In our Alumni Career Spotlight series, you will meet some of our alumni and learn about the important work they are doing to create a healthier nation and world.
Kara Johnson
Employer: Lehigh Valley Health Network
Current position: Resident Physician
Location: Allentown, PA
Degrees: MPH 2017 IUPUI; MD 2021 St. George’s University
Briefly describe your career path.
I earned my degree in public health with the knowledge that I wanted to continue on to medical school. I knew public health was a huge part of the web that we call health care, and it was important to establish a foundation of knowledge before I got into the clinical world. I attended St. George’s University in Grenada for two years, and then finished my clinical rotations in NYC. I matched into an emergency medicine residency in Allentown, PA and plan to pursue an additional fellowship after residency.
Describe what an average day for you might be like.
I work in the emergency department at Lehigh Valley Health Network. We cover two different hospitals within the area. My shifts are typically nine hours long, and consist of seeing both the most critical and most mundane of patients. Every day is different, every patient is different and every care plan is different. Because shifts are only nine hours, I try to spend my free time either going to the gym, cooking up something new or spending the rest of the day with friends and family.
What advice would you give your college self about pursuing your current career path or industry?
If you want it, work for it. Life is hard, and there may be a lot of obstacles in your way. At the end of the day, it’s your life and you’re the driver.
What is a lesson learned at FSPH that you have been able to apply to your career?
Public health is everywhere. As an emergency medicine physician, you see the failures of the public health system every day, but you can also see the successes. Social determinants of health are so important when caring for patients.
What is the most significant thing that’s happened to you since graduating?
Moved out of the country, moved back, dealt with COVID for what feels like an eternity…
What’s next for you?
After residency, I’m planning on doing a fellowship in EMS/pre-hospital medicine. Medical directorship is something that I’m very interested in.
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