This week I officially graduated from the Mailman School of Public Health (eek!) and to say that it feels surreal to have the letters “MPH” after my name would be an understatement. While it sounds cliché, I have learned so much more in the past two years than just social determinants of health, STATA coding, and cost-effectiveness clinical decision trees. Part of the reason that I chose Columbia was so that I could have the opportunity to live in New York City for a couple years and experience life in a different way than I ever had before. That plan certainly did not backfire. I have done so much growth in the past two years: some academic, some personal, and all uncomfortable but all for the best. For the purposes of this post, I will stick to the mostly academic lessons and reflect on the five things I wish I had known before I started my MPH program. And in case you prefer videos, check out my YouTube video on the same topic:
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#1 You Deserve to be There
In any Master’s program, you will be among the best of the best. Everyone has amazing past experiences that have gotten them into grad school and hearing all of those from your classmates and peers sometimes had me feeling like I am not exactly my peers’ peer. As I made friends at Mailman, I constantly heard about all the exotic mission trips taken and collegiate social movements and fancy Ivy League undergrad pedigrees. I started to feel my high fade. My “Oh my God I got into Columbia” sense of accomplishment started to feel fake. When people congratulated me, I would brush it off. Whether that’s a product of society telling women they can’t “brag” about themselves or something else, I have slowly tried to retrain my brain to remind myself that if everyone else got in because of their amazing activities, my activities must also have been pretty great. It sounds cheesy but one of the main things I wish I had known before was that I earned my spot. Just like everyone else.
#2 Grad School has No Mercy
For those master’s programs that can serve as a terminal degree, in the faculty members’ eyes you have already made it. Therefore, if you plan on attending further education after your master’s and are worried about grades and such, some faculty members will respond with “It’s all fine, you’re going to pass” because to them, your master’s degree can get you a career so all that matters is if you pass. In undergrad, some people are more sympathetic to your hopes and dreams but once you’re in grad school, you already did it regardless of if your “it” goes beyond where you are currently. With that in mind, I guess I wish that I had taken grad school a smidge more seriously (especially my epi classes).
#3 Once You’re In, You’re In
Contrary to everything I just said, the professors really are there to help you. During my two years at Mailman, I have had the opportunity to work with three different professors on research projects (that compared to my one research mentor over five years of undergrad). The pool of students grows ever smaller the higher up you go in formal education and it becomes a little easier to find mentors willing to include you in their projects. As a grad student, you are viewed as closer to “on the same level” as the faculty and they are much more willing to let you have solo research projects and take you under their wings.
#4 Public Health is So Much More Than You Imagined
I came into my MPH with a background in behavioral health research and I thought that was what I wanted to continue on with. Then I discovered the world of advocacy and switched over to health policy but during my time at Mailman, I realized that it goes beyond your choice in department. People often ask me “I want an MPH but what can I do with it?” This is a little backward because you can do almost anything health-related with an MPH so if you are passionate about public health the real question should be “How can I use this degree that I love to do something that I love?” An MPH can open so many doors for you and while your specialization might be important, it is not the most important thing. Most jobs will see that you have an MPH and skim over the rest so make sure you are choosing classes and concentrations that you are passionate about (I know, I know, another cliché statement).
#5 These Friends Will Be Some of Your Closest
On a final, short, sweet, and sappy note, I never could have imagined how the people I met would have changed my life. In two short years, we have all survived the battlefield that is grad school together and it is a uniquely bonding experience. My life looks so different now on my graduation week than I ever would have pictured it and the true friends that I made along the way have supported me in every step.
I hope that this might be at least slightly useful for all the perspective MPH students out there! Congrats and always feel free to message me on Instagram if you have any further questions about pursuing an MPH and be sure to watch my graduation video too!
