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

Drishti Mukherjee recently completed her Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) in Population, Family and Reproductive Health (Women's, Sexual and Reproductive Health) at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she researched postpartum depression and obstetric complications. Alongside that, she served as President of the Indian Students Association, worked as a Hopkins Ambassador, and even picked up a Teaching Assistant Recognition Award this year.  Drishti shares how she found the ideal public health program at the Bloomberg School after being inspired by the accomplishments of its alumni. She explored faculty expertise and course offerings that aligned with her academic and professional goals and reflects on how she was able to engage in research from the start of her program. Through her coursework, research experiences, and connections with fellow students, she developed valuable skills that have prepared her for the next stage of her career. For students considering graduate programs in public health, Drishti encourages them to understand their "why," build connections across the school and the field, and remain focused on their goals. To learn more about the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health click on the following links: How to Apply My Degree Program Finder Virtual Sessions

Mehjabin Haque is a physician and a clinical psychologist from India and a recent graduate of the Master of Public Health (MPH) at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She's passionate about translating clinical evidence into high‑impact public‑health solutions and data‑driven pharmaceutical strategy. During the week leading up to graduation she reflected on her experience at the Bloomberg School of Public Health-what she enjoyed most, how she connected with the community, and how she connected her previous experience to expand on her public health skill sets. She looks to carry forward her sense of curisotiy, purpose, and responsibility to improve health.  In her free time, Mehjabin enjoys reading books, cooking, and running.    To learn more about how to apply to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health visit https://publichealth.jhu.edu/offices-and-services/office-of-admissions-services/how-to-apply Connect with us through upcoming Information Sessions and Events https://publichealth.jhu.edu/offices-and-services/office-of-admissions-services/information-sessions-and-events

Bailey Kirkpatrick shares how she balances her full-time work schedule while pursing the Online/part-time MPH program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She stays engaged with the School by participating in special lectures; listening to the School's podcast, Public Health On Call during her commute; and when possible attends on-campus events. She breaks down what her day-to-day schedule looks like, how she's making her program practicum work while working at her current organization, and applying skills from her program directly to her work projects.  She has over 10 years of work experience, and nearly seven of which have been at AstraZeneca where she was project manager for various programs across Respiratory & Immunology and Vaccines & Immune Therapies in various stages of late phase development and life cycle management. Previously she was a legal assistant supporting US veterans in their VA disability appeals where she saw the impact a medicine can make on one's quality of life.  Bailey originally joined AstraZeneca in 2019 within the Business Support Office team. She became a Project Coordinator in the Global Project and Portfolio Management team (GPPM), and during the pandemic supported both of our COVID-19 programs (EVUSHELD and VaxZevria). She joined the Vaccine & Immune Therapies Unit officially in 2022 as team lead. Now as a Director she now oversees the Late V&I BPO team as they support the V&I portfolio through strategy development, transformation projects, business process development, resource and capacity management, and team engagement among many other operational aspects. In addition, Bailey facilitates the Late Research & Development (R&D) Leadership team and partners with each of the functional heads and project leaders to ensure optimal efficiency and communication.  Her unique background and skill set provide a valuable perspective to the operational leadership of the Late V&I R&D team. She is committed to ensuring everyone has what they need to deliver on their commitments and to provide the best possible outcome for patients.  With a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, the combination of her previous and current work have inspired her to pursue a Masters of Public Health (MPH) at Johns Hopkins. She anticipates graduating in 2027.    Learn more about the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Conqualla Scott shares her experience of connecting with peers within the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Schol of Public Health as she pursues the MPH/MSW program. She opens up about the best ways she found connections to fellow classmates. Conqualla reflects on the support she found, networking opportunities, and how her cohort established shared interest groups to help further connect with one another. She also experienced first-hand the support through faculty and picking up the skills to be an active change agent.  Conqualla is Florida native, and is  a clinical social worker focusing on perinatal mental health. Her professional journey is defined by a unique intersection of education and medical health, allowing her to provide well-rounded, evidence-based support. She is committed to advancing health equity and mental health outcomes for birthing people and their families. As she completes the program, Conqualla is excited to apply these skills as she helps support her clients.

The journey into public health is often deeply personal. For Justis Gordon, even her name has shaped her path—fueling a passion for finding justice for all within the field of public health. She shares how her family's hopes, combined with her desire to address inequities, guided her academic journey and sparked her interest in understanding health disparities, particularly those affecting African American communities. Justis Gordon is a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, committed to addressing health inequities through research, policy, and community-centered work. During her undergraduate studies, she discovered the critical role of health policy in shaping health outcomes, inspiring her to pursue advanced training in this area. Before beginning her graduate program at the Bloomberg School, she worked in the Massachusetts Health and Human Services Office on cardiovascular disease initiatives. 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 particularly interested in community‑based approaches designed to improve health outcomes and advance equity. After graduation, Justis hopes to continue working in public health research and chronic disease prevention, contributing to solutions that create healthier and more just communities.

Jay Franzone started his journey in public health before he even knew what it was. His path to public health began after being labeled with "high-risk homosexual behavior" by a doctor. This experience fueled his advocacy to overturn the federal ban on blood donations from gay men. Jay shares his journey, how he balances work, and what drives his work.   Jay is a Bloomberg Fellow and Master of Public Health (MPH) student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he focuses on violence prevention. As the National Partnerships Manager at Everytown for Gun Safety, Jay builds coalitions with national organizations and leads culturally informed engagement strategies to address the root causes of gun violence.  Now based in Hawai'i, Jay is passionate about dismantling biased health policies and improving access to care in rural and underserved communities.

When Thirandie Bambaradeniya, a second year Master of Science (ScM) student in the Environmental Health and Engineering Department  at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health discovered her interest in environmental health in her undegraduate program she realized her passion to help children could be addressed through public health. As a student she's discovered her community, found support among her fellow students, and enjoys diving deep into research. One of her favorite parts of public health is the interdisciplinary approach to research and blending several of her interests.  Her master's thesis research is centered around lead pipe identification in Baltimore City to facilitate clean drinking water and ultimately protect children's health. While not studying and researching, she enjoys the historical and art culture within Baltimore.

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).

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

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

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.

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.

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

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