Doctoral Degree in International Health

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I am pursuing a doctoral degree in international health because I believe it is the

next important step in my career in public health research. I have a passion for research,

I enjoy the disease detective work, and I think there are still many important public health

problems that are yet unsolved. I have been working at the Centers for Disease Control

for 7 years, and my experiences have provided hands-on application of public health

research conducted in often challenging, resource-limited settings. My recent work in

epidemiological surveillance in particular has solidified my interest in international health

and infectious disease epidemiology.

I am applying to the doctoral program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of

Public Health because the strong international health research and curriculum, together

with the active affiliation of world-renowned public health agencies will provide me with

the best foundation for developing as a public health scholar. Additionally, the global

disease epidemiology and control program will allow me to combine my interest in

international health with the focus of epidemiology. Given my interests and career

goals, I want my doctoral training to have the advantage of the broad curriculum offered

at Hopkins, but also the opportunity to work with top researchers in international health.

I have been privileged to work with some Hopkins scholars all over the world already –

in Moçambique as well as domestically in both a surveillance project and a disease

outbreak investigation. Their excellent public health work and continued enthusiasm for

their alma mater has demonstrated to me that Hopkins has exactly what I need to succeed

in the next stage of ...

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... laboratory chief whose

laboratory did not have a working refrigerator or telephone, and an epidemiologist who

did not have a working computer and instead calculated disease trends with a pencil and

paper. These challenges, though often overwhelming, left me with a deep desire for

improved public health.

My cumulative research experience, education, and commitment to advancing

health standards among the underprivileged, combined with a deep desire to learn make me an excellent candidate for Johns Hopkins University’s doctoral program. I am

confident that I will receive the training and experience necessary to be at the forefront of

the field of epidemiology. There are important problems in public health today, and I

believe we can make some amazing achievements in my lifetime.

I thank the committee for your consideration of my application.

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