Finding Global Health Positions Through Invite Health

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Message from Sachi

Hi friends,

I took a bit of a longer break from posting on Invite Health than I expected to. The past few weeks have been packed socially and academically: I went to the International Social Prescribing Conference in London, went punting with my MSc classmates, and started my 3rd MSc module (class): Health Organisations & Policy. Looking forward, I also have dissertation deadlines, assignments, and a presentation for high school students I’m preparing- so busy bee 🐝 I am endlessly grateful for all the learning opportunities around me - both in places in and in people.

Today’s newsletter is extra special to me because I got to interview someone who found a position through Invite Health! We’ve come a long way 🥰 

This week, I invited Anoushka Jere to share her story. Anoushka is an MPH student at the University of Alberta, and she’s a long-time Invite Health reader. I connected with Anoushka after seeing her response on the Invite Health feedback form, where she mentioned that she landed a position through reading Invite Health! Now she has shared her story here! Today you’ll learn:

• How Anoushka landed a volunteer position at Evidence Aid after reading an Invite Health interview

• Tips & resources for students who want to break into public health

• Anoushka’s various practicum placements (paid & unpaid), case competitions, and volunteer experiences - and how these shaped her decision to pursue public health

Enjoy today’s read,

Sachi 💌 

Finding Global Health Positions Through Invite Health: Interview with Anoushka Jere

First off, tell us about your journey so far. Where do you study, what inspired you to pursue this, and what’s next? What else do you like to do outside of studying?

Hi there! I’m Anoushka (she/her). I’ve been reading Invite Health since it started, and it's played an important role in helping me search for opportunities in healthcare and learn more about different careers. That’s why I’m excited to contribute to this month’s newsletter!

I did my undergrad in Community Rehabilitation at the University of Calgary and now I’m a second-year Master of Public Health (MPH) student at the University of Alberta, specializing in Health Policy and Management. My journey to public health was not straightforward; when I started my undergrad, I was interested in rehabilitation sciences and saw myself going to grad school to become a speech-language pathologist (SLP) or a physiotherapist. However, I noticed a major shift in my perspective and goals after taking a sociology of health and illness class in my second year. The course introduced me to key public health ideas, like Irving Zola’s River analogy.

The image above illustrates how healthcare often focuses on addressing immediate problems, like rescuing people who have fallen into a river, instead of investigating why people are falling into the river in the first place. This analogy made me realize that healthcare is more than just treating illnesses—it’s about understanding the bigger picture and the underlying issues that affect health. This realization was my catalyst for pursuing an MPH, as I believed it would provide me with the skill set and opportunities to understand health issues from a broader perspective.

Currently, I’m completing my paid practicum, at the University's Health Technology and Policy Unit. This unit specializes in health technology assessment (HTA), which involves gathering evidence and knowledge to support decision-making regarding the uptake of new health technologies, devices, programs, or interventions. During an HTA, evidence is gathered to address questions related to safety, effectiveness, affordability, and the various implications of introducing technology.  In Canada, HTA units are located in provincial organizations, hospitals, and academia. For students interested in gaining experience in this area, here is a list of HTA units.  

Apart from practicum and school, I enjoy trying out new restaurants and reading books whenever I can. For Invite Health readers who enjoy reading, I recommend "The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig. The book delves into the idea of how every decision we make can lead to vastly different life paths.

Can you tell us about some of your recent experiences at Evidence Aid? You mentioned that you found this position through Invite Health!

Jenny Hu’s interview with Invite Health introduced me to Evidence Aid, a UK-based non-profit organization that saves lives and livelihoods by providing decision-makers with timely evidence. 

I was interested in Evidence Aids work because, in one of my first MPH courses, I was working with a group of students to create a response plan to save a fictitious community from a flood. We struggled to find relevant documents and resources to develop our response plan. While the purpose of this exercise was to teach us how to respond to a public health crisis in real time, it left me pondering, "How do governments obtain timely information to inform disaster response?"; Evidence Aid was actually developed because there is a need for systematic review and evidence during disasters and crises. This is why I reached out to Evidence Aid about a volunteer or internship opportunity. 

As for actually reaching out, I visited the Evidence Aid website and went to the Join Us page. The volunteer and internship section lists expectations and ways to get involved, and it also includes the email address of Claire Allen, the operations director for Evidence Aid. I sent a cold email to Claire, introducing myself, expressing my interest, and briefly summarizing how my past experiences could support the team. I also attached my resume to give a sense of my background and skills. I received a quick response from Claire, and we discussed details over email, such as the hours I could commit. Whether you choose to do an internship or volunteer, both opportunities are unpaid, with the main difference being that the volunteer role is less formalized. But Claire does a great job of guiding students towards opportunities that best meet their needs.

During my time at Evidence Aid, I worked as a project team intern and supported the team in developing the WHO Health Emergencies and Disaster Risk Management (EDRM) knowledge hub. This online resource supports research, policy, and practice in Health EDRM. I created various learning materials, including presentations, webinars, and podcasts, utilizing the WHO research methods for the Health EDRM document. Engaging with these materials allowed me to learn new concepts related to health EDRM through case studies and understand how public health principles apply to emergencies and crises.

Through this experience, I came to appreciate the broad and intersectional nature of emergency disaster response. For readers interested in this topic, I highly recommend exploring  Evidence Aid's database. Looking back, I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the field of Health EDRM, and it taught me the importance of using different modalities to communicate information effectively.

Tell us about your experience as a MPH student at the University of Alberta.

For grad school, I moved from Calgary to Edmonton, where I didn’t know many people. But the way the MPH program is set up you form strong friendships with people in your cohort through group work, which made my move to Edmonton easier. 

The University of Alberta's MPH program is a  2-year program. When I applied, students were required to choose a specialization such as epidemiology, food safety, global health, etc., at the time of application. I decided to specialize in Health Policy and Management because I was interested in how policy and management impact health service delivery. During the program’s first year, students complete foundational public health courses that cover topics such as ethical dilemmas, project management, and research methods. Additionally, students can begin taking courses related to their specialization in their first year, which continues into the second year. As a Health Policy and Management major, my courses included health law, policy development, finance, and economics. Apart from the foundational and specialization courses, I also had the opportunity to take elective courses in technology assessment for healthcare and climate change, which helped to broaden my understanding of public health issues.

The MPH program also offers experiential learning opportunities that count towards degree credits. In some courses, students are paired with organizations to work on a problem or project proposed by the organization. I have had the chance to work on projects for the Sage Seniors Association and the Government of Alberta as a student consultant.  Additionally, students also complete a 400-hour field practicum in their final year, which can be paid or unpaid.

The applications for the MPH program open in October and close in February. The required documents are listed on this website. After the supplementary documents are submitted, applicants can expect to hear back from the program starting  March onwards. In 2023, the MPH program transitioned from specialization streams to a general MPH program, but students can still take elective courses in various areas as described earlier. Additionally, the program also has  Graduate Embedded Certificates (GECs). These certificates allow students to further specialize and gain training in specific public health areas such as climate change, global health, health economics, and more. Many people in my cohort completed GECs to delve deeper into particular subject areas and develop specialized skills.

Apart from applying to the University of Alberta for grad school, I also applied to the MPH programs at Columbia University and the University of Ottawa. The application process for these programs was similar to that of the University of Alberta, though the word count for the statement of purpose does vary. I recommend perfecting your statement of purpose to ensure it effectively captures your intentions and aligns with the specific requirements of each program.

What types of experiential learning opportunities did you have in undergrad that you think were the most pivotal in getting you to where you are today?

My bachelor’s degree in Community Rehabilitation played a crucial role in helping me find experiential learning opportunities. The program requires students to complete 3-4 practicum placements throughout the degree, which helped me discover my interests in policy and service delivery.  

In my first year, I completed a placement at Bow View Manor with their Opening Minds through Art (OMA) program. OMA is a well-known intergenerational art program where volunteers are paired with people living with dementia, referred to as “artists.” The volunteers engage with these artists and provide support to develop their art pieces. At the time, I was keen on this placement because I wanted to go to grad school to become a speech-language pathologist or physiotherapist, so getting involved in recreation therapy seemed like a good idea to gain experience. I didn’t realize it would also become one of my reasons for pursuing public health. Through the OMA program and my involvement in recreation therapy, I recognized that incorporating autonomy, intentionality, and flexibility in recreation programs has a positive impact on the well-being of older adults. As I engaged with policy and research, I realized I wanted to see these components incorporated into these processes so that people accessing healthcare services would be supported and represented in the decisions being made. 

Before my second year, I never saw myself getting involved in research because it seemed elusive and complex. However, I chose to complete a practicum placement that allowed me to engage in research because I wanted to capture people's lived experiences in a manner that could drive change. I felt that qualitative research could be the right outlet for this. The first research project I was involved in was with  Dr. Joanna Rankin, where I worked with the team to analyze equity, diversity, and inclusion in institutional messaging. Through this process, I gained an understanding of university messaging and how university experiences differ for non-traditional students (people who pursue higher education later in life or even international students). I also realized how time-consuming yet rewarding data analysis can be. What I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to delve deeply into a topic and gather extensive information, which is one of the reasons I find research so fulfilling. The last research placement I completed as part of my undergrad was on a research project with Dr. Rankin and Dr. Tiffany Boulton. This project involved reviewing mental health service policies and literature to justify the need for doulas as mental health support, which has now turned into a project (here is the link). Overall, I learned how mental health services are delivered, but also the challenges that exist in service delivery.

While the practicum opportunities I described above were unpaid, they were incredibly beneficial in helping me discover my interests, ultimately leading me to public health. The qualitative research skills I developed—such as framing questions, extracting and interpreting data, and building rapport—are transferable skills that can be applied in various contexts, and I rely on them in public health. I also want to acknowledge that these opportunities would not have been possible without Patti Desjardine, the program’s practicum coordinator, who takes students' interests into account when coordinating placements.

Apart from these opportunities, I completed half my degree during the pandemic; at the time there were a lot of experiential opportunities that students could complete online. One opportunity I participated in was the YYC global community challenge. While the competition is unpaid, students from around the world are placed in teams to solve a problem a local non-profit is facing. Through this competition, I learned valuable skills such as group work, consultation, collaboration, planning, implementation, and marketing, which prepared me for grad school coursework which involves working with community partners. The Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University also runs a similar competition for evaluation where members of the winning team get $1000. So, these challenges are a great way to develop skills for grad school. 

Looking back on my undergraduate experience, I realize it was a sandbox—a safe space where I could explore various opportunities and truly discover my interests. I don’t think I would be where I am today without the opportunities I had.

What advice do you have for students (especially high school + undergrads) who want to pursue public health, and get public health work experience, even if they don’t have any experience yet?

Public health is an interdisciplinary field with many sub-fields, so educating yourself about the field is crucial. This helps you decide which opportunities to explore and how your existing experiences align with public health. Here are some resources to help you start learning about public health:

1. Sujani Siva's PH spot podcast. She interviews people who work in different areas of public health. 

2. KKF Health News focuses on topics related to Health Policy. 

3. TIL Climate is a great podcast about climate change. 

4. C.D. Howe Institute publishes information related to health policy and economics. 

5. The National Collaborating Centers are also a great source of information related to different areas of public health. There are six centers each focusing on different areas of public health. These centers publish reports, podcasts, and other resources. I highly recommend checking them out.

Apart from this, I recommend getting involved with campus clubs, volunteering, and reaching out to career services or an advisor to better understand the types of opportunities available.

Where can students go if they want to learn more about your experiences?

If you have any questions about public health or any of the information I’ve mentioned, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn. I also recommend checking out the links mentioned above.

Is there any final advice or resources that you would like to share with Invite Health readers?

Readers who have been following this newsletter for a while have likely realized that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to building a career in healthcare. The advice I have found helpful is: First, trust your instincts and pursue opportunities that interest you. Second, don’t say no to an opportunity—you never know where it might lead you.

To close off this interview I would like to leave readers with this image of progress. It's from an Instagram artist that I like to follow and  it reminds me not to work too hard. Lastly, I wish Invite Heath readers the best in their future endeavours!

Jobs, Opportunities & Resources 💻️ 

Most of these resources are reposted on Invite Health’s LinkedIn page

• Youth Climate Justice Fund (submittable.com)

• Empowering Diverse Talent (hiringplatform.ca) (paid)

• knowledge translation, communications, and evidence-informed public health leadership – TeachEpi

• Education Jobs Curation (paid)

• Ontario Health Jobs Curation (paid)

• The I.D.E.A.L Scholarship - BioTalent Canada 

• Epidemiologist at Upstream Lab (inforcloudsuite.com) (paid)

• The best advice for applying to grad school

• Manufacturing Research Assistant Co-op (Paid)

• Ellison Scholars - Ellison Institute of Technology (eit.org) 

• MDplus Community 

About Invite Health 💌 

I started Invite Health for my younger self who was trying to figure out what to do with my health sci degree that wasn’t a career in medicine.

Today, I’d say this quote is the primary reason I continue to build Invite Health:

The mission of Invite Health is to close this talent-opportunity gap for students in the life and health sciences.

Since 2022, we’re the leading resource for students figuring out what to do with a life sci / health sci degree. I interview students pursuing diverse careers in healthcare, and how they got there - no gatekeeping here. Every newsletter is rich with resources and insights.

Our main channel is this newsletter, and I occasionally share resources on social media (LinkedIn and Instagram).

You can read more about why I built Invite Health here

Get the most out of Invite Health 🫶

1. Connect with the interviewees: At the end of every newsletter, the interviewees leave their contact information for you to contact them. In your message, mention that you learned about their journey through Invite Health, and that you’re curious to learn more!

2. Share the word: Share Invite Health with your friends and networks. Start a conversation about something you learned- an opportunity, a piece of advice, or a recommendation that an interviewee made.

3. Bet on yourself: Apply to the opportunities that are shared in the newsletters. You have nothing to lose, and so much to gain. Circling back to point #1 - always reach out to the interviewees if you want advice!

You 🤝 Invite Health

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Free Links & Resources 🫰 

• Applying to Grad Schools Notion Guide by Sachi

• 15 Paid Summer Research Programs in Canada

• Paid Summer Programs in Research, Policy, Tech, etc.

Made with 💝 & 🍵 by Sachi