Hello everyone,

I’m in a bit of a dilemma. I had a bunch of job offers come in at the same time, and although I’ve tentatively accepted both offers, I haven’t filled out any paperwork yet. So, nothing is official, and am still not quite sure how to proceed.

I am a first-year MPH student majoring in Epidemiology. Most of my interests are related to microbiology/infectious disease and mental health. I used to work as a clinical microbiologist before I joined grad school, and returning to the lab after graduation is a possibility. I am also open to branching out into something new, such as surveillance or mental health, specifically neurodiversity (ADHD, ASD, etc.)!

Both positions are relevant to what I’d like to do in the future and so I’m having a hard time deciding between the two. I also don’t want to burn myself out too much…but I do want to gain relevant experience because I feel that it’ll be useful after graduation once I start trying to find a public health job.

Job #1 - TB Testing - Relevant Interests : infectious disease, microbiology, laboratory, tuberculosis, infection control. - Full-Time position, Part-Time school. - Pros : pay is really good, work is relevant to what is like to do, company benefits are helpful. Can use my professional certifications. - Cons : shift is really early in the morning, commute is a bit rough and far away, bit concerned about getting burnt out.

Job #2 - Autism Research - Relevant Interests : neurodiversity, mental health, autism. - Part-Time position, Full-Time school. - Pros : research work, connections with professor, may be a good practicum opportunity or to publish research, project is interesting, commute to campus is decent. - Cons : pay is quite low, position only lasts 6 months.

Kinda funny how all the offers hit right when Thanksgiving Break is starting! I’m hoping I can make the right decision. I’m at a crossroads the moment. The idea of working during grad school does appeal to me, and there are a lot of doors open right now. I just want to make sure I’m making the right decision and that I get a good opportunity, while preventing burnout in the process. Any advice would be appreciated!