Photo Courtesy of Paige Bartholomew
Driven by a desire to support and inform the public, USC Master of Public Health alumna Paige Bartholomew is forging a career with an emphasis on data, community health and impact. With a background in cross-cultural collaboration, her early internship at the Hopi Health Care Center in Polacca, Arizona ignited her passion for data-driven work — and led to her acceptance into the CDC’s prestigious Public Health Associate Program. Today she brings her biostatistics and SAS programming expertise to the Department of Neurosciences at UC San Diego Health, where she estimates the prevalence and characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) while managing a team of students. In this interview, Bartholomew reflects upon her online USC MPH experience, how her coursework supported her professional growth, and how her practicum with the Chilean organization COANIQUEM helped her become the public health professional she is today.
What motivated you to pursue a career in public health? Could you share some background about your early experiences and professional journey?
I’ve always wanted to make an impact — big or small. My aspiration to make an impact comes from a desire to help people. I’m grateful that my undergraduate major (Health Sciences) required me to take public health classes. With public health, I realized I could help people through prevention, policy and education. I spent the summer of my senior year as an intern at the Hopi Health Care Center on the Hopi Reservation in Polacca, Arizona, working with their diabetes public health nurse. It was at Hopi where I realized my love of data, and passion for listening, learning from and working with different cultures. My undergraduate public health classes and experience in Arizona led me to apply — and be accepted into — the CDC’s Public Health Associate Program (PHAP). PHAP provided me with public health experiences at a county health department in rural Washington state and jumpstarted my public health career. From building coalitions, managing programs, and conducting community health needs assessments, I’ve enjoyed helping my community and making an impact.
How did you know a Master of Public Health was the choice for your career goals?
I pursued a masters in Public Health (MPH) because I wanted to help my community make data-informed decisions that lead to public health action. I had been a part of the public health workforce for five years, but I wanted to do more. I knew having an MPH would help me accomplish that goal.
Why did you choose USC’s online MPH compared to other programs?
I chose USC’s online MPH for a few reasons. The accredited program is delivered by a top-ranked medical school whose faculty provides students with a holistic learning experience. I also knew I would be taught by expert faculty in small, interactive, and engaging online classes, which is an environment I learn best in. In essence, I knew USC’s online MPH would set me up for success.
Why did you choose the Biostatistics and Epidemiology concentration?
This concentration combined my two public health interests: data and communication. Throughout my public health career, I have always been interested in data and teaching others about the public health issues we face. I wanted to have the skills and tools to not only examine patterns, study the causes and effects of health, identify trends, and analyze data, but also to disseminate that information to my community.
Which courses or skills from the MPH program had the biggest impact on your career, and how do you use them in your current role?
I really enjoyed my classes! One of my favorites was PM 529 – Environmental Health. I found the topics interesting and enjoyed working with my group on our debate and Environmental Health Moment presentation. I also enjoyed PM 537 – Chronic Disease Epidemiology. I loved how Dr. Cortessis challenged us to apply the topics of epidemiology to chronic diseases.
What was your MPH practicum experience like, and how did it prepare you for real-world public health work?
It was a highlight of my MPH. My practicum experience was with COANIQUEM, a Chilean nonprofit organization that provides support and treatment for burned children and adolescents throughout Latin America. I performed exploratory data analysis and cleaned, analyzed and interpreted trends in pediatric burn injuries. My practicum, similar to my classes, was fully remote.
I appreciated the opportunity to learn about a public health topic I knew very little about, but most of all, to learn about and work with a different culture. Our regular meetings with the COANIQUEM team not only identified ways I could improve or do things differently, but also reinforced my confidence as a biostatistician. Collaborating with the team and my fellow USC practicum student helped me grow personally and professionally; they were my community.
What is your current role, and how do the skills that you gained in the MPH program support your success?
I am a Project Manager within the Department of Neurosciences at UC San Diego Health. I manage our lab’s autism surveillance project, helping to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in partnership with CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. I utilize the technical skills I learned in my epidemiology and biostatistics classes. In PM 511A, I learned how to program in SAS, which has become very beneficial now as I work with SAS regularly. I’m often calculating rates, ratios, and proportions to monitor progress and analyze data, such as abstraction rates of my students. My biostatistics classes also helped teach the importance of problem-solving and perseverance. Sometimes things don’t run the way I want so I have to rethink and try again (and again) until I get it right.
I also manage a team of four students and often reflect and rely on what I learned in PM 564 – Public Health Leadership and Management. A lot of the skills and tools I apply as a manager revolve around communication. When I provide feedback to my team, I remember to be timely, specific, and ask if I can help when identifying an area of growth. I also try to be mindful of my body language (e.g., making eye contact, having an open posture, remembering to not cross my arms, etc.) because it can help or hinder what I’m trying to communicate.
As an online student, how did you connect with other students in the program?
The group work, projects and office hours helped create camaraderie with my classmates. As I reflect back, I did feel more connected with those who turned their cameras on. While we may all be reluctant to do so, it helps get to know one another.
Are there any emerging trends in public health that excite you the most?
The pandemic, unfortunately, was a great opportunity to showcase public health data on a global scale through the use of data visualization. Utilizing tools such as charts, maps and graphs can identify trends and further inform the public. Finding different ways to communicate is important, and I’m excited to see how data visualization continues to highlight public health.
As an alum, what is one piece of advice you want to share with prospective MPH students?
Dr. Paul Farmer often described systemic health issues as “failure(s) of imagination.” I have always been enamored by this quote. Even though I don’t consider myself to be a creative person, I aspire to be more imaginative and choose not to settle when it comes to people’s health. My advice for prospective students is: Don’t be afraid to think differently. I believe we need more out-of-the-box thinking as we continue to face public health challenges.
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
Fight On!
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