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What are some resources to support students who want to pursue something in the medical or public health sphere?
Specifically, resources supporting Latinx, low income, first gen (specifically WOC), and LGBTQI+ identifying students?
#JULY20 @ #public-health #LGBTQI #medicine #firstgenerationcollegestudent
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Lisa’s Answer
There are A LOT of resources related to medicine and public health out there. I will share a few that I have found helpful.
If you are interested in medicine and public health but not exactly sure what career you want to pursue, explorehealthcareers.org is a great place to get started. I especially like the “find your fit” feature linked on the homepage that allows you to filter a bunch of career profiles by required education and salary.
Another great site is EduMed. They have resources specifically geared towards college students, and I have worked with a number of first-gen students who have found the content helpful because it is really comprehensive.
From an LGBTQ+ perspective, I think that Northwestern University has a really great collection of resources for pre-med students who identify as LGBTQ+. You can access it here: https://www.northwestern.edu/health-professions-advising/lgbtq-pre-med/index.html
And lastly, professional associations are great places to find info as well. They usually have career advice on their websites, groups you can be a part of, and sometimes even internship or job listings. Here are a few specific ones you might be interested in: National Hispanic Medical Association, GLMA (Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality), and the American Public Health Association, which has caucuses for specific identities.
Take a look at explore health careers.org to help narrow down your list of career options.
Read through EduMed for information about how to achieve a career in healthcare.
Find professional associations that match your interests and identities.
Find a mentor (or a few) who are willing to help you through this process. If you don’t have anyone in your personal circle, LinkedIn is also a great option!
If you are interested in medicine and public health but not exactly sure what career you want to pursue, explorehealthcareers.org is a great place to get started. I especially like the “find your fit” feature linked on the homepage that allows you to filter a bunch of career profiles by required education and salary.
Another great site is EduMed. They have resources specifically geared towards college students, and I have worked with a number of first-gen students who have found the content helpful because it is really comprehensive.
From an LGBTQ+ perspective, I think that Northwestern University has a really great collection of resources for pre-med students who identify as LGBTQ+. You can access it here: https://www.northwestern.edu/health-professions-advising/lgbtq-pre-med/index.html
And lastly, professional associations are great places to find info as well. They usually have career advice on their websites, groups you can be a part of, and sometimes even internship or job listings. Here are a few specific ones you might be interested in: National Hispanic Medical Association, GLMA (Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality), and the American Public Health Association, which has caucuses for specific identities.
Lisa recommends the following next steps:
Lisa, THANK YOU. I really appreciate you taking the time to write out what steps I should take to pursue a career in the medical/public health sphere. I especially loved how you took the time to outline some resources and dove into what I should focus on. Mil gracias! I can't wait to get started.
With immense gratitude,
Itzel
Itzel
Updated
Elena’s Answer
Dear Itzel! I am not quite sure where you are right now in terms of your education and/or career. If you are just starting out, I would advise to reach out to local community health or social assistance nonprofits and see if they have any volunteer opportunities. This would give you a chance to have a glimpse into what they do. You may also want to look into local community colleges, they may have more accessible and affordable programs that can help you start out on a medical or public health path. You can earn college credits and transfer them to a four-year college. Explore scholarships, don't ignore small ones, they can all help!
Updated
Deborah D.’s Answer
I suggest you reach out to organizations that serve populations. of interest.
https://www.lhcf.org - Community Health Organization
https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/Default.aspx - The Office of Minority Health
https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/index.htm - LBGT
Not quite sure exactly what you need, but hope this helps.
https://www.lhcf.org - Community Health Organization
https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/Default.aspx - The Office of Minority Health
https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/index.htm - LBGT
Not quite sure exactly what you need, but hope this helps.
This was incredibly helpful Deborah, thank you so much for sharing these resources. I'll go ahead and check them out and hopefully get involved soon. I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my question.
With gratitude,
Itzel
Itzel