Start Date
13-2-2016 10:20 AM
End Date
13-2-2016 10:40 AM
Description
I didn’t arrive in Public Health through conventional means. My father is a physician and I grew up thinking medicine was in my future. Towards the end of my undergrad I started to learn about other careers and eventually came across Public Health. I saw the importance of helping avoid problematic health issues in our community through early intervention. My Public Health training when combined with my background in Biology opened new doors I never knew existed. Grad School gave me the opportunity to have involvement with different community health initiatives in Baptist Congregational Health, UM Docs Program, and as well as Miami-Dade Area Health Education Center. Through these experiences a disturbing trend was becoming apparent. A lack of meaningful intervention. People were in many cases completely unaware of services available to them in order to take better care of themselves. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Car Accidents, Gun Violence, infections, illicit drug use, and STDs combined do not reach the number of deaths caused by tobacco use. I saw a problem and wanted to do something about it. I began training with the Florida Certification Board and became a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist. The amount of people I have been able to help quit smoking easily has changed hundreds if not thousands of lives. Families who don’t have to see a love one suffer or a patient who thought they could never give up addiction now see a new outlook on life. I am proud to be a part of Tobacco Free Florida. When deciding what your career should be you should feel two things. If you are happy doing it and if you feel you are making a positive difference in the world.
Included in
Road Less Taveled: My Journey to Becoming a Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialist
I didn’t arrive in Public Health through conventional means. My father is a physician and I grew up thinking medicine was in my future. Towards the end of my undergrad I started to learn about other careers and eventually came across Public Health. I saw the importance of helping avoid problematic health issues in our community through early intervention. My Public Health training when combined with my background in Biology opened new doors I never knew existed. Grad School gave me the opportunity to have involvement with different community health initiatives in Baptist Congregational Health, UM Docs Program, and as well as Miami-Dade Area Health Education Center. Through these experiences a disturbing trend was becoming apparent. A lack of meaningful intervention. People were in many cases completely unaware of services available to them in order to take better care of themselves. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Car Accidents, Gun Violence, infections, illicit drug use, and STDs combined do not reach the number of deaths caused by tobacco use. I saw a problem and wanted to do something about it. I began training with the Florida Certification Board and became a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist. The amount of people I have been able to help quit smoking easily has changed hundreds if not thousands of lives. Families who don’t have to see a love one suffer or a patient who thought they could never give up addiction now see a new outlook on life. I am proud to be a part of Tobacco Free Florida. When deciding what your career should be you should feel two things. If you are happy doing it and if you feel you are making a positive difference in the world.