My One Thing

 In 1990, I found myself...professionally that is. I'm still working on the personal kind. I had just completed my Masters degree work in Exercise Physiology and was looking for something different, but not sure what that was. I had been married a year and set on getting another degree before having my first child. I don't remember the situation, but I found out about a doctoral program at the same school that had a Community Health Program. From the first class, I was hooked. This made sense to me. I couldn't imagine testing people's VO2Max on treadmills day after day. From the first class, I couldn't wait to enroll in the next class. Public Health became my one thing. Not only helping individuals, families, communities, institutions and working toward good public health policy, but it was exhilarating that a profession exists like this that is for the good of everyone. So, over a period of 20 years, I worked in academia and started this consulting company with the goal of working so that everyone knows about public health (and doesn't confuse it with medicine). Here are 10 Reasons why I chose Public Health (or it chose me!):

1. This is about helping my fellow man, woman, and child. This field is not about making money, raping, and pillaging the earth and society.

2. I can feel good at the end of the day (and my life) that I’ve helped the common good.

3. My private and public life can be in sync. During the day, I don't con people and then act good on my own time.

4. No one knows what public health is, but they’d be in big trouble if it weren’t here.

5. People in this field get it…they understand words like, ecological, biopsychosocial, epidemiological, etc…

6. My kids know what public health is…that’s scary….

7. You may or may not need your health care provider; you always need public health.

8. What’s not public health…the water you drink, the laws that regulate good and bad environments, prevention, weather, emergency management.

9. You can make fast friends in public health, because your basic values and principles are the same.

10. I’m proud for my kids to one day know that I tried to make the world a better place. There’s still more to do and contribute…

Beverly Triana-Tremain