Jamey Ingold

Year of Graduation: 2020

  • Course Master of Public Health
  • School School of Public Health Studies
  • Nationality American
  • Career industry Healthcare
  • Current job title Medical Receptionist/Covid Vaccine Administrator
  • Current Company Tidelands Health, Georgetown, South Carolina, USA

An experience that challenged me but made me grow as a person, for the better. Studying here helped to broaden my horizons.

One of my favourite memories from my MPH course was making new friends! It was so helpful having peer support and being able to spend time together revising or just having lunch together in between lectures. We still keep in touch via WhatsApp. My favourite modules were Epidemiology with Tony Stewart and Health Protection with Deborah Richardson. Both of them were so kind, knowledgeable and I enjoyed learning from them. They also offered a lot of support and were very approachable. I appreciated them and respected them for always being there for their students!
Getting my MPH has made it easier to get a head-start in a healthcare career. I was grateful to be able to get work so quickly after graduation, which will allow me to gain valuable experience and be a part of history by working to organise and run Covid-19 vaccine clinics. It's exciting to be a part of it and knowing that I am helping vaccinate and protect my local community in South Carolina makes it even better. I have enjoyed every minute of it so far!
I currently have two jobs - one is working as a Medical Receptionist at outpatient rehab offices and I also work at the Covid-19 vaccination clinic in Georgetown, where I am currently living. My main duties are to check in and register patients. Since I am not clinically trained, I do not give the vaccines themselves, but I work on the administrative side of things. This job has made me realize how much I enjoy organisation and logistics. There is so much that goes into running one of these clinics and having it run efficiently has allowed our hospital to vaccinate thousands of people in our local community. I have always considered myself to be an extrovert and this job allows me to talk to members of the public and also educate them on the importance and significance of them receiving their vaccine.
I don't know if I have a "highlight" but really every day I look forward to going into work. Knowing that I am helping people and contributing to the most important healthcare cause in the world is the highlight, I guess
I would say to be prepared to have good time management and also be prepared to step out of your comfort zone. Being an international student and studying in a different country can be overwhelming at times, but embracing the culture both on and off campus will make it so much better. Also, be prepared to work hard and use the resources that the University offers you, such as the library and tutoring sessions. They are really helpful!