I feel very grateful to have participated in the Leadership Training Program. When I arrived at GW, I wanted an opportunity to grow my leadership skills for a future career in public health. Honestly, this program is really why I came to GW. I have gotten the opportunity to meet people, acquire skills, and accomplish more goals than I ever thought possible.
Through this program I learned how to advocate on Capitol Hill, a skill that is increasingly needed in Public Health. We discuss advocating in our course work, but for me, that was an abstract idea. Seeing it broken down into actionable pieces and how to effectively communicate the “ask” was invaluable in my experience, especially since an amazing health policy professor, Dr. Beckerman was able to teach us in a step by step manner. Having the opportunity to prepare a pitch and practice it in front of an audience was an unforgettable experience. It made me more confident in my skills and reinforced that I have the ability to do advocacy work as a public health leader in the field.
Additionally, I was able to try new things such as meditative practices to combat burnout. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. It was very calming and relaxing and it helped me have a clear head to set goals of what I want in the future.
I learned a lot about what it means to lead. I had the privilege of listening to each member of my cohort and each of the guests. I could make connections and visualize the ways in which they lead themselves and others. If there is anything we have learned, there is more than one way to accomplish goals. I think now, more than ever, is an important time to have empathetic and critical conversations about our public health infrastructure and what it means when something goes away and how our leaders respond.
To prepare for working in a challenging environment, we participated in a media training. This is an area of growth necessary for today’s public health leaders. We are so focused on best practices and methods, that we can lose sight of the importance of how the messages are disseminated. The dissemination of crucial information is becoming increasingly more important because public health is invisible. Our contributions to the world often go unnoticed. It reminds me of the road metaphor. No one notices when the road is smooth, but everyone notices when there is a pothole. We, as a field, need improvement in our communication skills so that critically important health information is received by a wider audience.
We must articulate our vision and what we stand for in public health. The LTP has been a great starting point for me to develop the necessary leadership skills required to achieve the goals and type of career that I desire in the field of public health.