Student & Alumni Profiles

Denise Josey, MPH '05, Alumna

I first learned about the UMDNJ-School of Public Health (SPH) from my brother who was attending the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and who graduated in May 2005. His satisfaction and enthusiasm about UMDNJ prompted me to learn more about the SPH!

Ever since I completed college with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry, I knew that I wanted to study nutrition and public health. While enrolled in Columbia University's Institute of Human Nutrition for a Master of Science degree in nutrition, I selected all public health classes to fulfill my elective requirements. My experiences in these classes helped solidify my decision to study public health.

Having enjoyed research in college, and during my masters training at Columbia, I was attracted to the Department of Quantitative Methods: Biostatistics and Epidemiology on the SPH-Newark Campus. I was elated to be accepted to that program in the fall of 2004 and have been so enriched by the caring, passionate faculty and dynamic classes at the institution.

To fulfill the fieldwork research requirement for SPH, I chose a project at the UMDNJ-Center for Continuing and Outreach Education, Division of AIDS Education. My research work there inspired me to practice medicine and work with HIV patients.

While applying to medical school, I worked as the Health Educator and Nutritionist at the Englewood Health Department in Englewood, New Jersey. Under the excellent leadership of the Health Officer and Assistant Health Officer, I was exposed to practical day-to-day work in the field of public health. My training at UMDNJ proved indispensable and instrumental as I carried out my tasks. I was prepared for public speaking at community events and teaching at the middle and high schools due to numerous class presentations, oral group reports and my fieldwork presentation at SPH. I was able to assist the Health Department in their research endeavors due to my experience using statistical software and knowledge of the fundamentals of biostatistical research and interpretation which I gained at SPH. Additionally, I felt confident in educating families in the well-baby clinic of nutrition, immunization and general child safety information due to the community health education training that SPH provided me.

I am now a Doctor of Medicine Candidate 2010 at the Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC. I plan to specialize in Internal Medicine with a focus on infectious disease, particularly HIV.

I am confident that my training in public health will enable me to be a well-rounded physician, proficient in research and health education which will ultimately allow me to be of better service to my patients: that is what matters most to me!