It's Been Too Long....

Wow!
I think it's been nearly two months since I last posted on this thing. When life happens, well, you've gotta live! I've been busy living life, and that's all there is to it. I am currently in my last year of graduate school and looking to pursue a Doctoral or MD program. I'm on the hustle. So while Portia has been chronicling her job search stories, I'm trying to chronicle my application, thesis, and professional netowrking experiences. It has been somewhat challenging to balance both the academic and social realm, however, I am more than a conqueror and I've been rather successful in my conquest.

The Thesis: I chose to look at perceptions of obesity amongst public health students and the implications it has for future health policy and public health initiatives. I'm currently going through the University's IRB processs, and that is an experience in of itself. Thank God for a wonderful advisor and benefactors who have aided me along the way. The key to a successful thesis project is establishing realistic deadlines and measurable outcomes. The goal for September: survey roll out to study participants.... I'll let you know how that goes

DrPH or MD?: That is the question. I attended a career workshop this past weekend, and one of the things the keynote speaker told me was that I am confused about my long-term goals. I am equally concerned about Prevention and Treatment; however, I'm debating where my impact will be most felt. I'm simultaneously applying to DrPH, Post-Bacc, and Medical school programs. One thing is for sure: my purpose lies in the medical field.

Professional Networking: I've kinda become lapse in this regard. I don't attend many happy hours these days and I haven't attended a conference in a while. The CBC conference in this week, so I may try to hit up a couple of events. Afterall, it was at last year's CBC that I learned of the opportunity to be a contributor to Empower News Magazine. There are some upcoming Health Reform Conferences and Hearings that I may try to attend, so that's also great. OOOO and my professors this semester are bomb! One of my professors is the former Public Health Commissioner of Massachusetts and the other one is a figurehead in the field of Public Health. I'm trying to be the best student possible :)

Case in Point: Don't Burn Your Bridges; Surround yourself with those who can take you to the next level

Fab Event: Answer the Call

On Monday, rapper Jay-Z held a press conference announcing his 9/11 benefit concert, "Answer the Call." The concert takes place on 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance at Madison Square Garden. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund https://answerthecall.org/. All tickets are $50 and go on sale September 8th at 9am for Citibank cardholders and the general public at noon. I would definitely recommend using your lunch break to find tickets on Ticket Master; they're going to go fast! New York is only a Bolt Bus ride away but if you can't make it, concert sponsor Fuse http://fuse.tv/ontv/shows/jay-z/ is streaming the concert live on their website.

Wale: Chillin'

Fab Friday video! I'm surprised I haven't posted this one yet. Its always great to see a hometown artist break into the mainstream with a hit single. DC's own Wale has done just that, with some help from Lady Gaga. Look for Wale as one of the house bands during the VMAs next week.

Wale - New Music - More Music Videos

My new approach to job searching cont..

Another week of searching continues! Even though I really don't like sitting at the computer job searching, I feel compelled to because I don't want to miss out on any great opportunities. But instead of logging onto a website and searching for hours, sign-up to have emails sent to you based on the type of jobs you're looking for. I signed-up on Idealist for jobs that are categorized under "youth, event planning, social media, public relations", and everyday I get an email with jobs that match my key words. It saves me a lot of time and narrows my search down to 13 - 15 jobs a day that align with my interests and strengths. I also don't waste my time applying to every job that's emailed to me; I focus on the 2 or 3 that are good match and where I can make significant contributes to the company. Don't get discouraged in your search!