Tulane’s #CEMCH caught up with SPHTM MCH alum, Kara Hoffman, MPH, for today’s #CEMCHSpotlight.
Kara is a Community Health Organizer for the Montefiore School Health Program (MSHP) in the Bronx in New York City. Montefiore established the first and oldest school-based health center model in the country, and has a goal to provide comprehensive, whole-person care to school-aged youth from inside of the schools. Her role on the team is to do community outreach, health education, and policy and programmatic work to benefit the entire school community – primarily the students though. Immediately before to this position, Kara worked at the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department in Tacoma, WA on a health systems transformation policy writing project. And before that—immediately following graduation— she took a grant-funded position as the MCH Regional Education Coordinator (aka Zika/Syphilis Health Educator) for the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey.
Kara recognizes her experience in the MCH program as the main contributor for her current career path. For Kara, her time in the CEMCH program completely shaped her future career trajectory in more ways than she even realized at the time. Prior to starting the CEMCH program, she had full intentions on beginning nursing school immediately upon completing her MPH. Tasks assigned as a Scholar, like interviewing professionals in the field or shadowing at different types of places—some of which I thought were unnecessary at the beginning—actually proved to be the most beneficial in the long term. She gained exposure to the ‘other side’ of health care, learning about health policy and systems as well as what other roles need filled in the world of healthcare. Shokufeh and the CEMCH team worked with her to help find more healthcare-specific opportunities, to cater to her passion and direction within the broader field. Other tasks, like the 5-year plan, required Kara to take time to regularly critically evaluate why she wanted to pursue her goals, which helped to make her goals tangible and really focused. Although she has received feedback from a number of healthcare providers who have told her that she “did it wrong” by getting her MPH before any type of clinical degree, she is happy with her decision. Looking at MCH from a public health perspective has changed everything about the way she plans to one day provide care. Experiences afforded by the CEMCH allowed her to see the possibilities of what a career in MCH could look like for me. Her experience also gave Kara the support she needed to feel like she could accomplish her long-term goals, regardless of her first job as a graduate. She still plans to pursue her DNP over the coming years, but from a perspective guided by her public health background.
Advice
A piece of advice Kara has for prospective or current students on being successful in the MCH program is to take advantage of every single opportunity you are given. Every opportunity is worth a chance because you never know what path your life will take. For example, Kara sat through a Past The Degree talk, which she thought would never apply to her. As life would have it, she found out a month and a half before her first job post-grad ended that it lost funding. She credits that Past The Degree seminar as the reason for her reassurance and confidence in that uncertain time. Even if you think things may not apply or be of interest, give it a shot! You’re in a space right now where opportunities are being presented to you without you even having to look for them. Once you graduate these things will not be as easily available, so don’t take them for granted.
Kara recommends recent graduates take (well calculated) risks. Yes, the job market is intense and scary in a lot of ways, but that doesn’t mean you have to play by the rules. Apply for positions where you do not meet all of the requirements. Stand up for yourself to your potential or current employer – advocate for a raise, promotion, or new position. Create opportunities for yourself. Don’t wonder “what if?” forever – just go for it! A month and a half into her current position she scheduled a meeting with the Director of the School Health Program. Although she was still on probation, she took the initiative to discuss her potential for promotion. Taking the initiative has paid off and started a cascade of events that lead to positive work-related changes. Her ultimate advice is to take risks with the understanding that public health is flexible and ever-changing. Your whole plan may fall apart anyways, but it’ll all be okay.
If you would like to be featured as a Tulane’s SPHTM MCH alum #CEMCHSpotlight, please email us at tulanemchstudents@gmail.com.
