Q&A with Christine Podolak from Binghamton’s Master of Public Health program

BingUNews recently sat down with Christine Podolak, field placement coordinator and instructor in Binghamton University’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program, to find out more about her and this newish program, which launched in 2017.

Let’s start off with the basics. What is public health?

Simply put, public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of families and communities.

Most public-health efforts focus on the promotion of healthy lifestyles and the prevention of disease and injury. Public-health interventions focus on populations as a whole, whether it be a neighborhood, a specific age group or those with a particular disease. Some public-health initiatives you might see in your own community would be school-based health programs, community gardens, clean water and air regulations, access to transportation and healthy foods, and free vaccination programs.

Our MPH program provides students with a broad range of public-health knowledge and skills, as well as more focused study in the area of population/global health.

What type of careers are available in public health?

There are a lot! Public-health professionals may be employed in governmental agencies such as national, state or local health-related agencies or nongovernmental agencies such as nonprofit organizations. They may also work in nonhealth-related sectors such as transportation, housing and urban planning. There are also careers specific to special interests such as disaster response, community health, maternal and child health, global health and health disparities.

Our complete admissions requirements are on our website, but applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree or be within one academic year of earning a bachelor’s degree. Admissions are on a rolling basis, but we recommend applying no later than March 1. Also, we don’t require GRE test scores, but we’ll review and consider them if they’re submitted as part of the application file.

Yvonne Johnston, the MPH program director, and I are here to answer any questions prospective students may have!

How many credits is the program and what is the curriculum like?

It’s a 48-credit program; it can be done full-time or part-time. The curriculum includes a foundation course for role development and socialization in public health, plus five core courses: Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health, Biostatistics, Environmental Health, Epidemiology and Health Policy. We require a course in applied epidemiology that uses a case-based approach to integrate all the core disciplines, as well as a sequence of three experiential public-health courses that engage students in interprofessional learning. Students must also complete an internship practicum and a capstone project.

Can you explain the internship practicum and capstone project requirement?

Students must complete 9 MPH internship practicum and capstone project credits, which equate to 540 hours of practical field experience — 1 credit hour represents four hours per week or 60 hours per semester. The capstone is completed as part of the internship practicum, with 180 hours out of the 540 hours dedicated to the capstone project.

Where are students placed for their internships?

The MPH program works closely with agencies in the local community that have agreed to host our students. During the students’ first few semesters, we gather information from them regarding their public-health interests and career goals. Then, we use that information to align student field placement within an agency where they can get the most out of their field experience by applying learned skills. We’ll also work with students regarding field placement opportunities outside the Binghamton area, if that’s what the student wants.

Is there an accelerated MPH program?

No, but we’re interested in exploring this option in the future.

Does the program accept international student applications?

Noncitizens in the United States in visa classifications that allow for full-time study “incidental to status” may apply. However, we aren’t able to support enrollment of students on J1 visas.

No. Binghamton’s MPH program isn’t accredited by CEPH [the Council on Education for Public Health] because it’s a new program and doesn’t yet meet the requirement of having graduated a student cohort. We intend to apply for CEPH accreditation as soon as we’re able to do so.

What is your educational background?

I always knew I wanted to build a career in health, but I didn’t know where to focus my efforts. What I did know was that I wanted to make a difference in the world on a wider scale. With that in mind, I completed a bachelor of science degree in health sciences. I also received a master of science degree in community health. My student research focused on low-income African-American women’s perceptions regarding the risks of sexually transmitted infections.

What type of work experience did you have before coming to Binghamton?

My first experience following graduation [for my BS] was working with youth in a nonprofit human-service agency. Most of the youth were victims of child maltreatment, poverty and trauma. I became more knowledgeable about child maltreatment, mental-health disorders, vulnerable populations and how to educate and interact with at-risk youth.

Then, I was offered an opportunity to receive a certification in professional medical coding, which led to a career in healthcare reimbursement at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse [N.Y.]. I was exposed to healthcare costs, medical-insurance coverage and access-to-care inequities and I became mindful of how difficult it can be for a patient to navigate the healthcare system.

Once I got my master’s degree, I accepted a position as a clinical research coordinator, which gave me the opportunity to learn about and become involved in human-subject research. I coordinated research for exercise-induced hyponatremia, diabetic and nondiabetic wound-care treatment, opioid overdose prevention and a clinical trial for allergic reactions. As a clinical research coordinator, it was critical to collaborate and create partnerships with multiple stakeholders.

Why did you decide to join the new MPH program?

My background in the healthcare industry, education in public health and personal life experiences guided me to Binghamton’s MPH program. I discovered throughout my career and education that I have a passion for mentoring and teaching. I also enjoy learning new skills and being challenged academically. So, a career where I have the opportunity to mentor students in achieving their own academic and career goals through a structured learning environment, including engaging them in experiential public-health initiatives, is the perfect fit for me!

Can you explain your dual responsibilities as field placement coordinator and instructor?

Part of my role is to coordinate field placements for our students and to monitor their progress throughout their internships. Another part is to instruct experiential public-health education. I teach a sequence of three courses: Experiential Public Health I, II and III, where students are exposed to real-life public-health initiatives through didactic learning on campus and in the local community, and provided interprofessional experiences with students in nursing, social work and pharmacy. For both these roles, I collaborate with community agencies and on-campus programs to build relationships and create educational experiences for our MPH students.

What do you enjoy about working with the students?

I see my role as a positive mentor for students who are at the beginning of their careers or in the midst of changing their careers. What better career than to support the education, career, hopes and dreams of future public-health educators, policy developers, community-health professionals and leaders of tomorrow?