To prepare for domestic and international career opportunities in public health, all MSPH in Health Education and Health Communication students participate in a full-time field placement for least six months.
In his HBS Field Placement Journal, recent MSPH graduate, Christian Ventura, reflects on his field placement experience as a public health research fellow with the Baltimore City Fire Department.
Anticipated graduation date: December 2023
Adviser: Susan Hannum, PhD
Field placement organization name: Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD)
Field placement role: Public health research fellow
Why did you choose your field placement experience?
After serving four years as an advanced EMT and EMS instructor, I knew I wanted to pursue a placement opportunity where I could apply my public health training to impact emergency prehospital care in the real world.
“Prehospital care” essentially refers to the unique field of emergency medicine that is practiced outside of a hospital setting and is usually performed by EMTs and paramedics. Unlike fully stocked emergency departments that come with emergency physicians, nurses, technicians, and specialized diagnostic capabilities, prehospital care clinicians are to some degree limited in time, resources, and personnel.
This means that EMTs and paramedics have to be clinically intuitive, resourceful, and quick on their feet to take care of very sick patients. I am so grateful to have been supervised by Dr. Ben Lawner, the BCFD Medical Director, as he holds my dream job!
How did you discover (and land) your field placement?
My alumni undergraduate network!
What does a typical day of your field placement look like?
My typical day starts with an iced latte, followed by regular meetings and debriefings throughout the fire department, occasional discussions with the medical directors, and meetings with external stakeholders.
These topics usually include BCFD’s response to community-level social determinants of health, such as opioid harm reduction measures to medical response to mental health emergencies. BCFD is really at the forefront of using evidence-based public health measures to support community public health initiatives.
What have you found most rewarding about your field placement?
The ability to contribute to real world public health projects that ultimately save lives in Baltimore City.
What advice do you have for current or prospective students as they think about their own field placement opportunities?
Make sure you have an updated LinkedIn profile, and reach out to people in your network if they are in a field that you are particularly interested in!
How has your field placement influenced (or changed) your public health career goals?
My field placement has reinforced my passion for prehospital emergency care and investigating systemic inequalities that contribute to outcome disparities.
This interview has been edited and compressed. Views expressed are the subject's own.
