Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Pathways to Public Health
  • 4.5 (2)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Prospective public health students are invited to explore the vibrant world of public health. "Pathways to Public Health" is dedicated to showcasing the graduate experience at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

  1. SEP 30

    Finding Hope in the Future of Public Health

    Public Health sometimes doesn't seem like the right path, but after discussions with those in the field, Megan Weil Latshaw, PhD '05, MHS '01 discovered her passion in public health. Now she find hope in the work she sees within her own students.  Dr. Latshaw is the Director of the Master’s Degree Programs in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She serves as the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health as co-Director for Education and on the Steering Committee Member for the Environmental Challenges focus area of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative. Recently, Dr. Latshaw co-lead JHU’s Sustainability Plan Steering Committee. Her work focuses on designing healthy communities, connecting environmental health research with the real world, and improving environmental health surveillance (all through a justice and equity lens).

    11 min

  2. AUG 29

    Understanding 'the why' of your public health journey

    The journey of public health research is often full of passion and self discovery.  Olajumoke Olarewaju, a 4th-year PhD candidate in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shares who, what, and how her public health journey was impacted and shaped along the way. She opens up about her honest approach to her graduate program and the emotional strength needed for the program.  Her research focuses on the intersection of pregnancy, substance use, and behavioral health. Her PhD dissertation explores how pregnancy experiences shape substance use patterns over the life course, using qualitative methods to center the voices and lived experiences of pregnant and parenting individuals.  Ola holds a Master of Arts in Demography and Population Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she also earned an Honors degree in the same field. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Ladoke Akintola University in Nigeria.  With over ten years of experience in public health interventions, Ola has worked extensively in research and program implementation across Nigeria, South Africa, and the U.S. She has worked with numerous NGOs, including FHI360 and the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), focusing on evidence generation to promote behavior change in areas such as reproductive health, maternal and child health, HIV, malaria, governance, food security, and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).  Ola identifies as a public health researcher and behavioral scientist, passionate about designing strategies that consider people’s lived experiences and life events to improve health outcomes in meaningful, contextually relevant ways.    To learn more about applying to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, please visit. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/offices-and-services/office-of-admissions-services/how-to-apply

    24 min

  3. JUL 25

    Supporting Students' Passion in Public Health

    An important part of the student journey is the support they received along the way. Michael Ward, Associate Dean for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shares how he became interested in supporting student life. He discusses what prospective students should consider when applying to public health program and what he enjoys most about the Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Dean Ward oversees Admissions, Financial Aid, Records and Registration, Career Services, Disability Support, and Student Life. His work has focused on leading educational experiences as well as enrollment management services for various student populations including: graduate students, international students, studio artists, educators in training, scientists, and many others. Dean Ward has served as a student affairs administrator for over thirty years. Within the community, Dean Ward currently serves on the Elijah Cummings Youth Board.  Dean Ward earned his bachelor’s degree in English Literature at the College of St. Francis in Illinois. His master’s degree is in higher education administration from Kent State University in Ohio and he is also a certified executive leadership coach.    To learn more about how to apply to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the resources for students, please visit the following- https://publichealth.jhu.edu/offices-and-services/office-of-admissions-services/how-to-apply https://publichealth.jhu.edu/offices-and-services/office-of-student-affairs/student-life Request information about programs to match your interests

    10 min

  4. JUN 27

    The Superpower of Experience: Starting a Graduate Program as an Older Student

    Deciding to go back to school later in life can be intimidating, but for those passitionate about the field of public health, graduate school may be the best decision. Soumya Menon, a rising 2nd year Master of Health Science (MHS)  in Health, Behavior, and Society student in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shares her experience of wantingto go back to school after years of experience and what she's learned along the way. As a communications professional and first-generation Indian American woman, Soumya's serendipitous research work in health communication fortified her interest in public health. Having previously worked with rural communities in India, she knows first-hand the challenges in accessing, processing, and translating information to adopt health protective behaviors.   Soumya is currently working as a Research Assistant in the REACT Lab led by Dr. Meghan Moran, Associate Professor in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society. Soumya’s research focuses on investigating advertising and marketing tactics of oral nicotine pouch brands on social media in the context of politics and pop culture.   Soumya's background in communication, personal experiences, and prior work inform her research interests in communication for health equity and designing and implementing communication interventions grounded in theory and situated in culture and community. Soumya’s overall goal is to work at the intersection of communication, health, and public policy, with her main research interest focused on identifying and addressing communication inequalities that contribute to health disparities.  Learn more about how to apply to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

    11 min

  5. MAY 16

    Shaping Public Health -bridging oral health and public health policy

    Oral health isn’t just about teeth - it’s a public health issue. Saana Kataria, a dentist-turned-public health advocate is on a mission to bridge the gap between oral health, policy, and data-driven research.  Trained as a dentist in India, Saana’s global experience in dentistry and healthcare across India and the U.S. exposed them to systemic barriers in oral health access. Working in California as a dental assistant and patient treatment coordinator and serving on the board of a Federally Qualified Health Centre (FQHC), Saana witnessed firsthand the challenges state-insured patients faced in receiving timely and adequate dental care.  Now pursuing an MPH at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, concentrating in Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Saana  is using research and advocacy to push for systemic change in oral health policy. They work as a research assistant at the Institute of a Global tobacco control at Johns Hopkins   At Hopkins, Saana isn’t just studying public health, they’re shaping it. As the Founder & President of the Johns Hopkins Oral Health Society, they are leading efforts to put oral health on the public health agenda. They’ve testified before the Maryland Legislature, hold leadership roles in the Student Assembly and APHA Student Assembly, and worked on the Global Oral Health Symposium at Hopkins in collaboration with Solidarity Dental and the Center for Global Health.

    18 min

  6. APR 25

    Choosing a Public Health Grad Program and Lessons Learned

    Deciding to dive into a master's program can be daunting. However, once students  navigate through the different program choices and opportunities at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health they are able to expand their public health interests and community. Justis Gordon is a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) student at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who’s passionate about addressing health inequities. Her background includes analyzing public health policies and exploring innovative models of care, with a focus on reducing disparities in chronic disease management and maternal health. She is especially interested in community-based approaches to improving health outcomes. As a student ambassador she is excited to share my and connect with prospective students who are eager to make an impact in public health!

    11 min

  7. MAR 31

    Reflecting on the public health practicum experience

    A practicum experience during graduate school can be tranformative as students are exploring skill sets within in public health. But some may not be aware what it entails including the lengeth skill sets or where they can do them.  Lisa Folda and and Abinethaa Paramasivam, both graduates of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health share the importance of practicum experience and the goals of a practicum while completing the public health training at the School. Lisa is the Practicum and Alumni Partnerships Manager for the Department of International Health  and Abinethaa Paramasivam is a United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Analyst, where she leads impactful midwifery and sexual reproductive health projects to improve health outcomes for girls and women in Rwanda.  During her time at Hopkins, Abinethaa worked with the World Health Organization, supporting research on human resources for health in low- and middle-income countries. Her field experience included conducting qualitative research in Mozambique on preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV and providing technical assistance in Ethiopia for the USAID-funded project on food security and resilience with Catholic Relief Services.  Lisa Folda, MHS '05, is the Practicum and Alumni Partnerships Manager for the Department of International Health. She works closely with faculty, alumni, and employers to establish practicum programs and mentorship experiences for the Department's MSPH students. She facilitates career development and placement strategies to help prepare our students to become successful public health practitioners. Ms. Folda has a background in both student advising and public health practice. She is dedicated to making meaningful connections that benefit both students in their learning and practicum sites in their important work.  Abinethaa holds an Honours Bachelor of Science from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master of Science in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.She previously worked with the Ontario Ministry of Health’s Midwifery Programme in Canada where she managed a three-year, CAD $600 million budget. In this role, she led initiatives to establish midwifery clinics in urban, rural, and remote Indigenous communities, expanding access to maternal health services in underserved areas.    During her time at Hopkins, Abinethaa worked with the World Health Organization, supporting research on human resources for health in low- and middle-income countries. Her field experience included conducting qualitative research in Mozambique on preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV and providing technical assistance in Ethiopia for the USAID-funded project on food security and resilience with Catholic Relief Services. And lastly, she worked with Jhpiego, contributing to the development of a policy toolkit to guide policymakers in developing context-specific solutions aimed at improving maternal and newborn health outcomes in low-resource settings. Outside of her professional work, Abinethaa enjoys traveling to new places, playing tennis, and spending time with her friends and her dog.    Explore the Master of Science in Public Health

    15 min

  8. MAR 14

    Resetting Research in Public Health

    Students pursuing public health often seek opportunities to enhance research skill sets to connect their work across the field.  Anil Sigdel is a monitoring, evaluation, and research professional with over a decade of experience in humanitarian and development settings across multiple countries. Currently pursuing a Master of Science in Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Anil discusses what drew him to the School, the skills he's adding to increase his work as a public health researcher, and what he's enjoyed most about his program.    Anil's career spans various leadership roles, including Research Manager at Save the Children International and Head of MEALS at World Vision International Nepal. Anil has led numerous studies, evaluations, and research projects, contributing to evidence-based programming and policy development. He has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and presented at international conferences. His expertise lies in public health research, epidemiology, and program evaluation and disseminating research findings to inform humanitarian and development practices. Anil holds a Master in Public Health and a Master in Sociology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal.   Learn more about the degree programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

    13 min
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Prospective public health students are invited to explore the vibrant world of public health. "Pathways to Public Health" is dedicated to showcasing the graduate experience at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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