Kamrie Sarnosky

What inspired you to study public health?

I was inspired to go into public health during a microbiology conference- outbreak investigations and the relationship between bench science and population health is fascinating and rewarding.

What has been the single most rewarding experience of your career/studies so far?

I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to travel a lot during my academic career and meet many inspiring people along the way who have helped mold my public health focus. There are so many pieces to “public health”- I’m constantly learning how different fields of practice fit into the bigger picture.

What is the one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were starting out in public health?

Give yourself the opportunity to explore all of the subsets of public health. Explore healthcare administration, health policy, environmental health, epidemiology, occupational health, community health, global health, urban planning or health promotion- you may find your skills fit in somewhere different than you originally thought!

What do you think is the biggest challenge that the public health field should be focusing on?

The biggest challenge in the field is the understanding of “one health”- all professions, even those in government and industry, have impacts on population health in really big ways!