Current position: Public Health Advisor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Tamika Rowe-Maloney, MPH, graduated from Dornsife School of Public Health in 2018 with a major in Health Management and Policy (HMP).
Tamika’s personal struggles with endometriosis and infertility fueled her passion for maternal and child health (MCH). She initially considered a career in nursing hoping to address the systemic barriers in place in hospitals that impact babies and new mothers, but ultimately decided on pursing public health.
During her time at Dornsife, Tamika was an APHA (American Public Health Association) MCH Fellow, ATMCH (Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health) Student Fellow, Vice President of the Drexel Peer Health Educators (PHE) student organization, and President of the Drexel MCH Student Organization (MCHSO).
What is your current role? How are you using your current MCH training?
There is a Black maternal mortality crisis occurring right now. A leading cause is heart disease, specifically high blood pressure within among Black women and Black communities broadly. As a Project Officer for CDC Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, I work with community health workers and health navigators to see the affect this and other chronic diseases have on MCH populations and women in general.
MCH is not just when someone is pregnant. We must look at the long-term aspects of an individual’s life, from birth to death (the lifecourse perspective). Drexel did a great job of helping me not look narrowly at issues but consider the overall quality of a women’s health and how other issues interact to impact a woman’s health. The collaboration in my group projects and extensive writing in my HMP coursework prepared for my current role as well.
How did your time as a MCH trainee at Drexel influence your career?
The opportunities I had at Drexel helped me to develop as a professional. I had multiple leadership opportunities. As president and vice president of clubs, I learned about budgets, event planning, leading journal clubs, and giving presentations. These are all skills I took into my career.
I worked as a research assistant with Dr. Renee Turchi (Drexel's MCH Program Director). Being under the leadership of Dr. Turchi and Dr. Davis helped me to blossom and fortified my passion for MCH.
Highlights from getting your MPH at Dornsife?
Overall, my time at Dornsife was very robust. I was influenced heavily by the classes I took and the professors I had. The networking sessions where former students shared their experiences working in government, non-profit, and other types of organizations helped me solidify how I wanted to grow my career. It was also encouraging to hear from former students who graduated from the program and are doing well.
Advice to current and future MCH students?
My biggest advice is don’t be afraid to do new things, especially those things that are challenging. Take on leadership opportunities because it directly impacts your future. Pursue fellowship opportunities or become the president of a club. It will solidify the skills you have and help you grow as a person and professionally.
As I have, you will look back on your time at Drexel and realize that leading a discussion or presenting on a topic prepared you careerwise to lead a meeting or present during a web conference. Use your time here wisely and make the most of it.