Public Health Careers Alumni Panel - November 1, 2018

PAULA: Victoria-- I mean, Diana-- Diana is currently a fellow with United Way's Home for Good Funders Collaborative Homelessness Policy Fellowship, and was placed with the City of Pasadena Housing Department. And while she was here, in her MPH we conducted research and she worked at L.A. Care.

Third, we have Charlene, and Charlene-- and they can tell you what year they graduated, because they include that in their files, and they can tell you what year they are alumni of. Charlene is currently with LA's Best Babies Network, and her professional background includes working with healthy food access and the built environment. She also wants to work in creating healthy communities, youth empowerment and advocacy, corner store conversations, program planning and evaluation, and teaching. And she does have a DrPH from Loma Linda in addition to her MPH.

Then we have Mark. Thank you for making our panel that is more diverse. We might have had all women. So Mark is a clinical research coordinator and diabetes educator at the USC Westside Center for Diabetes, and he uses his communication background as a contributor to Medscape, and he is also a videographer. And the videos for [INAUDIBLE] on diabetes series and is a member of Medscape's reporting team at major diabetes meetings.

And then finally, but not least, we have Alma, and I don't want to torture your first name, so I'm just going to call you Alma if that's OK. So Alma is one of our alumni from the online program, and she is currently working at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. During her time with us, she did research in neurology and she published a paper on familial Alzheimer's Disease. And she also traveled abroad to Calcutta, India where she completed her practicum studying malnutrition and breastfeeding habits [INAUDIBLE] Indian mother and child.

And so, as you can tell, they all have a variety of backgrounds, and I think that we're going to have a very nice conversation with our alumni today. The agenda looks like this. [INAUDIBLE] If I can welcome all the panelists to the front, that would be great, and can we give them applause, please?

[AUDIENCE CLAPPING]

PAULA: OK, so is the light in your eyes or anything? No? OK. Because I can turn it off if it is. So basically, I just want each of you to start by just giving an overview of what you've been doing. Tell us what year you are, what year you graduated, and you have some of the questions with you, so if you can do a five to 10 minute overview, that would be awesome. Thank you.

I will have a [INAUDIBLE] Oh! Yes. Sorry. Here we go. And why don't we start the way that the pictures are there, so if I were Victoria, and Diana, Charlene, Mark, and Alma.

VICTORIA: OK, so, as Paula said, I'm a doctoral student at UC Irvine. It's my first year, so let me give the caveat that I'm only five weeks into the program, so I can probably answer questions more about the application process and getting in, as opposed to how the actual degree is, because it's very new. So I graduated just this past day, and I did the dual Master's in Social Work/ Master's in Public Health degree. So I started in 2015, so I was here for three years, and before that-- so I'll tell you just how I decided to do a PhD.

So I graduated with a Bachelor's in Psychology, and I always thought that I was going to do therapy. And I first went into marriage and family therapy, and then I decided that I would do social work, just because it was more community-based, and I felt like I would get more opportunities. So I applied to the Master's in Social Work right out of undergrads. I only applied to one school, which was very smart, and I didn't get accepted. So I kind of left with what do I do now?

So I tried finding a job, and it took me a long time to find a job after I graduated with my Master's, and it was kind of in that time where I was looking for jobs that I discovered public health. And it was mostly because all the jobs that I was looking into-- interested in-- they all either required Master's [INAUDIBLE] required Master's in Public Health. I was like, oh, what is the public health [INAUDIBLE]. So that's how I really became interested in the dual degree, and how I kind of got interested [INAUDIBLE] public health.

So when I was here and when I was doing my internships for social work, I discovered that I actually don't like therapy, and it was actually pretty hard for me just because of personal aspects. And I thought I would enjoy it, but when I was actually doing it, I realized that I liked more macro level, community-based support. And I was always interested in research, but I never got the opportunity to do it, so I actively tried to find a research position here when I was at USC, and it was actually through the career center-- all the newsletters that we get-- that I got one in the fall for a research assistant-- which, actually-- me and Diana work together, but I'm sure she'll get to that.

So I was able to find a research assistant position here, and then that's where I really found that I love to research. I liked the way that-- I liked more how I saw my career afterwards more of the flexibility. I liked it being fast paced, and really just based on how much work you put in is how much work you'll get out, so that's what I really liked about it. And it was just based on those experiences that I decided that I did want to pursue a PhD.

And I knew that I wanted to be with patients specifically, because I knew that, in my mind, I wanted to be in a position to conduct my own research at one point, and be an independent investigator, as opposed to just being on a research team and working on research [INAUDIBLE] and yeah. So that kind of brings me to-- it's my first year, and--

DIANA: So hi, everyone. My name's Diana, and I first want to say thank you, Paula, for having us here. [INAUDIBLE] it's really exciting that you all are going to be graduating within-- not this year, next year-- and really going toward your careers, so it's really exciting to [INAUDIBLE]

So I think-- now that I look back at it, honestly, my career-- my trajectory here was a little bit sporadic. I came out of undergrad at Cal State Fullerton and I knew that I wanted to do public health. I did health science as an undergrad and I focused on global health, so when I got out, I was like, this is what I'm meant to do. I'm going to do global health.

I knew that USC had a really strong global health program, and so I decided to apply. I got in, so I came here, and I was like, global health. There it is. And I went to a couple of my courses, and I liked them, but then I realized-- sorry-- and then I realized that global health might not be for me.

I did a lot of really great things here. I went to Uganda, and I learned a lot, but for some reason, I was just like-- I had this feeling where I was like, hey, I don't know if this is really what I want to do. And when I first came here out of undergrad, I was interested in doing research, so like Victoria said, I got a job through Paula's [INAUDIBLE] with the USC School of Social Work. And I was a research assistant there, so I was like, oh, research is really interesting. I want to do a little bit more.

I hate research. Not to bag on it or anything. It's so necessary for what we do in public health. We really need it to make our case, and I was like, you know what? I don't like this. This is not what I'm meant to do. And I realized that whatever I do, I want to be out in the community, and I really wanted to do a little bit of advocacy work.

So I ended up getting a practicum with L.A. Care, and when I was at L.A. Care, I enjoyed what I was doing, but kind of halfway through, I was like, this is more administration to me. I still really enjoyed it. I loved the connections that I was making there, and I was learning a lot. And I was also told that I was kind of guaranteed a job there when I graduate, so I was like, cool. I'm going to stay here.

So then I got my practicum there, I think, in the fall, so I was there for almost-- I was there for fall semester and spring semester. And as my spring semester was coming to a close, that's when we were like, hey, when are we going to get hired? So my manager was like, yeah, we want you. It's on the CEO's agenda. It was cool.

I think it was April-- actually no, I'm sorry. It was March where he called me into his office and he said, so, the CEO didn't approve you being able to join our team. Honestly, I'm really still upset the way he handled it. He was just kind of like, good luck.

It's like, what do I do? I had all my eggs in this basket. And so I saw this flyer go around-- it was very last minute-- about this homelessness policy fellowship, and I was like, ooh. This looks very interesting. I'm not going to apply, because I'm guaranteed a job at L.A. Care. So I was like, yeah, whatever.

And one of my interests which was why I was really interested in global health was working with marginalized, vulnerable populations, and that's always something that I've been deeply interested in. So I also never mentioned that I changed my track from global health to policy, because I like the idea of how systems work, and the way that policy can really influence those systems.

And so, when that didn't work out, I looked back at this flyer, and I was like, I have two days to do this application. Let's do it. And so I did. I stayed up all night and I just did this application and submitted it, and then April came, and they gave me an interview. I got an interview, and I was like-- wow. Mind you, I know nothing about [INAUDIBLE]

I was just like, this really aligns with my values, and what I want to do and the population that I want to serve. And so I got an interview, and I was like, whoa, OK. This is good. And then I graduated and I didn't hear back. They were like, so, we're going to let you know if you got it by end of May. I was like, I graduate in the middle of May. I would like to have a job.

So in the interim, I was applying to jobs. I applied at [INAUDIBLE] Healthcare Foundation, because I was like, well, I'm experienced in a health plan. Might as well apply to a health plan, which I didn't get, and I was like, I'm screwed.

And so when we graduated, I was like, I'm out. I'm done. I'm going to go on a cruise. And when I was on this cruise, I got this email that was like, you've been selected. I was like, whoa. So I got selected and I was placed-- there were five of us throughout L.A. County, and I was placed at the City of Pasadena, which is incredible because it's right down the street from me. Not for much longer, but it's down the street from me.

And so now what I really do, which-- this was all brand new to me, right? Because I had no experience with this, so it was exciting, but also extremely terrifying. And so a lot of what I do in my role now is-- it's really cool. I get to work on our strategy process with the City of Pasadena and how we spend the funds that come to us.

To give you guys a little bit of background, there's about $7 million that come to us for homelessness funding for just the City of Pasadena itself, and so I get to really take this active role to strategize what we use this funding for and really be part of this overall policy of how we approach homelessness in the city, and kind of what our efforts are going to be about that. So-- a little bit of my random journey.

CHARLENE: Hi, everyone. My name is Charlene. I'm a little bit older-- on the older spectrum. So I graduated--

SPEAKER 1: No, no, no, no. [INAUDIBLE]

[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]

CHARLENE: You're at the end of the spectrum. I'm in the middle of [INAUDIBLE] So I actually did my undergrad and my Master's here at USC. I graduated with my Master's in 2009, and spent about eight months in between before I started my doctorate at Loma Linda. And during that time, maybe before graduation, I think one of the things I was trying to figure out was if I wanted a PhD or a DrPH.

And that was a really important decision because one of the things at that time in 2008 and nine when I was applying-- there wasn't a lot of doctorate programs. There was a lot of PhD programs, but PhD programs tend to be very clinical research, and I knew I didn't want [INAUDIBLE] research. I love research, but I like community research. I didn't want to work with labs. I wanted to work with people and things like that.

So I didn't take my-- I actually applied to UCLA's doctorate program, and at that time, I think one of the challenges I ran into was at that time-- UCLA was very heavily focused on smoking cessation. So they wanted all their doctorate students to really focus their dissertation research on smoking, and it just-- it's not where my heart is. I felt like there was already a field out there that really-- it was established. It just wasn't my niche.

And I had an interview at Tulane, an interview up north, and then I also had an interview with Loma Linda. And ultimately I chose Loma Linda, because one, it was in California, so that was a huge plus for me personally. I was thinking down the line in terms of the cost of not moving too far away, but also you're taking a lot of this-- some sense of however many years you're going to be in school, which is a big reality, especially when it comes time to pay everything off.

But one of the reasons I chose Loma Linda was because of the small program size. My cohort was nine students, and it was really nice, because we all had completely different dissertation topics, and it didn't matter what the university was researching on. They wanted you to choose your own path. They wanted to support you, and that's ultimately why I chose the program.

I loved my time while I was there. It was really nice to have a cohort of students that even though we were all doing completely different dissertation topics, we could support each other. So it really shifts away from being a competition to more of a collaborative classmate vibe as you go up the school tiers.

During my time at Loma Linda I was teaching there as well, along with running the disease prevention programs at UC Riverside's student health center as well, so that was great. And once I graduated, ironically, the internship I had for my MPH, which was LA Best Babies Network-- the position that was supervising me when I was a Master's student had opened up about two weeks after my graduation and just while I was job searching. It worked out, so I ended up applying for the position that was supervising me while I was doing my practicum.

LA Best Babies Network, just to provide a little bit of background-- we're located at California Hospital, which is in the heart of downtown, just a couple blocks away from Staples Center. And currently, I'm the assistant director there of programs, and we provide oversight to about 40 agencies. It's a little bit different than a regular department, but we provide technical assistance for the agencies that are funded by First 5 Los Angeles, so if you're familiar with First 5, the tobacco tax-- every product with tobacco is taxed an extra 50 cents.

It goes into a pot of money. [INAUDIBLE] and LA County gets the most, because we have the highest birth rate at about 133,000 every year. First 5 Los Angeles is taking the majority of that money and investing it into prenatal and postpartum home visiting programs for high risk women all across the country. So my job is to ensure that these 14 hospitals and 26 community-based organizations are implementing the program with fidelity to the law, providing continuous quality improvement evaluation, implementation protocols-- all sorts of things like that.

So it's nice to be able to do the implementation work, the planning work, but also do the monitoring, the mentoring, and then the research and evaluation side of it as well. On the side, I also teach. I still teach for Loma Linda. I shifted from a classroom base to an online base.

So that's what [INAUDIBLE] that going. It's one of my passions as well. It's one of the reasons I originally wanted to get a doctorate as well, because I knew eventually I just wanted to keep teaching, and teaching with a PhD or doctorate is much easier than teaching with a Master's. So that can be a reality check.

And one of the other reasons why people come and they ask me, why did you go straight to the doctorate program as opposed to working? And the reality of my life was that if I didn't do it then, I probably wouldn't have done it. I had the support system at that time, which I think is a crucial factor when making a decision like that. There was the space, the time. I wasn't in a rush, and I was able to take that and just say, you know what, I can do this right now as opposed to waiting.

You know, on the flip side, of course now you're done, and you've got a job, and you've got all these loans to pay, and it's a bit of a reality. Luckily, I'm in the public service loan forgiveness. That's real. It works. So you just have to work at a nonprofit for about 10 years, and you make sure you pay your loans back at the income based amount, and you will be set in 10 years, so-- I'm in year five, [INAUDIBLE]

[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]

CHARLENE: But these are things to really consider, because they're things that impact-- really, your daily life, right? At the end of the month, when you're calculating things out, it's not just the matter of your car payment, your insurance, and this, you also have a large amount of money that you have to give it back. So really trying to be responsible in that sense, and making the right decisions and such.

A little bit about the work I do at LABBN as well is we're doing a lot of trauma informed care research. We work with a lot of women who have traumatic histories and have had traumatic death experiences, so our purpose is really to work with women to decrease the incidence of the CFS, the [INAUDIBLE] Child and Family Services interactions, to stop the cycle of violence-- domestic violence, life trauma, all sorts of things, and also to increase resilience.

And we always wonder that if you have the same experience happen to two different-- two same people, why is it that two different outcomes happen? It's that resiliency piece. So really working towards the protective factors, and helping these new moms or repeat moms, depending on wherever they are in their lives, just really make the best decisions for themselves and their families [INAUDIBLE]

MARK: I'm Mark [INAUDIBLE] and I was an old student as well. So I graduated about 18 years ago [INAUDIBLE] So before I was an MPH [INAUDIBLE] I was a professional photographer, and a big part of the work I did was in health systems. So I did the Doheny Eye Institute annual report, and I did various things at USC campus, and then I had this [INAUDIBLE] cycle around the UCLA campus. And I ended up doing a lot of photography for the School of Medicine magazine up there.

And most of what big hospitals promote are the things that make them lots of money, and things that bring in lots of money are cancer research, transplant programs, the big scanning machines [INAUDIBLE] UCLA [INAUDIBLE] have the coinventor of the PET scan machine. And so that was sort of the cycle that I did around there, and then they were getting ready to build a new hospital, and that would [INAUDIBLE]

And then I was sent to do just diabetes research [INAUDIBLE] and it turned out she was one of 50 docs I was [INAUDIBLE] a picture of during that time. And it turns out this diabetes researcher ended up being my wife, and so that's Anne Peters, and she's now at USC, and she's the head of the Clinical Diabetes Program. And she's the [INAUDIBLE] my job, and because she's at USC, I got half price spouse tuition, so I scored on that one.

And then, but-- she didn't want me-- she was supportive of sort of making a career change, and doing a Master's of Public Health program, but the plan was to do anything but diabetes. Anything. Please, please, please just stay out of the diabetes field. I don't want you anywhere near that. Just do anything else.

But it turned out that I knew more about diabetes than anything else, and it was also really interesting. And for the public health part of diabetes, we have sort of the obesity, and the nutrition, the exercise-- and so the biggest group of people with diabetes [INAUDIBLE] diabetes [INAUDIBLE] is prediabetes. 86 million people in the US have prediabetes. [INAUDIBLE] people within California either have prediabetes or diabetes, so it's a huge, huge issue.

Most of those people have prediabetes, which is the early form of type 2 diabetes, and that's when you can't quite control your blood sugars. Your [INAUDIBLE] pancreas [INAUDIBLE] cancers. The pancreas is a little organ that produces insulin and lots of other hormones, and it sort of balances out when you do things that turn up the sugar. [INAUDIBLE] goes up. It balances [INAUDIBLE] blood sugar [INAUDIBLE] So that's the goal of diabetes is sort of-- stable blood sugar.

And so type 2 diabetes is the next biggest group. 28 to 30 million people have that, and then there's this smaller group that has type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease, and that attacks the beta cells, and the beta cells are what makes the insulin. So that's sort of the overview of diabetes [INAUDIBLE] and public health field will deal with that prediabetes group. And there's a group in the LA County public health program, and I work with some of the Pasadena health people about prediabetes.

So you may remember that [INAUDIBLE] class where there's sort of the three levels of dealing with what public health here deals with. There's primary, the secondary, the tertiary form, and then in that middle, there's a section called the health care team, the clinical. And it's like, oh why is that cut out? I never understood that. And so I know we're getting a little tedious [INAUDIBLE]

This is [INAUDIBLE] because I was working in the health care field, and I know from my wife a big part of what she does is keeping people from having the applications, you know, before they hit the tertiary, before they get dialysis, and end up going blind. And so it seemed silly that public health wasn't involved. At least there's public health thinking that's involved in that clinical aspect.

So that's the world I'm working in now, which is doing clinical research, which means I'm taking people who, for the most part, are patients within their inner practice. And the practice that I work in is in Beverly Hills. There's a westside office-- clinical office on Wilshire and Doheny. So that's where I'm at, over there.

So I'm meeting with research participants. Most of the research so far [INAUDIBLE] involved with [INAUDIBLE] people with type 1 diabetes using either insulin pumps, and because their pancreas can't make insulin, they either give themselves shots or there's automated pumps. There's these pumps that are on the verge of becoming automated, and then there's these sensors, which take their temperature. It tells them where their blood glucose is, and then [INAUDIBLE] with meters [INAUDIBLE] poking their fingers, it's sort of the advanced version of that.

So we're working on developing those sensors, working how they work within the diabetes field. So lots of type 1 research. We did research of putting these sensors on people without diabetes, and we have a-- finally a type 2 diabetes trial that's coming up as well, and because I had a media background, and my wife is this diabetes rock star.

So Medscape is the professional side of WebMD. Any of you know what Medscape is? Have you ever gone there for information? Yeah, well people should.

If you're not on there, then sign up. It's a free registration. Sign up for Medscape, and it's sort of a cross between sort of the newspaper health information, your journals, and they sort of hit that in-between place. It's the professional side of WebMD, and there's lots of great health information there.

They cover big conferences. They can see what goes on at the big conferences, and I go to some of the diabetes meetings. I get invited because my wife was [INAUDIBLE] And so, since I'm a photographer, they said well, just do the web video thing, [INAUDIBLE]

--what you remember the window in the background that everyone else does. And so it made her look good, and I started doing some of these nice, professional productions, and so I get invited to be a blogger at some of these diabetes events. I saw Paula walking around, and I thought she [INAUDIBLE]. So I went there, and I started doing videos [INAUDIBLE] so I grab a speaker after they get this big long, involved presentation, and I say, OK, give me a three minute version of that long, detailed presentation. And most of them are really good at it. Some of them are great at it, and others it's sort of fun [INAUDIBLE] them along to tell their story.

So I do that at the American Diabetes Association meetings. There was 13 diabetes [INAUDIBLE] There's something called the Endocrine Society, the diabetes [INAUDIBLE] And so I go to those meetings, and do those little videos, and that's [INAUDIBLE] doing some other videos. There's [INAUDIBLE] inhaled insulin. Instead of injecting the insulin, there's inhaled insulin. I've been doing videos for the inhaled insulin as well. So that's probably a good start, and then I'll continue as we move forward.

ALMA: Hi, everyone. My name is Alma. I graduated from the Master's in Public Health program last August right after my internship [INAUDIBLE] in India, and I did my practicum studying malnutrition and breastfeeding habits in Indian women and children. And shortly after graduating, I started working at Dr. [INAUDIBLE] Sorry. I'm sorry. I [INAUDIBLE] Can everyone hear me? [INAUDIBLE] I apologize. [INAUDIBLE]

PAULA: I have another one.

MARK: [INAUDIBLE] people [INAUDIBLE]

ALMA: Hello?

PAULA: Is this better? OK. [INAUDIBLE]

ALMA: OK. Hi, everyone. My name is Alma. I graduated from the Master's in Public Health program last August after finishing my internship in Calcutta, India [INAUDIBLE] and child. During my practicum, I studied malnutrition and breastfeeding habits of Indian women and children.

This was a really great experience. My focus during my public health program was global health, so it was right up my alley. Before I started my Master's program, I studied biological engineering at [INAUDIBLE] University, and after finishing, I decided, I feel like going to medical school. But I knew I didn't want to go straight after engineering, because it was, like, a lot, and I don't think was ready for the regular schedule of medical school.

So I started looking into other programs that I may have [INAUDIBLE] in the meantime, and public health was something that I [INAUDIBLE] an interest in. I enjoy-- I looked at research USC's program. I liked the fact that I could travel abroad, especially through the global health track, and I always wanted to go to India, so I think that [INAUDIBLE]

Shortly after graduation, I started working at [INAUDIBLE] and then shortly after, transitioned to a clinical research associate at Doctor Evidence. And this company is a medical tech company based in Santa Monica, and they actually-- I know they're on campus sometimes. They definitely come through to the MPH career center. I think that's in March or April, so definitely look out for them.

I was there for a little under a year before transitioning to my current position, which is [INAUDIBLE] associate at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and I've been there for almost two months. It'll be two months in a few days. So at my current position, I work a lot with patients, but I really liked my other position that was more computer-based [INAUDIBLE] doing analysis. But now I'm able to interact with patients, caregivers, family, friends-- anyone who's been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or has a loved one that's affected by the disease.

And for those that don't know, pancreatic cancer is a very deadly disease. There isn't a cure for it. There are multiple treatment options, surgery being the most common, and of course, chemotherapy, radiation, [INAUDIBLE] therapy, all of these, which are also [INAUDIBLE] a lot of clinical trials. There's not one cure, and it's also not one standard diagnostic test.

So a lot of people that are cancer [INAUDIBLE] find out when it's already a Stage IV, and when-- a lot of times when it's too late. Some people-- when they find out, they're told that they only have a few weeks to live, or even [INAUDIBLE] to live. So one thing that my organization is doing-- they're trying to promote early detection, and also trying to promote more specific treatment options just for patients who have different gene mutations just to help have a longer lifespan to live, and just better overall quality [INAUDIBLE]

So my job is to spread information and raise awareness, get educational resource, be a point of contact. I refer doctors, surgeons, gastroenterologists, even we help patients [INAUDIBLE] clinical trials, which are really good, because a lot of treatments are [INAUDIBLE] to get, so the only place that they have access to these treatment options is through clinical trials.

And we also have a survivor and caregiver network which [INAUDIBLE] has pancreatic cancer patients [INAUDIBLE] with other [INAUDIBLE] groups [INAUDIBLE] especially because the disease is very sad, and the fact that there isn't a cure, and people are finding out so late-- it's nice to have that support group and also be able to [INAUDIBLE] in terms of treatments or options that they may or may not have. So that's my current role.

I guess, during my time at USC, I did a lot of research, and I actually found my research position through my advisor. Many of you may or may not know Dr. Withers [INAUDIBLE] global health. He's a great resource, so he helped me find my [INAUDIBLE] who was Dr. [INAUDIBLE] in the Department of Neurology. And during that time, I studied familial Alzheimer's Disease in the Mexican and Mexican-American population, and this was very interesting because it just emphasizes how important education is-- just raising awareness, especially in rural communities that don't have [INAUDIBLE]

A lot of people in those communities thought that familial Alzheimer's Disease was, their family member may have thought [INAUDIBLE] they did something wrong in their life, or from I guess [INAUDIBLE] cultural beliefs. They didn't understand how it can be passed down within your family, and so a lot of the time while I was doing research, it was to raise awareness, take surveys [INAUDIBLE] where-- what they believe just so you could know how to educate them and what angle [INAUDIBLE]

So during that time, I was also collecting data. That's how I started, and then I became more involved as my Master's program [INAUDIBLE] and then I was able to write an abstract and publish as first author and then also present in London at the annual [INAUDIBLE] conference. So that was great.

So if anyone is interested in these things, I would advise talking to your advisor, or even faculty, because they're able to refer you to people [INAUDIBLE] your interests. So my interest was either neurology or cardiology. Those are very different, but I was able to get into a neurology [INAUDIBLE]

PAULA: Also, so I think after going over your overviews, maybe it might be most helpful to start with some questions relating to your experience while you were still students, and everybody here is still students. So some of you touched on this a little bit, but I think it might be really helpful if everybody could talk a little bit about what [INAUDIBLE] at USC when you were here that you were really glad you took advantage of that you really thought helped you prepare you for your career. Or, on the other hand, it can be [INAUDIBLE]

MARK: [INAUDIBLE]

ALMA: I would say the [INAUDIBLE] resource was networking. I would say faculty and your advisors. That's actually where I found [INAUDIBLE] in terms of research, even my practicum. I decided to go to India last minute [INAUDIBLE] I wasn't even able to get through to my [INAUDIBLE] but I read [INAUDIBLE] Dr. Withers, so actually, my previous director was able to help me in that process.

And I was going to say the career center. A lot of jobs do come to the annual career fair, and that's also where I [INAUDIBLE] Doctor Evidence, so [INAUDIBLE] that. And also come to more of these events. I came to a few powwows in the program, but I think I could have taken [INAUDIBLE] definitely a lot of it.

VICTORIA: OK, so my experience was a little bit different, because I was on the dual path. So I was really only in the public health program for a year fully, and then kind of sprinkled [INAUDIBLE] in the rest of my semesters here. So I think the thing that I took the most advantage of was the opportunity that [INAUDIBLE] Paula, and really informal conversations with Paula [INAUDIBLE]

And, like Alma said, just talking to faculty and being able to make those connections and those networking opportunities I think was the most helpful. But, with that being said, I wish I would have reached out to more faculty that were more aligned with my interests, because I think I just became kind of comfortable with the position that I had, and didn't really reach out otherwise.

And one thing also that I was-- I mean, with the social work program and the public health program, I had an internship for social work, I was working part time, and then I had school. So I really didn't spend much time getting to know my peers, which I really wish I would have. I mean, there's a few, like Diana, but that's because we worked together, and it was a little bit easier.

But I really wish that I would have gone to more [INAUDIBLE] events, and gone to more events like this as well. I think that would have been the most helpful [INAUDIBLE] kind of peer network too, because I look back and I know a lot more people from my undergrad than I do from my Master's. And I feel like it would be more helpful at the level of professionalism knowing more other people with public health [INAUDIBLE]

PAULA: [INAUDIBLE] just testing that. That way you don't have to [INAUDIBLE]

MARK: [INAUDIBLE]

PAULA: You can split it. Yeah. [INAUDIBLE] Feel like it is, and it isn't.

DIANA: I'm going to preach this until the cows come home that Paula was my most useful resource, and I say it time and time and time again.

PAULA: I didn't pay her.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]

DIANA: I feel like [INAUDIBLE] advocate, but I say that to people all the time, because when I first came to this program, I was really stressed, because I was like, I need a job. I was living [INAUDIBLE] at the time, and I needed something-- I needed to pay my rent, and I was getting extremely stressed out.

So before I even started-- I think it was a couple weeks before I came to this program, I made an appointment with Paula, and sat down, and I was like, I've applied to all these jobs, [INAUDIBLE] nothing [INAUDIBLE] And she was like, OK, let's take a look at your resume-- really took this one on one time with me to go through everything, and really gave me a lot helpful insight, and fixed my resume, and was like, do you have a cover letter? No. Why? Do I have to do that?

So she really took the time to walk me through all of these things. I was like, OK, and then within that week, I had applied to the position that I worked at with Victoria as a research assistant. And I had applied to another position as well and gotten a callback within a week. It was a couple days [INAUDIBLE]

I had interviews with both of them. They both offered me the job, and I ended up taking the job working [INAUDIBLE] school of social work. And so it was then that I was like, I love Paula. This woman is a genius, and I [INAUDIBLE] She was so helpful, and I don't think that people understand that.

I think that a lot of times with our program, a lot of us that come in are relatively younger. A lot of their [INAUDIBLE] straight out of undergrad, or have maybe [INAUDIBLE] a year or two off, and I think that some people don't really take that proactive step. We're in such a great research institution that we kind of just expect opportunities to come to us, which they do, but it also takes a certain amount of really being proactive.

So I think that the career service and that career fair is also something that's really helpful. And definitely even as I was [INAUDIBLE] graduate, before I graduated, I sat down with Paula and did this full-on thing of reviewing my resume again. I was like, I'm good. I've done this thing before, and she kind of ripped them apart. [INAUDIBLE] OK.

But I revised it, and then I ended up getting this fellowship, which was something that was really good for me. But then, that being said, one of the-- it's not really a resource, but one thing that I wish that I did while I was here is take an elective outside of our program. I think public health-- we have a tendency to just kind of stay a little bit siloed and do our own thing, and we don't really realize that we bring such a different lens to the table, and we look at things so much differently than people in other areas.

And so if I was able to kind of take one of my elective courses outside of the public health program-- with policy, we do interact with the Price School, which is really nice, just to talk to people that weren't in the program, and it's just a breath of fresh air. So that was one of the things that I really wish I took advantage of [INAUDIBLE]

CHARLENE: I think one of the things to remember is you have to chase after what you want. It's not going to be handed to you here. It's not going to be handed to you outside [INAUDIBLE] You have to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable, and it goes from knocking on [INAUDIBLE] doors, requesting meetings and things like that. I know actually every single research position I have had here was because I drank too much coffee, knocked on a professor's door, and just wanted to talk to them.

And it really opened up some doors. Even if it's not-- you don't end up-- don't always go after something because you need something [INAUDIBLE] Go after it because you want to have a genuine conversation and just want to get a better sense of what's in the field. And be genuine with your requests. I think that's a huge thing.

One of the things I see now is we actually-- I actually oversee a lot of people from USC at where I work. We have quite a few that [INAUDIBLE] and such, and it's one of the things I was told. It was like, I'm not going to follow up with you. You have to follow up with me. This is [INAUDIBLE] I'm here to guide you and all that, but you have to follow up [INAUDIBLE] got to chase after it.

And it's true. It really [INAUDIBLE] grad school and so on. I agree that you need to take courses outside of school. I got lucky. I took [INAUDIBLE] courses through the School of Social Work. One of my research positions there was [INAUDIBLE] faculty [INAUDIBLE] veterans at the time. Great work there. Knocked on someone else's door, Dr. Briggs at that time. He [INAUDIBLE]

So being willing to talk to people, even if they're not going to [INAUDIBLE] That's the point. [INAUDIBLE] something because you want something. Actually have conversations, and we want to hear [INAUDIBLE] And then again, get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable, because you're going to do it for the rest of your life. You're going to feel [INAUDIBLE] on interviews [INAUDIBLE] all sorts of things like that. So it's OK to feel that way.

Agreed when I started here, by the time I finished in 2009, we were still a fairly small cohort. I don't know what size it is right now, but I think we were, like, thirty something. And it's nice to know [INAUDIBLE] people. But because we were so small, and there wasn't an online program at the time-- we were all in person, on campus-- we [INAUDIBLE] here. We left Alhambra campus. You've probably never even seen it, but it was this dark brick building. It was fantastic, but it was [INAUDIBLE] but that was our home.

We did everything together. We were very well taken care of and all that, but that was one of the benefits of having a smaller cohort, too. But talk to one another. That's a huge part of it, as well. It's easy to go in and out of these doors, just sit here for a lecture and leave, but actually try having a conversation with your peers, because you'll never be in a room again with so many peers that are doing the same work-- similar age, similar passions, and such.

And honestly, it's not a competition. When you get to this point, you realize that you're just so focused on yourself, and yeah, you [INAUDIBLE] you think it's a competition, but in reality, it's not. [INAUDIBLE] you have different wishes and desires. You'll get wherever you're going. No one's [INAUDIBLE] if it's a competition. Turn it around and make it into productive [INAUDIBLE] relationships [INAUDIBLE]

MARK: When I first started, somehow I stumbled into a session with a reference librarian at [INAUDIBLE] Library, and he was doing a session about how to use PubMed, and I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I thought it should be something that should be taught in every single class in the program.

That's one of the biggest resources and the student is [INAUDIBLE] to have a research paper but they need to find that. How do you find papers that aren't assigned to your [INAUDIBLE] class? How do you go out to do that additional research?

So keep an eye out for the program, or just walk up to one of reference librarians [INAUDIBLE] and say, you know, I always wanted to know more about using PubMed, and can you teach me some [INAUDIBLE] So I encourage you to do that. And also pay attention to your teaching assistants that are there in class. They're often PhD students here, and they are great tutors. We need tutors.

When I was here-- and maybe the statistics class is still terrible, and so-- the physics class was absolutely terrible, and I spent all my time learning how to use a high school calculator. And literally, when I was in high school doing my math programs, I had been using a slide rule, so I mean-- Stone Age stuff. And so I got Jessica [INAUDIBLE] to be my statistics [INAUDIBLE] I learned just about everything about statistics from her in the classroom. And Jim Miller was my teaching assistant, in health education there, or something like that.

So those are great people there. Tend to be a year or two in front of you, so keep in touch with them, because they're really-- they're really smart. They're really nice people, and they want to help. Take advantage and get to know some of those folks as people, because they [INAUDIBLE] faculty as well.

Back to [INAUDIBLE] so I think Paula's doing a much better job than when I was here, because I don't think career services was doing that great. I was thinking when I was there that my pathway was going to be in Kaiser, a sort of health care [INAUDIBLE] and that clinical section that I was talking about [INAUDIBLE] I had some experience with it. And so I did my practicum at Kaiser doing medication [INAUDIBLE]

So it turns out most people don't take their pills that they're prescribed. The adherence is really, really low, and so it turned out to be not a great practicum. So think about try to find a practicum where there's a track record. Try to find somebody who was in it before.

Did they do a good job? Were they prepared for you when you came in? Did they have something for you to do, or was it free form and floating around [INAUDIBLE] supervisor ended up doing career advancing more than trying to sort of be supportive? So really pay attention to the practicum, because I thought of that as the pathway to a job. That really didn't work out.

The other thing that you get to take advantage of as students, and it's coming up, is going to conferences. And I think students-- it's unusual [INAUDIBLE] research [INAUDIBLE] at student prices at conferences. It's dirt cheap compared to [INAUDIBLE] Now APHA is down in San Diego this year, so it's really close to go there, and if you bundle up and find a place to sleep then that can do it, but it helped.

But take advantage of that student resource, that discount. Go find out what in the world is going on in the program that's outside of the classroom, and try to see if what they're actually teaching here makes any sense to you. Is anyone actually using it out in the real world? Is it going to be useful when you get out of here?

So see what people are doing. I was really interested [INAUDIBLE] text messaging programs but for a number of sessions [INAUDIBLE] didn't seem to be all that effective. And so you certainly learn that by going out, but it's easy to find people who just gave a talk [INAUDIBLE] from Medscape. I grabbed him afterwards. So there's lots of people who grab the speakers afterwards and chat with them. So take advantage of that to find out who's who in the field.

And if you want to go on to a doctorate program or what not, you actually want to sort of get a chance to meet somebody. So do that, and there's a group called NACCHO which you probably don't know about, and it's the National Association of Health-- N-A-C-C-H-O, a county and city health organization, a huge public health group.

LA County Public [INAUDIBLE] program is a member of that. They have their convention here in Los Angeles. It was $50 for me to get in for three days. So just [INAUDIBLE] going to those conferences, taking advantage of those student prices while you still have them. It's like-- it's gold.

VICTORIA: Sorry. One last thing that I want to mention [INAUDIBLE] feel like being on this campus, sometimes we forget that there's a whole other new campus with a bunch of events going on, so I would also say--

MARK: University Park Campus.

VICTORIA: So I would also say to look at different workshops and different events that are going on there, and make the effort to go. I mean, we're really lucky that we have that free tram that will take you over there, so you can park here, take the tram, go over there, and take advantage of those workshops. Because as a university, we really do have a lot of resources. I think sometimes we just forget being on this campus.

PAULA: So I think one more question maybe, that I'm interested, and I think some other people have talked about too, and this may be more for the more recent graduates. But first, if you guys could all go through maybe and say what your emphasis was, or what you focused on in your MPH program. And then also if there are any classes that you think would be a big impact, or that you were glad you took, or you think really guided you in the health [INAUDIBLE] If you have [INAUDIBLE]

VICTORIA: So mine I would say is it'll get worse, because [INAUDIBLE] you're forced into what track you're in, so I was going to [INAUDIBLE] But that means that I probably would have chosen that track either way. The classes-- so I didn't get any electives because of the way that the curriculum works, so I wish I would have gotten some electives to be able to take the classes I was really interested in, but probably the most helpful--

I mean definitely [INAUDIBLE] even though you're sitting in there, and it's very conceptual, it really does come out a lot, and it really is very helpful to understand the real basis of public health and all the intervention and all the programs that we do-- it's important to know why you're doing it and, kind of the research behind it. And I also really liked community organizing and mobilizing just because I am focused on-- or, I do want learn community based research, so it was a nice start and nice introduction to that, so I guess the more methodological process.

ALMA: My focus was global health, and surprisingly, epidemiology class helped a lot in my [INAUDIBLE] class where we did a lot of analysis. Even just [INAUDIBLE] even if you didn't know how to [INAUDIBLE] you need to know the terminology, because I remember epidemiology was a lot for me when I was here. Just a lot of information in one semester, but you'd be surprised with how much you can [INAUDIBLE] Yeah. During the time when I was taking it, I was like, wow, this is a lot. But once I graduated and started as an [INAUDIBLE] oh, I know that. I had to learn that for that test.

So epidemiology [INAUDIBLE] in regards to global health, my intro to global health helped, because you were able to-- because I did that class online, we had people from other schools in our class. It was led by Dr. Withers, but we had students in Japan, and one other country, so it was pretty nice being able to interact with anything [INAUDIBLE] campuses in different countries, and seeing how public health impacts [INAUDIBLE] where they're from, and [INAUDIBLE] Those were the classes.

DIANA: I was in health policy-- well, I was global health, and I switched to health policy track. I know that the curriculum changed a little bit this year, so some of the classes that we might be talking about [INAUDIBLE] but Health Care Delivery was a really big one for me, and also Health Policy and Politics. And that class was the upper division [INAUDIBLE] policy Sacramento.

That was a very interesting time, because it was when the president had just been elected, so the future of health care, and [INAUDIBLE] very unknown. So we were able to go to Sacramento, and really advocate, and [INAUDIBLE] really a great experience. So those were the two main policy [INAUDIBLE] were very helpful to me.

And then the interesting thing about policy, which I love, is that it gets you to think about things more on a systems level, and really how do our systems interact with each other? So that was very interesting. One of the classes that I didn't take, but wish I took because it comes up all the time now is-- everything that is offered, but I know that I think some course that talks about grant writing, or just how to put together programs, I guess, a little bit, because in my position now, and a lot of public health positions-- our programs are funded through grants.

You need to know how to write a grant, and budget is a big one, too. I wish I understood how all that worked. I wish [INAUDIBLE] class [INAUDIBLE] A lot of my position right now is all of our funds come through state, federal, and local grants. So that's really important. It's something that I really stayed away-- I stayed away from health education, because I did that undergrad, and I was like, I don't [INAUDIBLE] I should have done something along the lines of program planning and evaluation. I think that would have been really helpful looking at my position that I'm in now.

CHARLENE: I'd say that [INAUDIBLE] any courses that really resonated set me up. One is theory, [INAUDIBLE] That book is so valid. You get out every so often and we go back to it, and you realize the terms are what's [INAUDIBLE] so everyone's using the same words. You have to keep up with it.

The other two classes which I took over here with Dr. [INAUDIBLE] at that time was [INAUDIBLE] professor but it was Program Planning and Research [INAUDIBLE]. I took those two courses over here, and that was really nice, because she had set up the course where you actually have to do the program planning, and you have to implement it [INAUDIBLE] so on and so forth, which is still very valuable [INAUDIBLE]

I was a health education track with emphasis on the [INAUDIBLE] child's health, so I got lucky. I got to go to the main campus a few times. I took a few courses there for the [INAUDIBLE] track.

And then the other course that I thought was fun was public health communications. So I know I'm not a communications person, but it was cool to see how much effort and tailoring goes into making sure that marketing material and communication are appropriate for a [INAUDIBLE] audience. So I enjoyed that class [INAUDIBLE] The time I took it, Dr. [INAUDIBLE]

He was teaching theory. He had a couple of classes [INAUDIBLE]

MARK: I was a cross between do I do public education? Do I do communication? I thought, well, I have this communications background. Maybe it would be more worthwhile getting a communications degree or concentration than a health education [INAUDIBLE] And then it turns out that later, that there is something called a certified diabetes educator, and most of the people who have that position-- certification-- come from a nursing field or some clinical field.

There is a pathway to becoming a certified diabetes educator if you have a health related Master's degree and then get somebody to sign off for you to take the test. And then once you get in to take the test, then you just have to study for the test and become a certified diabetes educator. So I'm a certified diabetes educator as well.

I also went into the chapter in the health theory book. Everyone uses the health theory, but if you go past, like, chapter six, that you're not supposed to read, that they said, oh, this is where none of these theories were actually tested against each other. So none of them are really valid, and so I went to [INAUDIBLE] and said, what's the deal with this?

None of these theories actually work. We just sort of use them, and we use them to write grants. And so I think that's where the field is [INAUDIBLE] right now. It's sort of the chapter that you're not supposed to read as a student, but let's skip ahead once, when they start actually looking at that. [INAUDIBLE] actually work.

Why do you use that for smoking cessation? Why don't they use something else? And as they want to actually test the human health theory for a health intervention, and see which one actually works, and so in the medical field, they do that. They actually test to see if it works-- test against placebo, and so that's something that you can start doing in public [INAUDIBLE] as well.

PAULA: I think now it may be helpful to move into a little bit more of what you guys do now. So it may be interesting to talk about is-- I know some of you guys covered your job duties and [INAUDIBLE] so we're going to do PhD. But just some job duties, or something that surprised you about working in the public health field, but you didn't really see or notice until you actually had your foot in the door and [INAUDIBLE] work [INAUDIBLE]

DIANA: One of the things that I learned when I left the program is that homelessness isn't really talked about [INAUDIBLE] public health. Well, it is. I mean, I think it's pretty much agreed upon within the public health field that homelessness crisis, but one of the things that I realized in my program is that-- well, when I was here-- is that public health doesn't traditionally focus on that. We're more [INAUDIBLE] health, infectious diseases, what have you.

So I think that all of a sudden [INAUDIBLE] untraditional version of public health, but also public health is so important when you look at it and approach it. So I thought that was very interesting. Public health really brings a different lens to things, like I had mentioned a little bit earlier, and so it's something that I didn't imagine myself in, but it's also something that I really feel happy that I fell into, because [INAUDIBLE] and I think that people experiencing homelessness really do sometimes experience some of the things that we learned about [INAUDIBLE]

It's a little bit nontraditional, but it's still important and there's a lot of funding that's coming [INAUDIBLE] homelessness right now, so if you all are interested in it at all, there's a lot of positions within the [INAUDIBLE] care. And I think that it is a really unique opportunity to [INAUDIBLE] public health [INAUDIBLE]

And I think one of the projects that's been really interesting for me to be a part of, but also slightly heartbreaking is the citing of [INAUDIBLE] housing for people who are experiencing homelessness. [INAUDIBLE] traditionally [INAUDIBLE] has been kind of this leader, in really making sure that we're taking care of our homeless population and we're just trying to move people off the street. I think since 2011 to 2016 we decreased our homeless population by half, but now it's starting to go up a little. It's going up again.

So Pasadena's really looking at unique ways to address this. So one of the things that we tried doing was we just successfully passed the motel conversion [INAUDIBLE] What that means is that you can take motels or old hotels. We can partner with nonprofit developers. They can buy them [INAUDIBLE] really transform these into supportive housing for people who [INAUDIBLE]

And we decided a project in our community. We were really excited about it, and I was really excited about it. [INAUDIBLE] I've been in my role for four or five months now, and I got to experience it from when we first started it. And, I mean, now it's died, but it was a really exciting thing to be a part of. So we got to go out to the community and engage with them, which was a little bit shocking to me. I guess I was very naive.

We were confronted with a lot of people, a lot of police, that we like, we're not doing this here. And so I think that's been one of the most interesting things for me to really work on so far in my role, to kind of see the politics of things play out as well, which is like the policy nerd in me. It's really frustrating, but it's also motivates me to keep going, and this is something that we're really passionate about. These are changes that we're going to make.

And also-- I mentioned this earlier-- I get to really take this active role in writing our grants that we submit. So these [INAUDIBLE] grants were just submitted in September to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, so that's a federal funding source. [INAUDIBLE] state funding. We're getting a little over $1 million from the state right now in emergency homelessness funding.

And a couple other, like Measure H that was passed in 2017 for homeless services, so it's a really exciting time, because there's so much funding. I think the narrative around homelessness has changed a little bit. Before, it was like, we don't have enough funding, but now we have so much funding, and it's such a unique opportunity for public health to really come in and share our knowledge and really make a change. I don't know if I answered the question.

CHARLENE: So before I answer the question, I just want to make another note [INAUDIBLE] exam, so that's certified health education specialist exam. If you ever want to apply in county, it is a requirement now for the Department of Public Health, and [INAUDIBLE] notice a lot of other places [INAUDIBLE] you'll actually get [INAUDIBLE] to have the chance to do that. [INAUDIBLE]

So I really recommend if you are in the health education track, it's a very simple test. On your Master's, you will pass [INAUDIBLE] basically everything you've done over the last year and a half. So I really recommend that. Over-- I think it said over three years, you have to [INAUDIBLE] education units all sorts of platforms [INAUDIBLE]

But to answer the question, I think one of the things I learned very early on, as I've said, in my career is that public health is ever evolving, and we have to be as well. So what you are doing today is probably not exactly what you're going to be doing in 20 years in public health, and [INAUDIBLE] the trends.

I started off with food, nutrition, breastfeeding, [INAUDIBLE] and then I shifted into trauma informed care, [INAUDIBLE] stress on in utero and postmortem, and [INAUDIBLE] centered approaches for men and women, and all sorts of things. It just kind of grows, and you have to grow with it, so be prepared to kind of move along with it. One of the things [INAUDIBLE] right? So if you're in the agency that has soft money, you're going to also go along with whatever the project is that you're getting.

The other thing that I think which I found amazing was how collaborative public health is. So when I say public health, I mean it really could be anything. Collaborate [INAUDIBLE] all sorts of other Master's in Public Policy and all sorts of different avenues. So it's not just [INAUDIBLE] just really going with different we're really working other collaborations as well.

And there is a larger systems issue in the sense that we live in a county that's very populated, and ruled by these larger structures, and you'll notice there's a lot of micro people doing the work but it doesn't match at the macro. And what I mean is I can see that on the ground the grassroots work that's really working, but it doesn't [INAUDIBLE] things like hospice [INAUDIBLE] like that.

And it can get frustrating, but I think the thing to remember, especially in public health, [INAUDIBLE] to affect, is what are you doing that day to work with the-- for the community. I'm lucky because in my position, I also have patient contact, so I get to go into homes. I get to [INAUDIBLE] clinics-- so on and so forth. So there's a sense of conversation and hearing their stories.

And I think the other thing I was [INAUDIBLE] is that numbers don't always tell the right story or the full story, so remembering that there is a context for everything. There's a narrative that needs to be said, and it has to [INAUDIBLE] said [INAUDIBLE] help [INAUDIBLE] So don't just take things from face value. I do know [INAUDIBLE] figure out what [INAUDIBLE]

One of the things we do a lot of is-- especially in my work-- is a lot of things that we see are symptoms of a larger issue [INAUDIBLE] so doing their due diligence and the proper research, really jumping in there as well with working with clients that [INAUDIBLE] members can really provide integrity of care as well.

MARK: So one of the parts of my job is I'm still doing communications [INAUDIBLE] I do the clinic newsletter and there's a clinic website. I have some of these if anyone's interested in this. uscdiabetes.com is our website, and so we decided to brand our own website [INAUDIBLE] don't ask, don't tell. And we just sort of went out and bought the domain and put it up there, and so I'm in charge of the website, putting it up and-- the night I was putting together a flyer for a class on health insurance, and so we're starting [INAUDIBLE] class [INAUDIBLE]

So I was working at [INAUDIBLE] communication for that. So I'm still doing communication, and part of job is creating communications for the [INAUDIBLE] And what I'm talking about through the people that I interact with and so the studies that we're doing-- there's a foundation called the Helmsley Trust, and one of the trustees in the Helmsley Trust had a daughter who developed type 1 diabetes.

So they decided that that was going to be one of their missions, and so they fund a lot of diabetes research. And so they have this big registry, and a lot of the research trials that we do are done through the [INAUDIBLE] exchange for the network. And so it's a network about the [INAUDIBLE] top endocrinology practices in the country, so suddenly they want to put together a study, and they throw it out to the network. And then within a week, they have 20 sites spread across the country, and it's a really effective [INAUDIBLE] research.

They came up with this wonderful model to do disease research, and these trials are run by a group called Jaeb Center, and they they're in Tampa, Florida. And those people-- it's a mix of sort of MPH and PhD statisticians so there's the biostatisticians that are roaming around there. And then a lot of people that I interact with are MPH graduates, and so they get involved. They already have their public health degree, and so they get involved in managing clinical research.

And so that's sort of another career pathway for you. You can be at individual sites, or you can be at the coordinating center sort of managing and interacting with people [INAUDIBLE] The other thing that I do is sort of on the side is I get involved with advocacy work. And so I've helped out organize a diabetes prevention symposium and I started doing it when I was at the [INAUDIBLE] volunteer work at the [INAUDIBLE] public health department, and sort of-- they came on, and I took it over to sort of organize [INAUDIBLE]

And I've been enjoying that, and the public health department has [INAUDIBLE] big grants for the CDC to do that, and so I get involved in sort of helping with that conference. And then there's a couple of big diabetes groups. One is the American Diabetes Association, and one is JDRF, which used to stand for juvenile diabetes research, but it turns out that we're focused on type 1. And it turned out that old people get type 1 diabetes as well, so they changed their name to the JDRF.

And I get involved in doing congressional visits, and so I'm in the district of Karen Bass, so I've been in the office of Karen Bass three times to talk about diabetes. I've been with the ADA to [INAUDIBLE] Washington DC. They have an event called Call to Congress that we roam around the halls of Congress going to our representatives' offices or somebody else on the team lives in somebody else's district, and so we go to their offices, then to both of our US senators, and I've been to the office of Senator Feinstein recently as well.

So those are sort of the things that you do on a sort of a policy level of taking the knowledge that you have of the bigger picture and how government policy interact with sort of whatever you [INAUDIBLE] are [INAUDIBLE] issue you've taken on. So you can take some of that policy experience that you have [INAUDIBLE] up here and use it out in the real world.

ALMA: So I guess working at Pancreatic Cancer Action Network-- one thing that I've always known is that there is a lot of [INAUDIBLE] research. But I realized starting this [INAUDIBLE] job is that certain cancers don't have as much time as like pancreatic cancer. It's one of the deadliest cancers, and a lot of people are affected by it, but it is not on pharmaceutical companies' hierarchy lists.

You won't get funding. Even just last week, we had a lot of meetings with are most [INAUDIBLE] discussing how much it takes just to create a drug to treat pancreatic cancer, and it's in the range of about $2.5 billion, but these pharmaceutical companies won't do less. And [INAUDIBLE] treatment if they don't get to [INAUDIBLE]

Which is really sad, because it's such a deadly disease, but it is not everyone else's priority [INAUDIBLE] So I guess from my job, just realizing how important it is to [INAUDIBLE] to advocate for this disease and especially advocating on other people's behalf. A lot of these people that are going to [INAUDIBLE] can't advocate for themselves. They're so wrapped up just trying to get treated [INAUDIBLE]

Coming outside in the public health program, I learned-- I feel like I learned a lot in the classroom, but once you're put in the field, you kind of see how all of the pieces come together. So that's one thing that I would say to look forward to even during my practicum. There are a lot of classes [INAUDIBLE] all this information, but how can I apply it?

Once I got to India, and I saw, OK, there's a big gap between [INAUDIBLE] understanding was a problem in the community of women not understanding it's important to breastfeed. It's important for these children to receive breast milk just because of the high malnutrition, so I could understand where to fill in the gaps. So [INAUDIBLE] I realized after finishing my public health and [INAUDIBLE] insight into the people we support in the public health field.

VICTORIA: Mine is similar to that, and so this is what my experience was like. I'm coming straight from finishing my MPH to going to a doctoral program, but a lot of people who I talk to that did go straight from their MPH to looking for jobs-- one thing is definitely that the learning keeps on going. It's really when you start the job that, as Diana said, and how Alma said, you-- like Diana was-- she had never done grant writing before and then now, [INAUDIBLE]

So it's small things like that that maybe you did or you didn't get in the program, and now you have to kind of [INAUDIBLE] yourself, so just be aware that the learning never stops. And the [INAUDIBLE] field is always evolving and always changing, so try to be flexible with that.

But also another piece of advice that I [INAUDIBLE] before is don't expect your dream job right out of your Master's, which is really frustrating, because when you finish your Master's and you've already done undergrad and you're ready to get that job-- but be OK with getting something that maybe isn't exactly what you want.

But just apply to jobs that you'll get the skills that you need to get to where you want. So I think just always have that in the back of your mind that-- you know, go reach for the stars. Apply to those dream jobs that you want, but be OK with if you have to take different jobs to kind of step towards it, and just be flexible with that idea. And don't get down on yourself if it doesn't happen right away, or if it takes a little bit longer.

PAULA: And just to follow up on that question. We only have a few minutes left, but do you guys have any thoughts or recommendations on applying for fellowships versus taking a job once you graduate?

DIANA: Fellowships or PhD programs?

PAULA: No, fellowships. Fellowships, not PhD programs. [INAUDIBLE]

DIANA: Can you repeat the question?

PAULA: So applying for fellowships versus jobs. Yeah.

DIANA: I've really enjoyed working the fellowship. For me, it's a really unique opportunity to get my foot in the door and really experience a lot of different things, and it's nice. It's been a transition for me from going from graduating from my program into a fellowship field.

The people who oversee me understand [INAUDIBLE] still a learning experience, that this is something that is totally new for me, so it's not like-- I mean, I still have real goals and responsibilities, but it's a lot more flexible in the sense that I'm in this program because they understand that I'm someone-- I [INAUDIBLE] just graduated, and I'm new, and the purpose of this year is for me to work, and is to really get involved in all the ways that I can [INAUDIBLE] equip me with those skills that I'm going to need to get a job in the future. And also the purpose of this fellowship is to really set people up to get a job in the field after the fact.

And so the great thing about a fellowship is that I've been able to network like crazy, which-- I hated networking when I was in the program. I didn't understand LinkedIn. I didn't understand the point of it, and I just like-- talking to people made me feel really uncomfortable. [INAUDIBLE] be comfortable with being uncomfortable. So that's a great thing about a fellowship is that I'm really able to get networking experience [INAUDIBLE] the purpose of a fellowship is to set you up for a job [INAUDIBLE]

PAULA: Thank you everyone for all the information. I want I wrap up by saying they really gave you some very important information, and I'm not going to summarize all of it, but I just want to say one thing from each person, and how applicable it is in my profession. So I heard someone saying what you went to school for and got your MPH and what you were doing may not be what you will do in ten years.

I promise you, when I graduated in 2002, I was a lead epidemiologist at the Gay and Lesbian Center doing surveillance-- like, data, data, data. I then went to work for the National Cancer Institute, then USC. I mean, it's just been-- now I'm doing career services trying to build the public health workforce.

And it just-- it is it truly is. Don't get stuck in a corner. Don't narrow your niche, because you want to explore different opportunities, and the way you explore is by something else they said, which is make sure that you are able to see the opportunities. Go to the conferences. I'm going to look at NACCHO, because I learned that today.

And I want to do a shout out. We do have some spaces still available. It's a two hour drive to go to San Diego. We have our alumni [INAUDIBLE] students, and all of you are welcome to join us. It's on November 11 at 6:30 PM, and if you go to LinkedIn or any of the websites, you will see how you can RSVP for that. We do have still some space.

Everyone here, anybody going? [INAUDIBLE] Going to the mixer, see? They're going to the mixer.

MARK: It's on Saturday. [INAUDIBLE] going on on Saturday.

PAULA: It's on Sunday. It's on Sunday. Drive. Make the drive. Take the train. It's beautiful.

So do explore because you will be a lifetime learner with your MPH and subsequent degrees in public health. I also love hearing about theory. As an epidemiologist, we didn't get theory. We got methods. However, I did go to community health, and I was like, hey, can I do some electives here? Again, I heard some of you saying, take some electives.

So I did epi and took community health, which is kind of health promotion here, and I used theory. My last research study that I worked here at USC, we tested how telenovelas might be a more effective health communication method than a documentary, and we used theory. We used theory to set up the focus groups, set up the survey, and then we were analyzing the data. We were like, well, our main predictor is not predicting.

We went back to theory and we figured out, well, it's because this predictor has some proximal things that you need to look at. If you have some things that you need to look in the medical history. And some theory is important. If you have an option, think about it and you have an elective, theory is important.

And lastly, but not least, I think I encourage you to learn best practices when collaborating. I collaborate, collaborate, collaborate until I'm tired of collaborating. I currently collaborate on a nursing board for Governor Brown. I collaborate with my city on the parts of my commission. I collaborate with the association of schools and programs of public health. I collaborate with APHA. I'm going to be doing some of their career advising on Monday at APHA.

And of course, I collaborated here. I collaborated with [INAUDIBLE] today on this event. Learn the best ways that you collaborate. What are the ways that you can be an effective collaborator? And then make it happen. So I don't want to extend this longer, because I do want you to connect with some of our alumni.

We have some gifts for you, as you can tell, at the table here, so please-- I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I learned something from all of you today, and I hope the audience did too. Thank you for making the trek here. We really, really appreciate you. Thank you.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDS]

PAULA: And you are all welcome to network.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]