Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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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Choosing a Public Health Grad Program and Lessons Learned
04/25/2025
Choosing a Public Health Grad Program and Lessons Learned
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Reflecting on the public health practicum experience
03/31/2025
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 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 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.
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Resetting Research in Public Health
03/14/2025
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 at . 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 at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Public Health Leadership-Discovering the importance of how to lead a community
02/14/2025
Public Health Leadership-Discovering the importance of how to lead a community
Finding community and support within public health is important as students embark on their work as leaders in the field. Trey Wineglass And Kofo Akanbi, second year students at the reflect on their experiences in the MHA program, the connections they’ve made, skill sets they’ve obtained, and the support they received along the way. During their program they’ve been student leaders and had the chance to hear from leaders within healthcare management. An critical lesson they found is the importance of community building, especially when it comes to public health. Trey and Kofo are co-chairs of the DEI Committee within The MHA Student Association. Trey is completing his administrative residency with University Health System in San Antonio, Texas. His healthcare interests include hospital operations and quality improvement with a focus on patient experience and patient safety. Kofo is completing her administrative residency with the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians (OJHP). Her interests include improving patient experience and leveraging technology to streamline administrative processes.
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Finding the Balance in a Public Health Program
01/31/2025
Finding the Balance in a Public Health Program
Ajayi Aanuoluwatimileyin (Timi) shares his insight on what his day-to-day life looks like as a student at the Bloomberg School. He shares some of his favorite classes and how he got involved with the work in contributing to global health initiatives through the , focusing on youth engagement for the 2025 International Conference on Family Planning. Timi is a physician from Nigeria and a (MPH) student at the (BSPH). He serves as Co-President of the MPH cohort and Vice President of Elections for the BSPH Student Assembly. Timi is also a Bloomberg Student Ambassador. With a passion for advancing healthcare equity, Timi combines his medical background with public health expertise to address systemic health disparities and improve access to care in underserved communities.
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Making the most of your public health program
01/03/2025
Making the most of your public health program
On today’s episode we will hear from Yuhan Xiao, a second year master's student in at the shares her perspective of how to make the most of your public health program. She shares how she prioritizes her work, engage with fellow students, and balances her research interests. Her research interests focus on leveraging real-world evidence, such as electronic health records and claims data, to address challenges in the pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. Yuhan also serves as a Bloomberg Ambassador, Co-VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Student Assembly, and the ScM Representative for the Department of Biostatistics. Outside of academics, she enjoys watching movies, spending time in nature, and hanging out with friends.
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Developing Your Career in Public Health & Your Public Health Network
11/08/2024
Developing Your Career in Public Health & Your Public Health Network
Nick Lim, Associate Director of Recruitment and Events chats with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Career Services Team to learn more about the services, exciting new events they're planning and how they support graduate students at the Bloomberg School on their public health journey. Career Services prepares students for their next steps in public health through employer engagement opportunities, resume building, networking and beyond. Graduates of the Bloomberg School of Public Health enter careers in areas such as healthcare, research, policy, advocacy. . Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Career Services Team includes Paul Hutchinson, Director of Career Services; Caroline Heaney, Associate Director; Olivia McCants, Assistant Director; and Jeanette Jeffry, Student Success Advisor.
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Empower Your Public Health Journey-Steps towards Graduate School
10/18/2024
Empower Your Public Health Journey-Steps towards Graduate School
On today’s episode, we will hear from Dr. Banda Khalifa, a physician and public health expert, who has made significant contributions to the field of global health. He shares how he discovered his path in public health and offers advice on applying to graduate programs in public health. Dr. Banda, completed his MPH/MBA at Johns Hopkins and is dedicated to advancing the quality of healthcare available to people worldwide. His pursuit of excellence continues as he works toward a PhD in the at the He is a member of the recently established World Health organization's Emergency Preparedness and Response Technical Advisory Group for the Africa Region. Listen to more tips from Dr. Khalifa- Learn more about to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Faculty Journey- Creating solutions through public health
09/06/2024
Faculty Journey- Creating solutions through public health
On today’s episode we’ll hear from Dr. Terri Powell. She is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair for Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism and Equity in the Department of at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She leads the , a Baltimore-based research team helping to create a world where all youth are safe, healthy, hopeful, and connected. Partnerships with churches, schools, libraries, families, and community-based organizations are a cornerstone of her research. She shares what she's learned on her path, her research, and supporting students along their own path.
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Making the step from student to research associate
08/09/2024
Making the step from student to research associate
Often, as students are exploring degrees in public health they draw on their passions to help others and think where they can take this passion and training into their career. Youri Moleman, completed his MSPH degree in Health Systems within the in 2023 and as a student he helped develop a global Community Health Worker Guide with the International Vaccine Access Center. Before his masters, Youri was a researcher at Netherlands Health Services Research Institute (NIVEL), where he studied the population health outcomes associated with RSV, COVID-19, and livestock farms, using electronic health records. Nick Lim, the Associate Director of Recruitment and Events in Admissions Services at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health speaks with Youri Moleman. Youri is currently Research Associate in the Department of International Health at the School about his experience from student to working at the School of Public Health. As a research associate , he studies innovative strategies to train and support front-line health workers with a focus on limited-resourced settings.
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Journey of a First-Generation PhD Student
07/19/2024
Journey of a First-Generation PhD Student
Everyone's journey in public health is unique. It's important to understand how the academic program you're seeking will help you along your path. Tori Rockwell, a PhD candidate in the of the shares her journey as a first-generation student. She shares advice on finding a PhD program that's the right fit for you and the importance of community and support along the way. Before starting her PhD she worked as a senior research analyst. Seeking to grow her career, Tori took a calculated step into a PhD program. As a student at the Bloomberg School, Tori has connected deeply with the faculty as she focuses on work within maternal, fetal, and perinatal health. She works as a predoctoral research trainee within the Center on Early Life Origins of Disease at the School and a research affiliate at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In her free time, Tori enjoys time with her adorable dog and trivia nights with friends in Baltimore.
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Discovering the Charm of Baltimore & Creating Community
06/28/2024
Discovering the Charm of Baltimore & Creating Community
Moving to a new city for graduate school can be daunting, but can also offer new opportunites. Ugonna Okorie, a recent graduate of the shares what she found to love about Baltimore and creating community while balancing grad school life. As a student within the Ugonna centered her coursework to learn more about population health, health inequalities, and violence prevention and intervention. During her time at Hopkins she was a research assistant for the . Alongside her studies and work, Ugonna served as the Co-Chair for University Relations and Community Service for the Black Graduation Student Association, IDARE Admissions Ambassador, and was the Co-Chair for the Health Policy and Management (HPM) Student Coordinating Committee. In her free time, Ugonna enjoys exploring Baltimore and finding new spots to read in! Check out her to learn more about some of her favorite spots across "Charm City". Show Notes Check out Baltimore's free bus system- Learn more about the books mentioned - by Lawrence Brown by Ron Cassie Find out about great activities across Baltimore- (community engagement and service-learning center) for the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Schools of Public Health, Nursing, and Medicine.
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Recharge and Focus on Mental Health in Graduate School
06/07/2024
Recharge and Focus on Mental Health in Graduate School
Being intentional about your mental health is important, especially when in the middle of graduate school. Nichole Espineli, a student in the shares how she makes sure to take time for herself to unwind and recharge. She encourages others not to feel guility to take the time the need in order to balance the personal and academic demands. Nichole utilize resources at school such as connecting with her advisor, taking a break at the gym or enjoying the beautiful spaces in Baltimore. Nichole was drawn to the program at the Bloomberg School, because of the innovative work the School has done with the Baltimore community to help create a more sustainable, and equitable food system. When not studying or working Nichole can be found hanging out with friends, eating good food, and soaking up the sun. Show Notes: Learn more about the and other degree programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Discover the such as Mount Vernon.
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Finding Your Passion in Public Health
05/24/2024
Finding Your Passion in Public Health
Public Health work is often driven by passion and problem solving. Simon Patrick Obi, MPH'24 discusses what sparked his interest in public health, which included researching the impact of road safety. His passion for wanting to make his community safer led to establishing GreenLight Initiative—a road safety and health organization in Nigeria. He highlights opportunities he's had as a student and what he hopes to do next. Simon was a delegate and a guest panelist during the 2nd World Youth Assembly for Road Safety in 2020 and the first United Nations high-level meeting on improving Global Road Safety at UN headquarters in 2022. He currently sits as one of the Youth Leadership Members of the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety. Most recently, Simon completed his MPH degree at the . Show Notes Learn more about GreenLight Initiative Learn more about how to apply to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health-
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Putting Your Best Self Forward- How to Use Your Network to Advance Your Career
05/10/2024
Putting Your Best Self Forward- How to Use Your Network to Advance Your Career
Osadebamwen (Deba) Osaghae shares her advice for finding the right mentor and support in graduate school, especially during her time at the . Deba is a student concentrating in Epidemiologic & Biostatistical Methods for Public Health & Clinical Research at the Bloomberg School. Her research interests are in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. She is a general physician from Nigeria. When not studying, she creates content for her instagram page , where she shares personal reflections and provides resources for young professionals to thrive. Show Notes: Learn more about the work at the Learn about for students at the Bloomberg School for the Bloomberg School
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Relationship Building-Finding Mentors and Support
04/26/2024
Relationship Building-Finding Mentors and Support
Finding the right mentor in your graduate studies is an important part of any student journey. It can be a research project in itself. This can help develop and advance the work you want to pursue in public health including advancing research skill set and learning from their experience in the field. Ateeb Ahmad Parray, a 2nd year PhD student in the shares what's important to find the right mentor and support in graduate school, especially in his work at the
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In the Field-The Biggest Wins and Learning Opportunities in the Practice-Based Experience Programs
04/12/2024
In the Field-The Biggest Wins and Learning Opportunities in the Practice-Based Experience Programs
An essential component of graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health are the practices opportunities. Students get to experience first-hand how the work they're learning in the classroom is applied in real world settings. Experience vary from 100 hours to nearly a year, depending on the program. Lars Johnson shares his experience as a student, his residencency experience as Strategic Financial Resident, what he's enjoyed most, and tips to participating in practice based graduate program.
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Finding the Right Degree Program for You
04/12/2024
Finding the Right Degree Program for You
The field of public health continues to grow and graduate opportunities expand each year. The is dedicated to protecting health and saving lives—millions at a time. The Bloomberg School offers nine master’s programs, two doctoral programs, certificates and non-degree opportunities. Listen to advice from Joe Amueller, a 2023 graduate of the combined discusses how his experience shaped the work he's currently pursuing at Epicentre as an epidemiologist activity manager for Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in their mission to South Sudan. His focus is on infectious disease control and surveillance and is passionate about issues of climate change and human health. Show Notes:
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Finding Research Projects and Centers at the Bloomberg School of Public Health
04/12/2024
Finding Research Projects and Centers at the Bloomberg School of Public Health
Venturing into graduate school presents great opportunities. To add to your experience, it's important to consider what options are available through practice and research opportunities. The offers 80 research centers. Allison Dehaas McGinnis, a fourth-year PhD student in the shares her experience in finding research projects and centers to work with at the our School of Public Health. When not in lab, she enjoys being a where she gets to speak with prospective students and write blogs sharing her experience at Hopkins. Her mentors prior to and throughout her doctoral program have had such a positive impact on her career choices that she hopes to continue this effect with my future students. Allison works within Dr. Michael Matunis’ lab and focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of how the post-translational modification, sumo, effects mitochondrial dynamics via its interaction with a key mitochondrial protein called drp1. She started her doctoral program right after her undergraduate program, where she studied botanical research and scent chemistry. Show Notes:
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What Makes Baltimore a Great City to Study in and Call Home
04/12/2024
What Makes Baltimore a Great City to Study in and Call Home
On this episode we welcome our first guest, Taylor Binnix Baylus. Taylor graduated with an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2021. Currently, she is the Assistant Director of Graduate Education for the Department of Epidemiology. She shares how she embraces living in Baltimore, being an active member in her community and enjoying all that the great city of Baltimore has to offer while she was a student and currently as a faculty member. Taylor is public health researcher with a background in the social sciences. Her research focuses on suicide and mental health, specifically, the socioenvironmental predictors and impact of suicidal ideation, suicide death, and suicide clusters within adolescent communities. You can learn more about Taylor and her work at . Show Notes: Just for Fun: Baltimore Bike Party: Kinetic Sculpture Race: Baltimore Museum of Art: American Visionary Art Museum: Living in Baltimore: LiveBaltimore: CollegeTown: In and Around Patterson Park: Patterson Park Neighborhood Association: Friends of Patterson Park: Get Involved: JHU SOURCE: Thread:
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Pathways to Public Health Trailer
03/26/2024
Pathways to Public Health Trailer
Are you thinking about your next steps in graduate studies? Wanting to know about life as a public health graduate student, or how others made the leap into their public health career they were called to do? Listen in to Pathways to Public Health as you venture into your own pathway into public health. Tune into the Pathways to Public Health, a podcast from the to hear the stories and experiences of students, faculty and staff at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
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