The Public Health Workforce Is Not Okay: Lessons from the Public Health Frontline

The public health workforce is not okay. In this series of articles, I will share what it has been like on the public health frontline and how these experiences have changed me forever. I will share the lessons I have learned and what I want the people around me to know, both inside and outside of the public health sector. By sharing my perspectives in this series, I hope to start a conversation around rebuilding the public health workplaces of the future. These personal and vulnerable reflections are shared in a constructive spirit, with the motivation to start the dialogue for moving ahead.

Dr. Katie Schenk is an infectious disease epidemiologist and public health informatics specialist. She has been working on the public health frontline for governmental Health Departments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, Dr. Schenk is serving as a member of the US Medical Reserve Corps at COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites. She teaches Public Health and Global Health at American University in Washington DC and George Mason University, VA. Previously, Dr. Schenk led a portfolio of social and behavioral research studies on children and families impacted by HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa at the Population Council. Visit her website: https://kdspublichealth.com/about-dr-katie-schenk/ Follow her on Twitter: @skibird613 and LinkedIn: dr-katie-schenk-4a884b84

Read all columns in this series: