pre-MPH gap year job ideas?

[crider]

Hi!  About to graduate with a BA in public policy/public health.  Going for grad school isn't in the bank account right now, so I'm planning on taking at least a year to attempt to make some money/get some public health experience.  As of right now, I'm leaning towards an MPH in infectious disease epidemiology.  

So my question is this- anyone have any suggestions for entry level/recent grad jobs that would give me a better idea of what to expect in the field...I'm having a bit of trouble zeroing in on a position to look into

[masgniw]

I recommend looking for jobs doing research at a university doing public health/epi/infectious disease research.

 

You'll start out doing low-level stuff that might include lots of mailing, phone calls and data collection, but it's fantastic experience and a good intro into the world of academic research. These jobs sometimes get posted onto formal job search pages, but it's also worth emailing researchers/departments you find interesting too.

 

Public health depts and other research orgs have similar types of entry-level positions as well, but the university approach gets you face-to-face with professors and a culture you might expect from grad school experiences.