Using life circumstances to guide your public health journey, with McKenzie Schrank Artwork

The Public Health SPOTlight Podcast: stories, inspiration, and guidance to build your dream public health career

Sujani Sivanantharajah from PHSPOT.org sits down with public health heroes of our time to share career stories, inspiration, and guidance for building public health careers. From time to time, she also has conversations with friends of public health - individuals who are not public health professionals, but their advice and guidance are equally important. The emotions, energy, and passion that comes from these stories act as a reminder that this space we’ve created for the public health community is a space that you can lean on as you navigate your career. We believe that to build a successful career in public health does not mean that it has to live up to a certain level of standard set out by somebody else...or that we need to burn ourselves out in the process. We believe that you can craft a career perfect for you, and your unique life. The message we hope to get across through these conversations is that building a career is not only about climbing up the ranks, but about crafting a life that you want, around your unique needs, and one that gives importance to your mental health, wellbeing, and building relationships and friendships: you can only do good in the world if you take care of yourself. Through PH SPOTlight, you will connect with peers you have never met before, and build relationships in a deep and meaningful way. What you will hear the most, from every single person is also passion. Passion to do good. Passion to advance human health and the human race. And a passion to share back with the public health community.

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The Public Health SPOTlight Podcast: stories, inspiration, and guidance to build your dream public health career

Using life circumstances to guide your public health journey, with McKenzie Schrank

November 29, 2023 • PH SPOT • Episode 143

In this episode, Sujani sits down with McKenzie Schrank to discuss how her experience with leishmaniasis influenced her path, incorporating personal interests into public health and vice versa, and using every little experience to shape your journey.

You’ll Learn

How McKenzie first discovered the field of public health
McKenzie’s experience contracting leishmaniasis on a study abroad trip and how this experience shaped her education and career path
Health communication is the cornerstone of public health
How snowboarding has made McKenzie a better public health professional
Integrating your passions with public health and how McKenzie is incorporating public health into snowboarding and vice versa
Making your own space in public health

Today’s Guest

I earned my Master of Public Health at the Colorado School of Public Health in community and behavioral health and global health. I believe in strengthening communities by engaging community members with clear communication and connection and I hope to continue to foster positive change in health communication.

I have previously worked with the Peruvian population during a study abroad to the Madre de Dios region in 2017. From this experience I found a passion for working with and providing information to under resourced communities after contracting leishmaniasis during this trip. I took the experience of being infected as an opportunity to share my experience and educate future travelers about the difficulty of treating a neglected tropical disease and the risk of infection. Additionally, I used this opportunity to highlight inequalities in the healthcare system in regard to cost and access. My published manuscript entitled "Leishmaniasis Through the Lens of the Host" won a King Award of Academic Excellence for its innovative and creative additions to the existing body of knowledge on leishmaniasis. The insight I gained from these experiences prepared me with compassion and enthusiasm for the communications work I am currently doing.

Resources

Connect with McKenzie on LinkedIn
Buy the book "The Story of the Human Body"
Learn more about leishmaniasis
Learn more about the Center for Creative Leadership
Read the blog post mentioned on today’s episode
Learn more about the Snow Pool project

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