When I started my college journey all I knew was that I wanted to help others and that I had an interest in the health field. So, I enrolled in nursing school thinking that was my only option, I did not know much about the different career paths in the healthcare field. I remember taking a public health course for nursing and deciding that’s what I wanted to pursue — public health!
Public health is defined as “the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities, and individuals” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). So, public health focuses on prevention, unlike nursing where the focus was on treatment.
Since college, I have learned so much about the field and how unique it is – the possibilities are endless for the different career paths you can pursue, like health education, environmental science, community health, research, administration, and public policy just to name a few.
Starting out in community health has given me a wonderful opportunity to learn about the different disciplines within the health department as well as to learn more about the health and wellness of our own community. I decided to intern here in Fayette County instead of a random organization in my college town, Cincinnati, because I wanted to serve a population that was familiar and that meant a lot to me. I have had an amazing experience so far helping staff events like the vaccine drive at the fairgrounds and spending time taking water samples with the environmental health department. I love learning new skills and constantly discovering new interests as well as how to use my personal interests, such as design, to help with special projects like the 2023 calendar we created for the community.
Since graduating from the University of Cincinnati, I have taken on the role of special projects coordinator, where I get to work on different projects as they come in as well as manage the grants that help fund different programs.. As for the future, I hope to continue my education and plan on staying with Fayette County Public Health. I highly encourage anyone interested in a career in the healthcare field to reach out to their local resources to intern or learn more about their options – experience is the best way to discover what you’re passionate about and enjoy!
Harley M. Dawson, B.S., is the Special Projects Coordinator at Fayette County Public Health.
