Interview W/ Abigail B.

This week I had a very hard time contacting my contacts. I emailed some people called others and had no responses, others gave me a later date. So I began digging into other contacts, 

My friend A.B. recently graduated with a masters in public health and is currently traveling within the U.S. assisting veterans of war.

I asked her, Why public health. 

AB: after my bachelors in chemistry I applied to Medical Schools, and did not get the response, I wanted. I started applying for jobs and I realized a bachelors in chemistry, I wasn't really the best candidate for many of the positions I was interested in. I decided I needed something more than Chemistry. I researched grad schools and their programs and Public Health seemed almost as satisfying as being a doctor although, I still wonder, what would I be doing today if I had been admitted into medical school.

What is it about beign a doctor that satisfies you:

AB:Well, I want to help people feel better. I want the title Dr. B*****, I want to make good money and feel very important in my career. 

 ME: Do you get that satifaction in your current field.

AB: For the most part. I feel needed at times. I don't feel threatened in my postion, like I might loose my job at any time.  Other postions I have held while in school, I always feared being fired. I make a decent amount compared to doctors, although they obviously, make more! No one refers to me as Dr. B******* . I am helping people, in my current position, veterans at that! I mean they went to war for America and now its my turn to help  them.

What do you wish you knew then that you know now,

I wish I was educated on more careers paths than Medicine. It seems like in the black community, all we know is to become a lawyer, doctor, or something so cliche'! You know what I mean? When I was recieveing my masters I met people who recieved there bachelors in all sorts of interesting fields that allows a person to help others.  I'm glad I know now, my kids will have better oppurtunities. I just pray that I am up to part on information about different majors by the time they go to college.

What kind of majors are you refering to,

Okay one field that I found to be really amazing was a speech and throat therapist. They perform swallow tests and speech tests for patients who are experiencing  complications with speech or swallowing. They don't do much and they get paid very well.