I was reflecting on why I wanted a Public Health Fellowship recently.
When I began my Masters of Public Health (MPH) program in 2017, I had a mindset shift from wanting to go into the medical field and instead chose to pursue a career in the public health field.
When I started my MPH program, I set these 3 goals in my mind:
- Graduate with a 4.0 GPA
- Get paid at least $50,000
- Getting a Fellowship
I was very curious when I began my MPH program and wanted to make the most out of my masters degree. This is when I came across the concept of doing a fellowship after my program although I didn’t understand it
This article explores why I wanted a public health fellowship after graduating.
(Check out my article: “5 Things You Need to Know About Post Grad Fellowships”)
My Public Health Fellowship
I am currently a Community Health Fellow at the Mat-Su Health Foundation in Wasilla, Alaska. My fellowship is an intertwinement of the of public health and philanthropy fields.
I was offered this 1-year contracted fellowship position the March before I graduated with my MPH from the University of Florida in May of 2019.
What Initially Drew Me to Public Health Fellowships
Before applying to my MPH program I had no idea about the Public Health field and potential careers. I wanted to rest assured that I would be able to find a career afterwards so I did some research on different career paths within the public health field.
I started to learn just how large the public health field was and the many careers paths after getting an MPH.
Through my initial research, I realized that fellowships were a way to fast-track your professional career while getting close mentorship and other unparalleled learning opportunities. I found out that there were fellowships at many different international, government (US), private and non-profit organizations throughout the globe.
So I had the idea of applying for fellowships since my first semester in my MPH program, but was not clear why. Only when looking for jobs did my interest in applying for fellowships grow.
What Assured Me I Wanted A Public Health Fellowship
Late summer of 2018, after being in my MPH program for 3 semesters (fall, spring, summer), I became interested in having a job role of project management and/or program management.
Since I was not completely sure what specific programs I’d like to work on, I kept my search broad.
After looking for jobs with that role/title, I couldn’t find any that did not ask for a minimum of 3 years of work experience. I looked for weeks all over the USA, Canada, and Europe. I learnt it would be difficult to get the role that I wanted straight out of my MPH program.
This is when my interest switched more towards a public health fellowship position as I saw it as a way to leverage my early career success.
Fellowships are great because they are seeking recent graduates. While most jobs tend to prefer candidates with graduate degrees (MPH) as well as a require a couple years of work experience. Which made getting a fellowship position the most appealing step for me after I graduated.
In doing even more research and while applying to several fellowship positions I found out that fellowships are great in the way that:
- You typically get to work on many projects
- Close mentorship and diverse professional development experiences
- You are usually either hired on into a better role in the organization or you can leverage your fellowship experience for other good job opportunities elsewhere
- The experience is usually catered (as best possible) to what you are interested in
I really liked the idea of not only just having a job but having a job with a unique “learning environment” and mentorship.
Getting a fellowship would mean that I would get to do meaningful work. And I became determined to get one the Fall before I graduated.
Conclusion
My draw to attain a fellowship was tied to me wanting to excel as an early career professional after graduation. I wanted a job I enjoyed and wanted to use the skills I gained to do meaningful work helping others.
While there are great job opportunities after graduation, fellowships can be a great way for you to fast track your career.
Good jobs tend to ask for 3 years minimum job experience. Therefore fellowships can be a great way to make a step before getting your next “goal job.”
Whether you are trying to get a fellowship or a job, make sure you are being proactive and putting your best foot forward.
(Check out my article: “4 Steps To Secure A Job After Grad School”)
And if you were wondering if I was successful on my 3 goals. I failed at 1, guess which one?
What are your thoughts on applying for fellowships as well as jobs?
