Public health feels hard right now.

Maybe you’ve been laid off.

Maybe you’re burnt out, watching your funding dry up, or questioning why you entered this field in the first place.

You scroll through LinkedIn and see nothing that feels like a fit. You listen to national priorities shift away from equity. You feel disconnected, defeated – like you’re losing part of yourself.

You’re not alone. And you’re not wrong for feeling this way.

This Work is Heavy (and it’s personal)

Let’s name it: public health was never meant to be a solo mission. And yet, so many of us carry this work with personal our own personal weight.

Our identities get tangled in our job titles and roles. Our self-worth gets tied to our impact. And when we lose the job, the grant, the structure – we start feeling like we’re losing ourselves.

I’ve been there.

After completing a 12-month fellowship, I was told there’d be a position for me. It felt secure.

But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leadership changed, and that job suddenly disappeared. My fellowship was extended for 3 more months, but I was on my own to find a path forward. I felt disoriented. Was it me? Was I doing something wrong?

It took time (and hope) but I landed something new.

Still, that moment taught me a lesson I’ll never forget: the systems may shift, the jobs may vanish, but your purpose doesn’t leave you. There is work aligned out here for us all.

5 Ways to Stay in Public Health Without Losing Yourself

This moment might feel like an ending. But what if it’s an invitation to reframe how you think about your place in public health?

1. Redefine What “Success” Means Right Now

Success isn’t always a job offer or a LinkedIn announcement.

Sometimes, success is surviving.

It’s making space to grieve what didn’t work. It’s resting without guilt. In a field that often rewards burnout, reclaiming your time is revolutionary.

You are not less valuable because you’re in transition.

2. Ground Yourself in the Mission — Not the Institution

Many of us were drawn to public health because we care about people, equity, and justice.

That mission is still alive, even if institutions fall short. You don’t need a specific job title to live out your values.

The mission didn’t fail, the structure around it just cracked.

3. Use Your Public Health Skills in Unexpected Places

Public health is everywhere (and so are opportunities). You can bring your training into tech, philanthropy, community organizing, education, corporate wellness, or policy.

Your degree and experience aren’t wasted. They’re adaptable.

You are not stuck. You are skilled.

4. Process Your Loss Before You Pivot

Losing a job, changing directions, or walking away from a toxic work culture is grief.

Don’t bypass it.

Make time to reflect on what you’ve learned, what you’ve outgrown, and what you still need.

Burnout doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means something needs care.

5. Rebuild Community Around You

Don’t isolate.

Join communities that understand your journey. Find mentors. Host a virtual meet-up. Text a colleague.

You’re not meant to carry this work alone.

You’re more likely to stay whole when others remind you that you already are.

When the world feels heavy, when the systems feel broken, when the job doesn’t come through – you still belong here.

You can honor your calling without sacrificing your peace. You can pause without quitting. You can pivot without shame.

Public health needs bold, human-hearted people. But it doesn’t need you to burnout to prove you care.

[Join our ​Free New Community​]

This Field Needs You (But It Also Needs You Whole)

We need people who care deeply and see the bigger picture. People like you.

Even when the world feels heavy, and the systems feel broken – you still belong here.

But you don’t have to lose your joy, your identity, or your health to prove you care.

You can honor your calling without burning out.
You can pause without quitting.
You can pivot without shame.

Public health needs your heart (not your exhaustion).

A Reminder to Public Health Folks:

• Your mission in public health is still worthy.
• This is a hard season, not your whole story.
• You are not “falling behind.” You are finding your pace.
• It’s okay to be unsure. Doubt doesn’t disqualify you. It makes you human.
• You are more than your job. Your worth is not tied to a paycheck or a title.
• The work you’ve done still matters. Even if it didn’t go viral. Even if the grant didn’t get renewed.

What to Do Next

Reflect: Write down three moments when you felt most aligned in your public health journey. What values were present? What were you doing? Who were you helping?

Reconnect: Join a space that gives you room to be honest about the mess (and the hope). (​Our new Free Discord group​, alumni network, local PH group, etc.)

Reset your approach: Look at roles outside of government and academia. Explore policy, philanthropy, social impact orgs, media, health tech. Your skills stretch further than you think.

You’re not behind. You’re becoming.

And we’re still in this together.