Jessica, UMN School of Public Health MPH Program
Name: Jessica Livingston
Accepted to: University of Minnesota TC School of Public Health MPH Program
Undergrad Major: Biology
Undergrad University: University of Minnesota TC
Work at ACR: 1 year
Additional Involvements: study abroad program focusing on global health, work study at children’s hospital on campus
How many programs did you apply to? 1
How many programs did you interview with? 1
Anything you found surprising about interviews? They asked me a lot of questions about ACR! They wanted to know how my perspective on healthcare as a whole changed from working in a group home setting vs a hospital setting. They also were interested in how the personal connections from this job influenced my values when it comes to public health – especially things like herd immunity and programs in place to help the vulnerable group that we care for at ACR. They let me talk a lot and really wanted to get to know who I am as a person and what experiences in my shaped why this profession is right for me.
Were there any helpful resources you used to get through the application and interview process? I used Purdue’s writing lab to help me with my personal statement, I also met with an advisor the writing center here at the U to edit it. For my interview I looked up basic interview questions and came prepared to talk about my experiences within and outside academics.
Any other advice for other prospective Public Health students? Academics are important but also try and get a variety of experiences within the health field – ACR is a great example of a non-hospital setting that lets you build one-on-one connections with the patients. Learning from your personal experiences working here is very valuable, public health is a field that is fueled off the intrinsic value of humans as a whole which is something directly connected to ACR! Volunteering at a hospital or local clinic, or even participating in global health experiences all will help shape your world view when it comes to healthcare as a whole. Understanding that healthcare is a broad field and learning the various ways public health can fit into it is a very valuable skill to have.