So you are a new MPH (Masters of Public Health) student and everyone’s talking about the APHA Conference.
You might be asking yourself what is the APHA Conference and why should you attend? APHA stands for the American Public Health Association and it is a large public health member association with an annual Conference.
APHA’s mission is to “Improve the health of the public and reach equity in health status.”
As an MPH student, the APHA Annual Conference is an opportunity to greatly expand your horizons in the public health field. This Conference host nearly 13,000 attendees. In 2019 it will be hosted in Philadelphia from Nov. 2-6.
Support The Public Health Millennial on BuyMeACoffee
You can think of the APHA Conference as the “conference of all conferences” in the public health field. And here are 6 reasons you should go:
- Exposure to public health field
- Present (oral or poster)
- Learning from lectures and panels
- Networking
- Better bond with your cohort
- Explore a new city
It should be noted that APHA is not the only conference that MPH students should attend. You should try to attend as many conferences during your time as a graduate student.
Conferences in general can be hugely beneficial for self-development and knowledge acquisition.
1. Exposure to public health field
For me, I didn’t know anything about the public health field until I became an MPH student. So when I heard there was this cool conference a few months after starting my MPH, I saved up and made sure to attend.
The public health field is such a vast field with many different careers and job paths. APHA allowed me to get a grasp of what sorts of organizations and careers I could have after I graduated from my MPH program.
The APHA Conference has:
- A large exhibit
- Poster presentations
- Oral presentation
- Panel discussions
- Networking events
- Educational sessions
There are going to be lots of varied opportunities for you to learn an incredible amount about the public health field.
One of the best things about the APHA Conference is that you get a first hand look at what it takes to be an expert and professional in the field of public health.
2. Present (oral or poster)
A huge resume builder for students as well as professional is to be able to present at the APHA Conference. Though it may be hard to present in your first year of your MPH program, you should aim to present in your second year.
Though I attended APHA both my first and second year of my MPH program, I did not present and I still believe the experience of being there was worthwhile.
But presenting definitely does give you an added benefit of attending the APHA Conference. You will be very surprised as to how many people are interested in the research that you are presenting on.
This can be a great way to make new connections in your area of research, talk about possible jobs, and can even get offered full PhD program financing by organization who want to hire you. (I have a friend who got offered a financier PhD…crazy right!)
Presenting will surely be a way for you to build your resume but also enhance your professional bravado.
(Related: 9 Keys for Success in Graduate School)
3. Learning from lectures and panels
The number of lectures and panel sessions hosted at APHA is truly astounding. There are so many different topics that will be dove into during the conference. For instance, each year the APHA Conference has a theme, but there are also many other topic areas outside of the specified annual theme.
The 2019 APHA Conference Theme is:
- “For Science. For Action. For Health.”
I highly recommend that if you attend, you download the APHA Conference app and use it to plan which sessions you would like to go to.
And never feel obligated to stay in a session if it isn’t what you expected it to be, get up and leave. There is too much going on to be tied down in something you learn you have no interest in.
The APHA will have speakers from all walks of the public health field and by attending sessions you are able to learn about the newest and best innovations in the field. You are encouraged to ask pressing questions and talk to speakers after they present.
The information you learn at APHA is going to be invaluable. It can help you expand or think about your course material in a new light. And it may give you insights and spur you into one particular passion in the public health field.
4. Networking
Well with 13,000 attendees, there is sure to be loads of networking.
Whether you are networking with other students or professionals in the field, you are sure to learn something new and useful from everyday you attend.
If you are a MPH student, I highly recommend that you sign up to attend the APHA’s Student Assembly meeting. This will be important as it caters to graduate and undergraduate students and allows you the chance to get to know students in similar positions as yourself.
Essentials for networking:
- Business cards (physical or via an app)
- Connecting via Linkedin (and other social media)
- 1-minute elevator speech about yourself and your interest
- Willingness to ask meaningful questions and engage others
There are going to be countless times to talk to people, a.k.a. Network, so make sure you are always prepared since you never know when you are going to meet someone who can help you get to the next step in your professional career.
5. Better bond with your cohort
For me APHA was a time for me to get to know people in my cohort better and have a greater understanding of their goals for after graduation.
APHA can be a great time to interact with students in your university that you don’t usually get the chance to. This can help expand your understanding of the public health field and grow you overall as an individual.
Its experiences in non-traditional learning environments such as this where you can truly develop genuine relationships and build rapport with fellow students.
You are never going to know who will be able to help you out in the future. In other words it is important to never take your fellow students for granted. There is a lot more to gain from fostering these relationships than losing them.
Build those bridges.
6. Explore a new city
What better way to learn and get to meet new people than in a new city?
APHA affords you the opportunity to experience a fantastic conference while traveling to a new city. (Most of the time) Or just take a break from your university to travel and learn in a different environment.
For instance, I was able to explore Atlanta, Georgia in 2017 and San Diego, California in 2018 because I planned ahead to attend the APHA Annual Conference. And these experiences were some of the best learning and growing experiences during my MPH program.
I am so thankful to have been able to travel to these two beautiful cities to participate in an event that allowed me tons of self-development, knowledge and guidance.
Conclusion
The APHA Conference should be on your MPH bucket-list for at least one of the two years in your MPH program.
The field of public health is a tremendously enormous field of work and study.
The sooner you have an idea of what it is you want to pursue in the field, the easier it will be for you to focus your energy on getting there.
Above all, the APHA Conference is great way for you to be immersed in the public health field. You will learn the new innovations in the field, present either orally or via poster and has many networking and future job opportunities.
In conclusion, going to the APHA Conference will leave you feeling motivated and inspired to continue to learn and develop.
Why will you be attending the APHA conference this year?
