was employed there in the front office. I started to pay attention to it over time. As a result, I created a software that can save documents in a file system and quickly retrieve them if necessary. The project gave me belief in my capacities and was appreciated by the college and faculties.

Towards the end of my graduation, I was employed by (organization name) through campus selection and recruitment. I was recruited by the organization to fill in as a junior system operator. In this role, I am mainly accountable for ensuring everything is up and working without a hitch. Other than that, I also need to ensure that the reinforcement frameworks are set up and protect the security system’s functionality.

Along with gaining a reputation for being a productive understudy in college, I have taken part in various extracurricular activities. I was the captain of the college cricket team and got the chance to participate in various tournaments. I took part effectively in the tech club in college, which assisted me with fostering my technical expertise. The club frequently held technical exhibitions in the community and at the college, which prompted individuals with similar interests to showcase their creations. Likewise, it improved my time management, collaboration, organizational, and communication capacities.

Since I graduated, I have considered earning a master’s degree. But I realized that it would be best for me to get some work experience before that. I want to continue on now that I have completed it. Being educated about a discipline regarding technology is important to my role as a system operator. This supports my decision to choose a course with various disciplines. According to my studies, the most demanding and useful course is a master’s in Information Technology. Besides that, it also pays attention to various communication systems that can help me upgrade my portfolio and skills.

I have come to understand during my graduate studies that the Indian educational institutions prioritize giving students a theoretical foundation while falling short of offering sufficient practical experience. The understudies’ innate potential has been restricted this way. This viewpoint convinced me to choose a foreign country where the training emphasizes pragmatic learning. At the point when I initially began taking a gander at the upsides of countries like the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, Australia stood apart from the others due to its high scholarly standards and nature of education. Work-coordinated education is a teaching methodology used by a few Australian colleges to help understudies apply what they are learning in class to real-life situations. All through the country, students follow a uniform course structure that is modified frequently.

One of the Australian institutions with the most state-of-the-art innovations is XYZ University. They give amazing instruction through advanced infrastructure, facilities, guides, and teachers who are qualified. Due to the university’s close ties to other leading IT companies, students can take advantage of the best internship opportunities and practical training. I found the programme presented by XYZ on their website and was glad to find that it definitely fit my demands. The programme comprises [names of the subjects], which I am most interested in. The focus your university puts on instructing and molding understudies for the practical sides of the business is truly encouraging. These elements drove me to pick your university to further my studies. 

I plan to get back to India after effectively finishing this programme. I will be able to access new opportunities due to my professional expertise and this internationally recognized credential. As a top systems operations manager, I want to work for associations like Infosys, Wipro, or TCS. My professional desires will be furthered by my acknowledgement of your highly regarded university. Hence, I’m looking forward to your decision.

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How to Write a Personal Statement for Master of Public Health or MPH?

Everyone wants to write an impeccable personal statement for MPH. But it remains a fact that no one knows how to write a personal statement for MPH. As statements are something that students don’t write regularly, it is understandable.However, with the right research, hard-work, and commitment, any student can come up with an exceptional personal statement for MPH.The first thing that a student must keep in mind while writing a personal statement is that the focus must be on the reasons for studying MPH. The statement must start well, and it must contain all the important details that the university wants.

If you can do that, you are good. You can also take help from these tips:

• Understand what the university wants to know from the statement
• Research adequately to gather info about the field, course and college
• Make a statement writing strategy to help you streamline the process
• Choose a format early that conforms to the university specifications
• Start the writing process well in advance for ample time for revision
• Ensure that you seek third-party help to make the statement better

One of the major challenges that students must overcome while writing the statement is the fear of writing. If you are confident, you can go about writing the MPH personal statement even better than the PDF samples you have with you.

Why Choose Us for Your MPH Personal Statement?

There are many personal statement writing companies that can help students with MPH personal statements. But we are widely preferred. What makes us one of the best in the field is the client-centric approach that we adopt. With every project that we work on, we place the focus on the student.

This helps us come up with unique and singular personal statements for MPH that can bolster the admission chances of the students pretty well. Although statements cannot win you admission alone, it is an important factor in the decision-making process.

In addition to our approach and personal statement writing strategy, we also rely on a range of service quality traits to make our service deliverance even better:

Team of Skilled Writers

Our team consists of skilled and experienced writers. They have been working in the field of creating personal statements for years. Hence, they know what the students want and the university needs from a statement. As a result, you will have the best MPH personal statements in PDF delivered to you as you would love.

Multiple Quality Systems

We know that quality is one of the most important aspects of any personal statement. Keeping this in mind, we have integrated various quality systems and assessment tools in our writing process. This enables us to evaluate the statement as it is written before it undergoes the final quality assessment.

Diverse Samples and Formats

Thanks to our decade-long experience in the field, we are endowed with a slew of personal statement samples and formats in PDF with us for MPH. Our students can request to evaluate them. The same would give them plenty of options to see how we create each statement and evaluate the quality of the same first-hand.

Professional Customer Care

We want to create the most comprehensive experience for our students when they come to us to write personal statements for MPH. Hence, along with delivering with the best personal statement writing services, we also deliver them with top-notch customer experience. We achieve that through the customer care team.

Timely Service Deliverance

No matter how stringent the quality requirements of the clients are, we are extremely adamant about the timeliness of our service deliverance. We have systems in place to ensure that we deliver the personal statements for MPH within the deadline. This ensures that the students always have the statement well in advance.

Flexible Service Offerings

We have been in the field for a decade now, and we know that no two students come to us with the same requirements. Hence, we have made diverse plans to write MPH personal statements. This helps us always meet the expectations of the clients no matter what they are.

When we work with our students, we work hard to deliver them the best MPH personal statement. No matter what their preferences are, we can deliver them the best personal statement for MPH with the help of these service qualities.

Hire Our MPH Personal Statement Writing Help

We understand that every student has a lot of dreams while looking to secure admission for the master of public health from a renowned university. And when they associate us, we work extremely hard to help them get admission to their favorite university and chase their dreams with an exceptional MPH personal statement.

Over the years, we have helped many students get admission to MPH from their favorite university around the world.

And with us, you can create a statement that is:

• Exceptionally creative
• Singularly focused
• Exceedingly assertive
• Originally developed
• Checked with paid tools

This will ensure that you have an impeccable personal statement for MPH in your hand. This will certainly help you soar over the statements submitted by other students around the world. Hence, there is no doubt that our personal statement for MPH will considerably improve your chances of winning admission.

We will also deliver the personal statement for MPH in format that you prefer in both PDF and Doc formats to directly submit the same to the university.

Contact our client support desk to gather more details.

What is a Personal Statement for Master of Public Health (MPH) and why is it crucial for my application?

A Personal Statement for MPH is a written essay that showcases your academic achievements, relevant experiences, and career aspirations within the field of public health. It is a vital component of your application, as it allows the admissions committee to understand your motivations, passion, and suitability for the program.

What should be the ideal length and structure of an MPH Personal Statement?

An ideal MPH Personal Statement is typically 500 to 750 words long and follows a clear structure, including an engaging introduction, a coherent body that highlights relevant experiences and skills, and a compelling conclusion that reinforces your commitment to public health.

Can you provide examples of successful MPH Personal Statements to understand the quality of your service?

Certainly, we can offer sample MPH Personal Statements that have helped previous clients gain admission to their desired MPH programs. These examples will demonstrate the caliber of our writing and how we tailor each statement to the individual applicant.

Are your writers experienced in crafting Personal Statements specifically for MPH programs?

es, our team of professional writers has extensive experience in crafting personalized and effective Personal Statements for MPH programs. They are well-versed in the specific requirements and expectations of admissions committees in this field.

Can I mention specific public health concentrations or research interests in my Personal Statement?

Absolutely! Mentioning specific public health concentrations or research interests in your Personal Statement shows your dedication to the field and your enthusiasm for a particular area of study.

Are your services confidential, and will my Personal Statement be unique and plagiarism-free?

Yes, confidentiality is paramount to us. We guarantee that your Personal Statement will be 100% unique, tailored to your experiences, and free from any plagiarism.

Vasuki Ram, senior writer and the founder of SOP Consultants is a B-tech Graduate who used to work in an MNC. Starting from 2013, she along with her team has assisted more than 10,000 students. Shift in her career was drastic. Read full story here.

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The admission essay ("the statement of objectives") is a vital piece of information. It provides the Admissions Committee with information not available elsewhere in the application. Here are three critical questions that the written statement answers:

1. is this candidate capable of effective written communication; 2. does the candidate convey a sense of thoughtfulness and maturity about the chosen area of study; and 3. what is the applicant's anticipated career plan? This third piece of information is, in most cases, the most important for two reasons.

• First, it allows the Committee to determine whether a good fit exists between what the applicant plans to do, and what the department is capable of providing.
• Second, it indicates to the Committee that the applicant has the necessary intellectual and personal maturity to pursue graduate study.

1. Read the instructions for the written statement carefully and follow them.

Do not exceed the 2-page limit: do not shrink the font size to fit the 2-page limit. Eleven or twelve point font and two pages is sufficient for meeting the requirements of the essay.

2. Specify the degree program and track of research interest from the offerings of the department.

We offer the PhD doctoral degree, the MHS and ScM masters’ degrees, certificates and non-degree post-doctoral fellowship training. Please select from the following Research Tracks: Epidemiology of Aging, Cancer Epidemiology, Cardiovascular and Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis, Environmental Epidemiology, General Epidemiology and Methods, Genetic Epidemiology, and Infectious Disease Epidemiology. The Certificates in Clinical Trials, Healthcare Epidemiology, Pharmacoepidemiology, and Epidemiology for Public Health Professionals are also accepting applications.

3. Avoid extraneous personal or biographical information that does not inform the committee about future career plans.

A high percentage of applicants begin their essay with a personal anecdote about a personal health event, a trip abroad, or an account of illness in the family. While this does allow the committee some idea of the applicant's motivation, it should not be the whole essay. Please keep the anecdote to 1/3 or less of the full essay. One paragraph is usually sufficient to communicate one's motivation.

4. Emphasize what you will do, not what you have done.

Most of the relevant information about what an applicant has accomplished is easily and rapidly accessible to the committee through a review of the CV and other application materials. Many applicants use 90% of the space in the statement to restate and embellish those items. Additionally, in the final paragraph, most applicants will give passing attention to the main objective of the statement (to articulate a clear and concise plan for progressing toward a career in a given field). As a general guideline, more than half of the essay should be spent explaining what the applicant intends to do during and after graduate study.

5. Provide evidence that you as an applicant are well matched to the interests of the department.

Some applicants engage in “name dropping” subsequent to a review of catalogues and web sites. However, faculty members do change schools or areas of research. A well-written statement explains how particular faculty, research programs, or course work is particularly well-suited to meeting the training objectives of the applicant. Additionally, if the only faculty member doing the research discussed leaves the program, the Department cannot in good conscience grant admission to the program.

6. Be as concrete and specific as possible about your interests and proposed course of study.

An applicant's failure to articulate a clear and detailed training plan leaves the Committee with the impression that the applicant has not thought through the nature and meaning of graduate training, and may not be ready for admission. These are the questions to address: (in Epidemiology for instance) How will the applicant help rid the world of disease? To what end will skills and knowledge be directed? What specific aspect of a broad domain of work holds the applicant’s interest? And finally, the statement of objectives is not a binding document. Students, once they matriculate, often shift and refine their focus of study. No one is obligated to remain faithful to the plan they articulate. However, the statement of objectives is designed to provide the department a strong understanding of the applicant's motivation and commitment to the field and a clear indication of the applicant's writing ability.

Admissions Deadlines: Doctoral (PhD): December 1 Masters (MHS & ScM): January 15 Certificates: September 1 Non-degree post-doctoral fellowship: minimum of 90 days prior to the start of training

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Admission Requirements

• Prior Degree  Bachelor's degree in any field.
• Grade Point Average   Admitted students typically have at least a combined undergraduate/graduate grade point average of 3.00/4.00. However, all applicants are given a holistic evaluation of their application. Applicants with less than a 3.00 are encouraged to apply if they believe that their application is strong in other areas.
• Tests  GRE is optional, highly recommended.
• Letters of Recommendation  Three required, uploaded via the SOPHAS application.
• Resume or CV  Required, uploaded via the SOPHAS application.
• Personal Statement  Applicants will upload a 500-800 word statement focused on their interests/experiences in public health and the program they are applying to specifically, goals with the degree, and why they would be successful in the program. For students applying to research focused programs, the personal statement should also address potential research interests.
• TOEFL  80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Test); 60, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Writing 21 (revised Paper-Delivered Test),  OR,
• IELTS  6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores,  OR ,
• PTE-Academic  54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.

Degree Requirements

Minimum Semester Hours Required 

• MPH, Concentration in Biostatistics: 46
• MPH, Concentration in Epidemiology: Comprehensive Program, 53; Professional Enhancement Program, 42

Course Work  Students in the MPH program at UIC School of Public Health are required to complete 18-20 hours of school-wide core curriculum, two non-credit trainings, and concentration-specific requirements.

School-Wide Core Requirements

Non-credit training requirements, concentration requirements.

In addition to School-Wide Core requirements and Non-Credit Training requirements, students complete the the following divisional core and concentration requirements for their chosen concentration.  

MPH with a Concentration in Biostatistics

Other requirements.

• Students in Biostatistics are allowed only one grade of C in required courses. A student who receives two Cs in required courses will not be allowed to graduate from the program. A student may retake a course one time and attempt to replace the C with a higher grade.
• Students who plan to conduct research involving human subjects must undergo training and obtain approval of their protocol by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) before beginning the research.

MPH with a Concentration in Epidemiology

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Postgraduate public health personal statement example 2.

At an early age, I realised that I had more questions than answers about life and living things. A growing interest in understanding the origin, growth, structure, and function of living creatures led me to major in biology with no certain career plan in mind.

Immediately after completing the Lebanese Red Cross first aid training session in 2007, I became part of Jounieh's volunteer Red Cross Emergency Medical Services. My being on duty more than seventy-two hours each month has been extremely enriching yet challenging, for the center is the second busiest in Lebanon.

As my team and I had to deal with over three-hundred emergency calls per month, I learned to cultivate time management skills especially that time was no longer abundant. Nonetheless, our activities were not only restricted to rescue missions; rather, they encompassed conducting first-aid posts and educational conferences to raise awareness about basic emergency procedures and healthy practices.

While transporting patients in the ambulance, I came to understand that their bad condition is the result of their rudimentary understanding of basic health care and restricted access to the best medical facilities in the Middle East.

Until very recently, I still had no career objective in mind. However, after attending the meeting held by the Faculty of Health Sciences at AUB, I recognized that I could combine my broad academic background in biology and the skills I gained from my practical experience as a first aid volunteer to engage in a vocation as a public health practitioner.

I want to pursue the Master of Public Health Program with a concentration in Health Behavior and Education in order to research and implement intervention policies aimed at providing the population with direct access to health care services. Also, I inspire to infuse health care concepts in young men and women by integrating health awareness in educational programs and conducting campaigns that would elevate a sense of responsibility for a better well-being.

Furthermore, as a current volunteer at the Lebanese Red Cross, I am looking forward to gaining more responsibilities that would enable me to improve the efficiency of services that the Red Cross provides. I believe that my studies in public health at AUB will enlighten my perception of current health issues and more, provide me with the skills necessary to avert preventable health concerns.

I am more than sure that the friendly and supportive atmosphere at the AUB School of Public Health, a school long renown for its commitment to excellence in all that it does, will enable me to exhaust and develop my capacities to the full, thus allowing me to become a successful well-rounded person, able of playing an active role in my community.

Indeed, the MPH program will be demanding, but I am willing to give it my very best, for I have the solid dedication, maturity, and desire to become a public health practitioner.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by amsan for application in 2009.

amsan's Comments

I am publishing this personal statement to provide help and some inspiration to all who are in the process of writing a personal statement. It is indeed one hell of a job and I hope this could make it easier. And please, be creative, don't plagiarize.

This personal statement is unrated

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Thank you for sharing your.

Fri, 13/12/2013 - 21:06

Thank you for sharing your personal statement and your story for all to see! I truly appreciate it. I am currently navigating through the graduate process and could use all the help I can get

Thank you so much

Wed, 14/03/2018 - 18:00

Thanks very much

Sun, 15/07/2018 - 17:35

This has really been of help to me

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• Healthcare and Nursing

Public Health Epidemiology Personal Statement

Public Health Epidemiology Personal Statement example

We can write it for you. On time. 100% original.

As a curious and inquisitive person, I have always aspired to knowledge and education. The desire to know more has always motivated me to study. My personal growth, development, and progress depend on my ability to learn and help people. I am a very skilled person with an interest in various studies, though my major priority is health. Being a perfectionist, I am a very demanding person. The most important is, that I am demanding to myself, I am constantly looking for causes and answers. It really helps me to get experience and, more important, it helps me to find the solutions. That is the main reason why I chose nutrition at the first place. I am currently in a process of getting a masters degree in nutrition. Because nutrition is the most important and fundamental factor between health and disease. In today's society, people do not realize nutritional values that promote the importance of being healthy in human being's lives. They tend to neglect the importance of choosing the right food and they always skip meals. A proper nutrition is a successful way to the healthier lifestyles. I see it as my mission to combine knowledge and experience, in order to navigate people to their healthier well-being. Sometimes, people neglect the idea of the dependence of nutrition and health condition on one another. I see it as my duty to assist people in finding their way to what is better or the best for them. In general, I am very responsible with what I consume and I also think people should be more attentive and responsible about the nutrition issue too. That is why I realized that the best way for me to make it work is to apply for master in public health.

Examples provided by Homework Lab are intended for the motivation and research purposes only. Do not submit any paper as your own piece of work. Every essay example belongs to students, who hold the copyright for the written content. Please, mind that the samples have been submitted to the Turnitin before and may show plagiarism in case of the repeated submission. Homework Lab does not bear any responsibility for the unauthorized submission of the examples.

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• Volume 9, Issue 4
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• http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3256-0099 Freya L Jephcott
• Centre for the Study of Existential Risk , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , UK
• Correspondence to Dr Freya L Jephcott; flj22{at}cam.ac.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2024-015692

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• Epidemiology
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Between December 2010 and January 2011, 16 children presented to a mission hospital, in what at the time was, the Brong Ahafo Region (BAR) of Ghana, with unusual forms of seizure and paralysis. Initial testing suggested that the cause was B virus, a zoonotic monkey-borne virus not previously seen in Africa. These unexpected and concerning results spurred national public health authorities to deploy a field epidemiology team from the capital. Although short-lived, the findings from their investigation implicated a local monkey population occupying a forest belt which stretched along all of the affected communities. Newly collected samples were sent to a foreign reference laboratory for confirmatory testing, but no results were reported back. In the interim, several transnational research coalitions were formed to investigate the outbreak further. One did manage to obtain some confirmatory testing and the results suggested that B virus was not the cause of the outbreak. This prompted the remaining research coalitions to consider other potential causative agents and animal hosts. Over time it became clear, however, that the reports of a monkey-filled forest were also incorrect and that the clinical picture had not supported an infectious aetiology as definitely as first thought. 1

Despite the mounting evidence suggesting it was not a zoonotic outbreak, more likely explanations for the outbreak, specifically that it had a toxic aetiology, went unexplored. After 2 years, all of the investigations into the outbreak had petered out. No meaningful public health interventions had taken place nor a compelling explanation for the event developed. However, if you read the draft and published manuscripts describing the outbreak authored by the investigators during that time, you would be left with the opposite impression.

A more exact account of the investigations into the BAR outbreaks is presented in a recent article exploring the processes of hypothesis building that took place. 2 As both an author on the paper and a piece of its subject matter, as I was one of the epidemiological responders to the outbreak, I have worried that a key insight from the saga might have been lost in the academic minutia of its publication. The paper had a number of obvious take-home messages for current and aspiring field epidemiologists, including:

Do not treat laboratory findings as definitive or infallible.

Obtain expertise in managing toxicological events.

Do not displace local public health professionals as the leaders of outbreak investigations.

Avoid short (<3 month) ‘field visits’.

Accurately document investigative activities and their impacts.

All of these points have been made many times before. 3 Underpinning them though, and echoing throughout the BAR investigations, is a more fundamental, typically unspoken flaw in contemporary field epidemiology, namely, that it imagines itself the work of elite outsiders.

The ‘field’ in the job title speaks to a profession that sees its work as taking place elsewhere, specifically somewhere rural or remote. The imagery and stories it cultivates are of brilliant so-called ‘disease detectives’ who step into disaster-afflicted communities and rapidly restore them to health and tranquillity by uncovering some pathogenic or toxicological culprit. 4 However, despite its endurance and pervasiveness, this story is neither an accurate rendering of the work of field epidemiology nor a plausible model for disease control.

Outsiders are a terrible choice for doing this work. They show up too late—an average of 2.7 months in recent WHO review of transnational outbreak investigations 3 —and leave too soon. The 2-week international deployment model favoured by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Epidemic Intelligence Service, the WHO and most other field epidemiology organisations is incompatible with conducting proper descriptive epidemiology, let alone overseeing an effective intervention. Further, as the BAR outbreak paper shows, such incursions by outsiders can directly, and negatively, impact on the processes of evidence gathering and hypothesis building undertaken during investigations.

What we currently call field epidemiology would make far more sense reimagined as a situated practice. That is, as work performed by local public health professionals with longstanding ties to the affected communities and a stake in their long-term health. No public health emergency is a discrete event; all are grounded in ongoing, intersecting social, political and environmental trajectories, and ensuring protection against common and novel threats alike is a single never-ending project. This then begs the questions: where did this apparently infective model of field epidemiology come from and what has sustained it?

One, admittedly speculative, answer to the origins of the expert outsider trope and the superficial investigative practices it engenders is that it is a modern amalgamation of 19th-century epidemiological field studies, whose investigations were directed at uncovering fundamental insights about infectious disease dynamics rather than realising immediate interventions, the imagery of colonial tropical medicine and the legacy of domestic fundraising efforts on the part of the CDC in the 1950s, which borrowed heavily from Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. 5 6 What is sustaining this ineffective model is a little more certain.

The endurance of this incongruous model of disease control appears to be due, in part, to the work being misconstrued as something only a brilliant few are capable of. This in turn necessitates the importation of such talent and expertise. However, the development of an instructive epidemiological explanation for outbreaks and other public health emergencies is relatively straightforward, intuitive work. Further, fully qualified field epidemiologists frequently require supplementary specialist support when it comes to the various technical components of investigations (clinical assessments, laboratory testing, environmental assessments, etc). Outbreak investigations have never actually been the work of an individual or small group. 7 As the BAR outbreak paper, and numerous ethnographic accounts of outbreaks before it, show, evidence gathering and interpretation is the work of large diffuse networks of ‘sensemakers’, with those with the strongest ties in the community often contributing the most. 2 8–10

This characteristic of investigations has been routinely obfuscated by both it being the elite outsiders who typically get to write the authoritative accounts of these investigations and by epidemiological publishing practices that see the role of local generic public health infrastructure, and the professionals who comprise it, often downplayed or omitted entirely. This is not to imply that field epidemiologists are consciously or consistently performing substandard work, co-opting the products of others’ labours, and then meticulously erasing the evidence of both. These are just the inherited norms of the profession. Field epidemiologists appear to be, on the whole, an unusually reflective and well-intentioned group. The European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET) alumni gatherings often erupt into impassioned Socratic debates over how political or apolitical the profession ought to be or if the measure of good epidemiological work is found in its technical sophistication or the interventions it breeds. In part, this is likely due to the type of people drawn to a career in public health but also because of the amount of active field building that is currently going on as the profession is formalised and its features defined. 11

That said, a reluctance, conscious or subconscious, to give up the perks of such arrangements by those in senior positions and the heir apparents, may also be sustaining these flawed perceptions and practices. 12 It is not unheard of for senior field epidemiologists to briefly appear in the midst of an ongoing crisis, ostensibly there to transport samples to a far-off reference laboratory, gather up the already collated data and then present the investigative work as their own in high-level meetings and conferences. Similarly, reference laboratories gazumping local responders when it comes to publishing accounts of outbreaks in peer-reviewed journals has been a recurring point of tension following responses. 13 Both scenarios involve high-level public health actors leveraging unequal access to specialist resources on the ground. Their actions are further enabled by peer-reviewed journals’ frequent demands for highly sophisticated laboratory testing prior to publishing an account of an outbreak investigation, a threshold few public health professionals working at community interface could reach.

Early on in the BAR outbreak response, a district disease control officer had raised concerns about introducing elite foreign and national outsiders into the investigation, warning: ‘They will come in, sit down and they will take this one, and this, and then they will come out with a nice story of a nice thing’. In an email to his fellow local outbreak responders, he explained that the outsiders will ‘want to publish because it is an emerging disease, however, there is the need for deeper investigation’ and that instead, they themselves should ‘work as hard as possible to answer all the possible questions, irrespective of the years or months that it will take’. Regardless of the image of transnational outbreak responders might have cultivated among themselves and the upper echelons of the larger epistemic community, to have such a reputation on the ground with those who witness work directly, is a damning indictment of these practices and their effectiveness.

Some of the work redressing these epistemic injustices and practical shortcomings is already being undertaken. For instance, EPIET has quietly switched ‘field’ to ‘intervention’ across their website; though they have maintained the website’s ‘postcards from the field’ section, which highlights the short visits of their mostly white European fellows to African outbreak responses. Similarly, the cover of Mark Pendergrast’s book Inside the Outbreaks: The Elite Medical Detectives of the Epidemic Intelligence Service, which previously featured a white epidemiologist holding a test tube aloft in the style of cartoon superhero while his colleague urgently tends to unconscious black bodies lying beside him, is now just backlit petri dish. 14 And, more substantively, training in field epidemiology, including outbreak investigation and response, is being increasingly offered to professionals working in health system’s bottom tiers, those most proximal to communities. These discussions and reforms, however, have been piecemeal and there is an apparent reluctance to call out and surrender the heroic imagery of the intrepid shoe-leather epidemiologist altogether. More needs to be done to address this central self-mythology and collectively imagine something better.

For my part, effective reform starts with our publishing practices. This includes both the types of stories we are producing and the systems we have in place to bring accountability and rigour to them. This will require not only abandoning the heroic cliches of expert outsiders but also making structural changes that enable and privilege local accounts. This in turn will require greater allowances for messy, inconclusive accounts of outbreaks that accurately reflect the situation on the ground and do not always stretch to sophisticated laboratory testing. There is a further urgent need to bring direct checks on the assertions and intimations of effectiveness that often appear in accounts of such epidemiological work. For example, journals should require updates on the impact of these kinds of investigative activities on the affected communities at 3 months and 1 year, so that we might better assess and address the mid- and long-term effectiveness of our practices. To fail or tarry on any of these fronts will see the image of this crucial and rapidly maturing profession irrevocably harmed, as our exploits increasingly read less like episodes of Sherlock Holmes and more like the skirmishes of Don Quixote.

Data availability statement

There are no data in this work.

Ethics statements

Patient consent for publication, ethics approval.

Not applicable.

• Jephcott FL
• Jephcott FL ,
• Cunningham AA , et al
• Perrocheau A ,
• Jephcott F ,
• Asgari-Jirhanden N , et al
• Steere-Williams J
• Contractor SQ ,
• Briggs CL ,
• Mantini-Briggs C
• Lindenbaum S
• Skotnes-Brown J
• Tostmann A , et al

X @freyjephcott

Contributors All original work presented here is solely the work of FLJ.

Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

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Acute Cardiac Events in Hospitalized Older Adults With Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

• 1 Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
• 2 Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
• 3 US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Rockville, Maryland
• 4 California Emerging Infections Program, Oakland
• 5 Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver
• 6 Connecticut Emerging Infections Program, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven
• 7 Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
• 8 Georgia Emerging Infections Program, Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta
• 9 Research, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
• 10 Emerging Infections Program, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore
• 11 Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Lansing
• 12 Health Protection Bureau, Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul
• 13 New Mexico Emerging Infections Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
• 14 Division of Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany
• 15 School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
• 16 Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority, Portland
• 17 Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
• 18 Epidemiology Bureau, Salt Lake County Health Department, Salt Lake City, Utah
• 19 Division of Global Health Protection, Global Health Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
• Editor's Note RSV Vaccination—The Juice Is Worth the Squeeze Tracy Y. Wang, MD, MHS, MSc JAMA Internal Medicine

Question   What are the frequency and severity of acute cardiac events among hospitalized adults aged 50 years or older with laboratory-confirmed respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection?

Findings   In this cross-sectional study of 6248 hospitalized adults with RSV infection, 22% of patients experienced an acute cardiac event, most often acute heart failure (16%). Acute cardiac events occurred more often among those with (33%) vs without (9%) underlying cardiovascular disease and were associated with nearly twice the risk of severe outcomes.

Meaning   Findings of this study suggest acute cardiac events are common among hospitalized older adults with RSV infection and are associated with severe clinical outcomes.

Importance   Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection can cause severe respiratory illness in older adults. Less is known about the cardiac complications of RSV disease compared with those of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Objective   To describe the prevalence and severity of acute cardiac events during hospitalizations among adults aged 50 years or older with RSV infection.

Design, Setting, and Participants   This cross-sectional study analyzed surveillance data from the RSV Hospitalization Surveillance Network, which conducts detailed medical record abstraction among hospitalized patients with RSV infection detected through clinician-directed laboratory testing. Cases of RSV infection in adults aged 50 years or older within 12 states over 5 RSV seasons (annually from 2014-2015 through 2017-2018 and 2022-2023) were examined to estimate the weighted period prevalence and 95% CIs of acute cardiac events.

Exposures   Acute cardiac events, identified by International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification or International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification discharge codes, and discharge summary review.

Main Outcomes and Measures   Severe disease outcomes, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission, receipt of invasive mechanical ventilation, or in-hospital death. Adjusted risk ratios (ARR) were calculated to compare severe outcomes among patients with and without acute cardiac events.

Results   The study included 6248 hospitalized adults (median [IQR] age, 72.7 [63.0-82.3] years; 59.6% female; 56.4% with underlying cardiovascular disease) with laboratory-confirmed RSV infection. The weighted estimated prevalence of experiencing a cardiac event was 22.4% (95% CI, 21.0%-23.7%). The weighted estimated prevalence was 15.8% (95% CI, 14.6%-17.0%) for acute heart failure, 7.5% (95% CI, 6.8%-8.3%) for acute ischemic heart disease, 1.3% (95% CI, 1.0%-1.7%) for hypertensive crisis, 1.1% (95% CI, 0.8%-1.4%) for ventricular tachycardia, and 0.6% (95% CI, 0.4%-0.8%) for cardiogenic shock. Adults with underlying cardiovascular disease had a greater risk of experiencing an acute cardiac event relative to those who did not (33.0% vs 8.5%; ARR, 3.51; 95% CI, 2.85-4.32). Among all hospitalized adults with RSV infection, 18.6% required ICU admission and 4.9% died during hospitalization. Compared with patients without an acute cardiac event, those who experienced an acute cardiac event had a greater risk of ICU admission (25.8% vs 16.5%; ARR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.23-1.93) and in-hospital death (8.1% vs 4.0%; ARR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.36-2.31).

Conclusions and Relevance   In this cross-sectional study over 5 RSV seasons, nearly one-quarter of hospitalized adults aged 50 years or older with RSV infection experienced an acute cardiac event (most frequently acute heart failure), including 1 in 12 adults (8.5%) with no documented underlying cardiovascular disease. The risk of severe outcomes was nearly twice as high in patients with acute cardiac events compared with patients who did not experience an acute cardiac event. These findings clarify the baseline epidemiology of potential cardiac complications of RSV infection prior to RSV vaccine availability.

• Editor's Note RSV Vaccination—The Juice Is Worth the Squeeze JAMA Internal Medicine

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Woodruff RC , Melgar M , Pham H, et al. Acute Cardiac Events in Hospitalized Older Adults With Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection. JAMA Intern Med. Published online April 15, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.0212

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Athletic training graduate to work with professional, pre-professional athletes

April 15, 2024  | Erin Bluvas,  [email protected]

“USC has an incredible reputation for their sport science programs, and the athletic training program has diverse clinical opportunities with a final spring semester immersion allowing you to go anywhere in the world to complete,” says Kimberly Nardi , who graduates in May with an M.S. in Athletic Training from the Department of Exercise Science . “Some of the hundreds of sites offered include professional, collegiate, high school, orthopedic or specialty clinics, industrial etc. Other programs cannot match the widespread network that USC Athletic Training has created.”

Nardi experienced a diverse array of these clinical placements during her program – including USC Women’s Soccer and the Savannah Ghost Pirates’ professional ice hockey team. She also conducted research with Prisma Pediatric Concussion Clinic – circling back to the reason she entered into sports medicine in the first place.

Growing up in Maryland, Nardi experienced concussions as a high school athlete, leading her to study neuroscience at Christopher Newport University. As an undergrad, she discovered the athletic training profession, which ticked all of her boxes for a career in sports and health care and opened her eyes to how she could make an impact on patients.

During her master’s program, Nardi found mentors in exercise science/athletic training faculty Jim Mensch , Amy Fraley , Zachary Winkelmann and Ph.D. in Exercise Science student Courtney Meyer .

“I do not know if I can pick one and talk about just them because I would have too much to say; they all care about their students, and I never once felt like a number or that I was alone,” she says. “When I was struggling one semester, I reached out and they all immediately were by my side helping me stand back up. I have a lot of love and appreciation for the USC Athletic Training program. They are incredible mentors and professors who have pushed me to become the best version of myself.”

She also loved living and learning at a university located in South Carolina’s capital city.

“It was easy to get around campus and make friends along the way,” Nardi says. “I will miss game days and the feeling of the entire city shutting down to support the university.”

We rehabilitate our patients from various injuries/surgeries and build powerful connections with our patients while working hard to provide them with the best care possible.

After graduating in May, the Professional Athletic Training Student Above and Beyond Award winner will begin working with professional and collegiate athletes at a performance-based sports complex in Georgia. She feels well-prepared for this role, particularly from her immersion experience with the Ghost Pirates that she is completing this semester.  

It’s the perfect path for Nardi, but it’s also one that many people are not familiar with. She’s discovered that people often confuse athletic training with personal training or other professions and has learned first-hand about the uniqueness of this career.

“We are there before, during and after injuries; this means we are the first responder to a scene sometimes, and we evaluate the patient to determine the next steps,” Nardi says. “We rehabilitate our patients from various injuries/surgeries and build powerful connections with our patients while working hard to provide them with the best care possible.”

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Insights from the 2024 CUGH Annual Conference

The consortium of universities for global health annual conference 2024.

Dr. Sharon Chekijian, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Hani Mowafi, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, and Dr. Danielle Poole, Associate Research Scientist at the Yale School of Public Health, on the panel "Responding to Conflict to Impact Public Health", as part of the The Consortium of Universities for Global Health Annual Conference.

From March 7th – 10th, the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) hosted its annual conference in Los Angeles, CA. Focused on the theme of “Global Health Without Borders: Acting for Impact,” the event included topics ranging from sexual reproductive health and rights to climate change and the impacts on society and the surrounding environment. Several YIGH affiliated participated in the conference, presenting posters and participating in panels and satellite sessions throughout the weekend.

Dr. Tracy Rabin, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and Co-Director of the YIGH Global Health Ethics Program, along with colleagues from the CUGH Working Group on Equitable Opportunities in Clinical Education ran a satellite session entitled, “Overcoming Key Structural Barriers to Equitable Global Health Clinical Education Exchanges.” Dr. Harriet Mayanja-Kizza, Professor of Medicine at Makerere University and co-director with Dr. Rabin of the Makerere University-Yale University (MUYU) collaboration, discussed the advantages of bidirectional educational exchange in preparing future leaders in global health, highlighting examples of MUYU trainees as well as Ugandan trainees who have participated in other similar collaborations. Additional presenters enumerated barriers and potential avenues for solutions related to U.S. visa regulations, state medical licenses, and global health conference equity.

Dr. Sharon Chekijian, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Hani Mowafi, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, and Dr. Danielle Poole, Associate Research Scientist at the Yale School of Public Health, participated in a panel organized by Dr. Chekiiian exploring conflict and its impact on public health. Their presentations touched on conflict health theory, humanitarian response, and the challenges and importance of data collection. The panelists shared their personal insights including firsthand experiences triaging humanitarian action, coordination of resources, and the use of data for positive and negative purposes. Dr. Poole described the work of the YIGH Humanitarian Lab and showed how satellite imagery is used to document impacts on health infrastructure and violations of humanitarian law.

During the conference poster session, Claudia Kabanyana, Research Assistant at the Yale School of Medicine, and Bachar Ahmad (MPH ’24), presented projects in partnership with Dr. Melanie Sion , Assistant Professor of Surgery (General, Trauma & Surgical Critical Care at the Yale School of Medicine. Their projects, titled “Trauma Research In COSECSA Region: A Scoping Review of Change Implementation” and “Assessment of the Health Information System in a Tertiary Center in Malawi”, touched on the need for improvements for both publications and medical record data organization in Africa .

Dr. Rabin moderated oral abstracts on “Decolonizing – Reforming Global Health, Equity, Justice, Education, and Research”. Throughout the panel, current university students, faculty, and staff presented on projects and research including professional development courses, portable health libraries, fellowship programs on mental health, and the implementation of bidirectional fellowships. The presentations encompassed themes of international collaboration, capacity building, institutional impact, and knowledge exchange.

Dr. Evelyn Hsieh, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, participated in a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Roger Glass, former director of the Fogarty International Center, where representatives from U.S. and Chinese institutions discussed navigating partnerships between U.S. and Chinese academic institutions. The panel provided a venue to announce a new initiative, the China Medical Board Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in China , where U.S. postdoctoral scholars can travel to Chinese academic institutions for a 1-2 year research training experience mentored by faculty at Yale and China.

The CUGH conference served as a platform for scholars, practitioners, and students to engage in meaningful collaboration on global health and fostered interdisciplinary exchange on global health research and education. The conference will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, February 20-23, 2025.

Featured in this article

• Sharon Anoush Chekijian, MD, MPH Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine; Medical Director, Patient Experience, Emergency Medicine; Medical Director, Yale New Haven Hospital PA/NP Post-graduate Training Program, Department of Emergency Medicine; Faculty Member, Division of Global Health and International Emergency Medicine; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Medical Director, PA/NP group; Chair, Patient Experience Forum
• Hani Mowafi, MD, MPH Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine; Chief, Section of Global Health and International Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine; Director, Yale-LSHTM Fellowship in Global Health and International Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
• Danielle Poole, ScD, MPH Associate Research Scientist; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
• Tracy Rabin, MD, SM Associate Professor of Medicine (General Medicine) and Clinical Professor of Nursing; Director, Office of Global Health, Internal Medicine; Associate Program Director for Global and Community Health, Yale Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program, Internal Medicine; Program Co-Director, Global Health Ethics Program, Yale Institute for Global Health; Founding Member/Core Faculty, Women's & Gender Health Education Program, Internal Medicine; Director, Global Health Capacity Building Fellowship, Internal Medicine; Director, Global Health & Equity Distinction Pathway, Internal Medicine; Affiliated Faculty, Program for Biomedical Ethics; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Center for Asylum Medicine, Internal Medicine; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Uganda Site Director, Yale/Stanford J&J Global Health Scholars Program
• Melanie Sion, MD, FACS Assistant Professor of Surgery (General, Trauma & Surgical Critical Care); Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

Nearly 30 Silversea cruise passengers get sick in gastrointestinal illness outbreak

More than two dozen Silversea Cruises passengers got sick in a gastrointestinal illness outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 28 of Silver Nova’s 633 guests reported being ill during a voyage that began on March 31, along with one of the vessel’s crew members. Their main symptom was diarrhea.

The health agency listed the causative agent as unknown.

Silversea notified guests and crew of the outbreak via announcements and encouraged them to report cases and practice “good hand hygiene,” the CDC said. The line also isolated those who were sick and implemented heightened cleaning and disinfection measures.

"The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority," Silversea told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. "To maintain an environment that supports the highest levels of health and safety onboard our ships, we implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which far exceed public health guidelines." The cruise began in Peru and is set to end in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Tuesday, according to CruiseMapper .

The news comes after about 100 Holland America Line passengers got sick in a norovirus outbreak earlier this year.

Cruise ship medical facilities: What happens if you get sick or injured (or bitten by a monkey)

The CDC logged 14 cruise ship outbreaks that met its threshold for public notification in 2023, more than any year between 2017 and 2019. Norovirus was listed as the causative agent in all but one.

The virus is often associated with cruises, but Ben Lopman, a professor of epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, told USA TODAY last year that cruises constitute a "tiny minority of norovirus outbreaks.” Most happen in health care settings like nursing homes.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].