154: Working in Communicable Disease & Infection Control Epidemiology with Rafael Fernandez, MPH

Interview with Rafael Fernandez, MPH

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Highlights from this episode:

1. Perspectives and learnings from 20+ years of working in infection control and epidemiology
2. Importance of taking calculated risk to learn more about public health and following your passions
3. A 101 on infectious diseases throughout his career and how they controlled them

Episode 154 of Public Health Careers

Rafael Fernandez, MPH is the COVID19 Vaccination Program Manager at NJ Department of Health and Human Services . He’s an epidemiologist with 20+ years of experience across epidemiology and infection control. He has a demonstrated history of working in the communicable disease and infection control industries.

He conferred a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at Hunter College. Then worked in a few positions before pursing a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health.

Rafael then went on to become a Senior Epidemiologist at the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Then he became Assistant Director at Lincoln medical and Mental Health Center in Bronx.

He then moved to St. Vincent Medical Center in a similar role before moving back to Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center. Rafael then worked at the Winthrop University Hospital.

He then followed a passion to begin a fitness company. He was the Owner and Health Coach at Queens Fit Body Boot Camp. After not being as successful as he’d like, Rafael transitioned to a Manager at Kings County Medical Center and then an Epidemiologist at New York State Department of Health.

Rafael then worked as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting before moving to his current role as a Covid-19 Vaccination Program Manager at NJ Department of health and Human Services.