Combining PA school with public health training: Perspectives from a career as a PA MPH

Combining PA school with public health training: Perspectives from a career as a PA MPH

by | Jun 20, 2021 | Uncategorized

Get Started Today  Call: 888-839-9997 e-mail: [email protected] 20 Minutes Free Consultation Alyson Rockhold PA-C, MPH I stood in the Museum of Modern Art, mesmerized by Monet’s water lilies. I leaned in to inspect the precision and artfulness of each tiny brushstroke, then I stepped back to appreciate the beauty of all of those small spots of color working in unison. I moved closer and then farther away, unsure which view I found more inspiring. As I swayed back and forth, it hit me: This is why I got a dual degree in both physician assistant (PA) studies and a master’s of public health (MPH). As a PA, I deal with disease one person at a time. Like the brushstrokes, each individual is important and deserves close inspection and thoughtful placement. Public health gives a wider perspective; letting me evaluate health on a larger scale and plan interventions that improve the health of entire communities! And so my career has been a dance between leaning in to treat patients one-on-one in an exam room and then stepping back to evaluate the problem on a bigger scale. I loved how these two degree plans were woven together in my dual degree program. In the morning, I leaned in to learn physical exam techniques, diagnosis, and treatment plans for diabetes and hypertension. Then, in the afternoon, I stepped back to study interventions that target the obesity epidemic, a root cause of those same disease states. In the 10 years since I graduated with my double master’s, I have reaped the benefit of their combination time and time again. When I’ve interviewed for...