CAREER PATHWAYS
Trailblazing to Support Public Health Laboratory Science Careers
By Rudolph Nowak , MPH , senior specialist , Marketing and Communications , Susan Baughman , senior specialist , Quality Systems and Analytics and Somaye Sarvazade , senior specialist , Quality Systems and Analytics
When APHL kicked their Career Pathways in Public Health Laboratory Science program into overdrive with additional funding from the American Rescue Plan in 2021 , the goal was to create a pathway for early-career scientists to strengthen the workforce at public health laboratories . The plan included ramping up an internship program and building upon the existing fellowship program . Since 2021 , the pathway has become a well-established trailhead and continues to expand . Josh Rowland , director of Experiential Learning , is pleased that there has been a fellow or intern in nearly every state .
“ We are making progress on getting someone in every APHL member laboratory but will always need more mentors and host laboratories , including academic and non-member laboratories ,” Rowland said .
Taking the First Steps
The internship program , started in 2023 , has placed 141 interns at 39 laboratories in 22 states since its inception . Darrell Gibson , Jr ., an internship program participant who is now a fellow at the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Public Health Laboratories-Tampa , was
Tomi Ekibolaji
excited about the opportunity so close to home .
“ I chose this ( internship ) because it was so close to where I live . I had just finished another job where I worked at a hospital , so it was good timing ,” Gibson said .
Gibson ’ s moving on to a fellowship position also means he will be staying at the same laboratory , although he does have a new mentor .
Tomi Ekibolaji completed her internship at the Houston Public Health Laboratory then applied and was accepted into the fellowship program at the same laboratory .
“ I ’ ve had the benefit of ongoing mentorship . My mentors have provided consistent guidance , making the transition seamless ,” Ekibolaji said .
Gibson agreed . “ The transition has been very easy ,” he said . “ We had several fellows who bestowed upon us knowledge and advice they had learned from their experiences . If I ever need any assistance , we have people who have already been in that position .”
Realizing the Goal
Rowland believes the internship and fellowship programs have been a success .
“ It is great to see interns like Darrell and Tomi transitioning to fellowship positions ,” he said . “ We feel that by doing so , there is a higher likelihood of them staying on the public health laboratory career path .”
Since the additional funding , the fellowship program has had 260 fellows fellows at 74 laboratories in 41 states . Erika Roloff — a former fellow and , since June , an employee at the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences Public Health Laboratory
Darrell Gibson , Jr ., shown here working in the laboratory during his internship , transitioned from intern to fellow at the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Public Health Laboratories — Tampa .
Erika Roloff stands in front of Hologic ’ s Panther Fusion , an instrument she learned to use during her fellowship at her host laboratory and current place of employment , the Washington , DC Department of Forensic Sciences Laboratory .
4 LAB MATTERS Winter 2024
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