What Is the Field of Public Health? My Journey to Find It
As I was filtering through and categorizing questions and topics, I realized that not everyone is in this field of public health or in a position learning about it. I could simply define the field as the science of protecting and promoting the health of a population, but there are some complexities and misconceptions to unpack. What better way to explain what public health really is than to share about how I learned and knew that this was my forever path.
From a very young age, I knew I had a heart for helping others and serving the nations, but I also loved science, math, and health. I had vivid dreams as a kid of going to help in different countries and would wake my parents up with a globe to show them where I went. As a teenager, I used my significant teen birthdays as fundraisers to help others. I’d tell my friends to bring cash instead of gifts, and then I used the money to purchase supplies for people experiencing homelessness in cities around me.
I knew there had to be some path that combined my heart to serve the nations, health, science, math, and helping others…
Motives and Metrics: Steps to Clarify Public Health Information
Is this real? Can I believe this? How do I know if this public health information is true? I honestly can’t even count how many times I have been asked those questions about public health news articles, preliminary research studies, memes, videos, and social media posts. The pandemic ignited a desire in most people to learn about what was going on, but theories, ideas, and crazy information started to flood the internet faster than public health education.
Welcome to My Public Health World: Navigating the Nuances Together
Life has a funny way of making us all multitaskers. Maybe you’re a mom, wife, student, full-time employee, part-time employee, have several jobs, or are a homemaker, caregiver, and more. Chances are, you have multiple hats to wear as you balance your day between your many spheres of influence. I was processing my invisible hat collection, which can feel more like a Twister color wheel some days, as I looked at the different roles I have to navigate. I’m a wife and mom of three boys, which also makes me feel like a cleaner, taxi service, referee, and chef. I’m also an associate professor of public health, researcher, author, nonprofit CEO, and public speaker. Then there are the hats we all have in our social circles such as being a sister, daughter, friend, neighbor, church member, life group leader, mentor, and more. I truly love each hat I get to wear, the intertwined spheres of my life; I’m so grateful for the people around me.