Testimonials for Health Jobs/Careers:                                            (Return to Previous Page)

Ryan Gerecht '06 - former 101 TA and Biology major

During the fall semester of 2004, while enrolled in PAF 101 taught by Professor William Coplin, I had the opportunity to study medicine from a very unique vantage point.  For the entire semester, I researched, studied, questioned, and analyzed HIV/AIDS, not as the traditional biological or physiological mystery, but as a societal problem in Onondaga County. With my father being an Infectious Disease Physician and having worked with HIV/AIDS children throughout the summer of 2004, I thought I completely understood the risks and realities of the virus. - I was wrong! It wasn’t until I was exposed to government policy making and analysis by Professor Coplin, that I realized the full circle of challenges surrounding those involved with HIV. As important as healthcare providers and scientists are to the treatment of those already infected, policy makers are the first line of defense against the continuation of the epidemic in the form of mandating prevention education, syringe exchange programs, and support services.  

Research
Last semester I had the opportunity to delve into a variety of research databases investigating the latest HIV/AIDS reports from a variety of professional medical institutions such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the New York State Health Department. Learning how to critically analyze such professional literature from a policy point of view taught me valuable lessons on the reality of changing society. Political feasibility, cost-benefit ratios, and survey design are terms that pre-meds are not normally familiar with yet are paramount in shaping modern medicine and overall healthcare.

Interviews
Last semester I interviewed a variety of players, stakeholders, and experts from Onondaga County and across central New York from Onondaga County Executive, Nick Pirro, to Syracuse School Board members to the Director of AIDS Community Resources.  Learning to interact with these busy professionals provided me with not only valuable information for formulating my policy and writing my modules, but it also taught me the value of being able to verbally communicate efficiently, and professionally. The art of speech and power of persuasion is not a skill pre-meds have the chance to develop in a laboratory over test-tubes and textbooks. 

Writing
The completion of 5 detailed reports presenting, analyzing, and proposing policy changes concerning HIV/AIDS was an exhausting yet thoroughly rewarding experience.  The attention for detail that Coplin requires, the demand for time management, and the extreme emphasis placed on clear expression of ideas and plans will certainly serve me well in all aspects of life including medicine.

Although I originally enrolled in PAF 101 in order to simply fill graduation requirements, I can now say that my experiences in the class will truly be a highlight in my college career. Professor Coplin’s unique approach to teaching through doing good and learning tangible life skills is a treat in and of itself. However, the experience is made even more exceptional by Professor Coplin’s incredible enthusiasm for teaching and for the success of his students!   

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Margaret Giovannetti '04 - Policy Studies and Biology; Works for Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health in the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services and enrolled in Graduate School of Public Health in Boston

My grad school classes began at the beginning of September - I'm taking two classes in International Health, a biostats course, and an epidemiology course. You'll be happy to hear that a lot of what I am learning in biostats and epi are things I learned through my policy studies classes. The biostats class has a section on Excel, and these first few classes haven't even touched on anything I hadn't already learned in 315 for my survey. Also, both classes have talked about study design and data analysis, and the discussion is basically everything I did for the survey as well.

I'm also working at the Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health in the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services. I sent in my survey and some other writing examples as part of my application, and I've been told they were huge selling points, as well as my knowledge of different MS programs and computer skills ( i.e. PowerPoint, Excel, Access, web design). I have to admit, Coplin, you were right when you said employers look for computer skills and writing ability (don't let that compliment go to your head, Coplin). Well, if this email so far hasn't been a plug for the Policy Studies major, I'm not sure what is. I'm sure this is something you will point out at the beginning of some 101 lecture while you tell them they are all bad and better be paying attention in class because it is worthwhile. Well, it is worthwhile, so I hope you are still berating those undergrads as I suspect you are

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Runjhun Nanchal '03 - Assistant Administrator for the Department of Urology at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (410)-550-5012

I was somewhat of the typically confused college undergrad who did not exactly know what career path to pursue by the time junior year rolled around. But what else could I do with a degree in Biochemistry? That was when I decided to take PAF 101, and almost by fluke Coplin convinced me to declare Policy Studies as a second major - in the second semester of my junior year!

But that was perhaps the best career decision of my life, for it ultimately led to this career in Health Administration.

After grad school as I started an internship and then this job, I have realized that you were always accurate about at least one thing - that in school, more than academic knowledge, you need the critical thinking skills and tools to be able to excel in any job, and the PAF major offered exactly that - I have used the basic analysis skills from PAF 101, the Excel, report writing and presentation skills from PAF 315 and PAF 410. I still remember being horrified at the amount and complexity of work assigned in each class with practically little or no guidance. But that is exactly what a job in the real world is like, and believe it or not, those experiences from PAF have repeatedly helped me challenge myself in my career.

In fact, I had used the model of the report that I had written for my PAF 315 class for a big project. It went up to the President of our hospital, who was quite impressed with the format.  I had used the Prince System for a substantial part of another fairly huge project that was in part sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. See, all those skills that you taught us have pratical applications!

Kudos to Coplin and to his team for eing one of the few academic programs to offer its students this skill set that is truly invaluable.

And who says that Pre-Med and Basic Science research are the only viable tracks for a Bio/Biochem major? Several of my colleagues have had the same career path as I did....just without the PAF advantage ;).

Plus, for all the current/prospective PAF majors, be persistent with Prof Coplin, and do not be discouraged if he asks you to "figure things out for yourself", for ultimately, he will give you the best advice :)."

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