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:
- 16. Jumping Through Hoops: Some Qualitative Reflections on the Job Search
- 15. Haunted House: The Unacceptable Practice of Ghosting
- 14. Déjà-vu and Data Viz: The Job Application Process
- 13. How Much Will You Get Out of Bed For?
- 12. What Does Job Security Mean in Public Health?
- 11. It’s Not You, It’s Public Health
- 10. Rebuilding the Public Health Workforce: A Summary That Wants to Be a Manifesto
- 9. Unity, Community, Immunity, Opportunity: Lessons Learned from Writing About Public Health
- 8. What Actually Works? Careers Advice in Public Health, Part 2
- 7. Using LinkedIn to Your Advantage: Careers Advice in Public Health, Part 1
- 6. It’s a Jungle Out There: Power Balance and Job Applications in Public Health
- 5. Atrophy and Adjunctification: Changes in Public Health Employment Opportunities
- 4. Advice for Building a Career in Public Health — Does Any of It Really Work Anymore?
- 3. Mental Health and Wellbeing Among Public Health Professionals
- 2. Public Health Workspaces
- 1. The Public Health Workforce Is Not Okay: Lessons from the Public Health Frontline