Q&A with Kaman Sandhu: Public Health, Affordable Housing & more 🏡

Welcome to the Invite Health newsletter. These newsletters will contain a roundup of student opportunities related to Canadian healthcare, including jobs, organizations, events, and more! We also highlight and interview students making an impact in Canadian healthcare. 💌

This week, I invited Kaman Sandhu to share her experiences in public health. Kaman is a recent Master’s of Public Health (MPH) graduate and shares tips for those interested in public health through her social media platforms and her newsletter. She currently works at an affordable housing organization to address housing as a public health issue. Read on to learn more about her experience!

Q&A with Kaman Sandhu, Master’s of Public Health (MPH) Graduate, Working at Affordable Housing Organization, and more 🏡

First off, tell us about yourself! What inspired you to enter your current field of study, where do you go to school, and what are your aspirations? What else do you like to do outside of studying? 

My name is Kaman (she/her) and I graduated from my Master of Public Health program from the University of Alberta in June 2022. I didn’t find public health, it found me. Originally when I began post-secondary I thought I was going to medical school, because that was the narrative that was fed to me since I was a kid, however, one microbiology lecture changed my life. We briefly touched on the topic of epidemiology and public health, and from there I would say my life changed. 

After learning about John Snow, cholera and his water pump I quickly began to go down the public health rabbit hole. I had heard of public health many times, but I realized no one really explained to me what that was and what that meant in terms of a career. I always assumed that if you wanted to work in healthcare you needed a much more technical job like becoming a medical professional, or that I needed to be studying diseases within the walls of a research lab. However, I was surprised to hear that public health encompassed so many of my different passions such as - policy development, program design, program evaluation, data analysis, systems thinking, cross collaboration work, etc. I just knew that this is where I needed to go, and after that microbiology class I changed the whole trajectory of my career. 

Since graduation I have been working with an affordable housing organization developing policies and doing organizational support. On top of that I started my public health consulting firm in 2022 with a close friend and colleague and we have found some success from the beginning! And last but not least, I create career/public health related content on Instagram (@kaman.mph), TikTok (same handle), and LinkedIn.

What experience are you going to highlight in this newsletter?

Following my MPH graduation, I was looking for new job opportunities in public health. Public health is a very broad field, and you can seriously go in one direction and find yourself completely somewhere else. I knew after graduation I wanted to pursue health policy, and I was open to honestly working anywhere. I applied to jobs at Tiktok, Public Health Agency of Canada, Government of Alberta and British Columbia, Canadian Institute of Health Research - literally anywhere where I could get a taste of policy. Where I landed is not where I expected to go, and honestly I am very thankful for this opportunity. Working at an affordable housing organization has been such a wonderful experience so far, and I feel like everyday I am learning lots and provided with a ton of opportunities to continue to grow as a health professional. 

You’re probably wondering “how does housing have anything to do with health?”. Health is a social determinant of health, and a social determinant of health is a factor that can influence a person’s overall health outcomes. I want you to think about how much having secure, safe, and affordable housing can do to one’s life. Not having a place where you call home can negatively impact someone’s overall health. If you are interested in learning more about that I recommend checking out this article. 

How did you come across this opportunity?

I came across this opportunity through a friend! I had been telling her for months how cool I thought it would be to work in affordable housing, but I didn’t think a job existed for me in our city. Lo and behold, in July of 2022 she shared the job posting with me and I applied and smashed the interview. 

When you are doing a job search I think it is so important to share with friends and family where you are hoping to go. You never know what opportunities will come knocking on your door.

What were some of the most notable highlights that you had from the experience? 

Since working at the affordable housing organization I have gained experience in the following areas:

• Supporting and developing the organizational 5-year strategic plan and 2023 operational plan

• Developing policy frameworks in engagement and accessibility 

• Developing the first tenant advisory committee 

• Supporting and mentoring students who are working with our organization for their student projects

Did this experience lead you to pursue any other related opportunities? 

Although I am not actively seeking new job opportunities at this time, I will say that I believe working in housing has already opened doors to new opportunities. Housing is such a dynamic field to get into, and it genuinely touches different parts of someone’s life. I am excited to see where I go from here. 

Where can students go if they want to learn more about this program?

If you want to connect with me to learn more about housing or anything else that I mentioned in this article, feel free to follow me on social media Instagram (@kaman.mph), Tiktok (@kaman.mph), LinkedIn (Kaman Sandhu). I also have a LinkedIn newsletter where I share a weekly article about getting into the field of public health!

Is there anything else that you would like to add for Invite Health readers?

The last thing I will mention is that if you are interested in pursuing healthcare, just know that there are a million and one different ways to get into it. You don’t have to follow a traditional route, in fact I encourage being creative and innovative. Carve your own path.

About Invite Health 💌

Invite Health is on a mission is to invite students to learn and participate in Canadian healthcare.

We write newsletters that feature a roundup of student opportunities (jobs, events, organizations, etc.) related to Canadian healthcare. We also interview students making an impact in Canadian healthcare.

More exciting things are coming soon, so stay tuned! 👀

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