We all have different dreams and aspirations, each with their own importance to ourselves, the people around us, or some even society as a whole. I hope to follow a dream that can have importance to all of those, I dream to be an epidemiologist and find a way to advance the current medical field. I understand a lot of people don’t even know what epidemiology is, so a brief statement before I better explain it later is that it is a branch of science that studies health and disease within a population. It is something that obviously sounds so important yet I have never heard of anyone within this occupation nor someone ever talking about it in school or otherwise.

Epidemiology is one of 3 major branches in science that may be employed to find causes of disease to help form an understanding of the disease itself. Epidemiologists focus primarily on finding the cause and source of disease, disease control, and assessing when a population or group of people are at a high risk of contracting a disease, however this is not the extent of all the work they do.

This dream is really important not just for me to pursue but other people trying to follow an occupation such as this. Especially in the midst of Covid-19, something that has affected so many people around the world. It just goes to show how important it is that we find an understanding of these diseases to try to work with others in a similar field to try to prevent these kinds of things. A document by the U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics states “When a disease occurs in a population epidemiologists help us to understand where the disease is coming from and who it is most likely to impact”. 

Most importantly, if I were to want to pursue this dream I need a lot of dedication because it's a lot of time and work I'd have to put in. From this dedication work in time I would need to get a master's degree in public health, learn math and statistical skills, communication skills, critical thinking skills, leadership skills, and how to be very precise in my observations. The article lists all these qualities that you would need for the job, even stating “Most epidemiologists have a master's degree in public health (MPH) or a related field”. The other fields you could follow and still be an epidemiologist are Environmental health, probability, and biostatistics however public health is preferred. 

In order to achieve this there are 3 major steps I need to complete. First, I need to attend a school to get a master in public health and a degree in medicine. Then I would need to complete an internship in a field such as epidemiology or something very closely related to it. Finally, I would need to further my education in biological and physical sciences as well as math and statistics. 

As for the help I will need and where I can get this help, For starters I would need financial aid to be able to attend school where I can continue my studies and I would also need an internship to increase my chances. The U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics states “programs that are specific to epidemiology, may require students to complete an internship or practicum that typically ranges in length from a semester to a year. Internships and other training opportunities are available at federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)”. This quote from the document I have read made it abundantly clear where I would be able to get access to these internships. As for the financial aid that I would need, I am already going to be getting assistance from my high school with college applications as well as how to apply for financial aid so I'm already taking that step towards getting the help I need. 

In conclusion, though my dream sounds simple it holds a deep importance to myself and is something that is pretty important to our society as well. I hope I can continue to have the dedication to pursue and fulfill my dream, though I know as people mature their dreams for their future can change. I know we all have our own dreams that hold their own significance to each of us so I hope whoever is reading this can find their passion and be able to dedicate themselves to it and fulfill their own personal dreams.