Jules Bertaut, MPH25
How have your experiences at Tufts prepared you for your future career?
During my MPH program, I learned many useful and marketable skills, particularly statistical analysis, qualitative analysis, and GIS skills. Through both my classwork and my role as a TA, I gained hands-on experience not only in performing these analyses but also in effectively communicating them to others.
If you could go back to before you started at Tufts and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?
I would advise myself to reach out to professors more! Some of my professors in undergrad were very unapproachable, which made me hesitant at first, but that hasn't been my experience at Tufts at all. I've had great conversations even with professors that I've never had a class with.
What are your aspirations and goals beyond graduation, both personally and professionally?
I decided to pursue an MPH because I want to make a meaningful difference. Through my education at Tufts, I’ve developed strong data analysis skills, and my goal is to build a career that brings these two elements together—using my technical expertise to drive positive change.
What advice would you offer to prospective students based on your own experience?
My advice would be to take full advantage of all the resources available to you. Your classmates, TAs, and professors are great sources of support—whether you have questions about an assignment or want to better understand a topic. The librarians can help you find relevant research, and if journal articles are limited, they can guide you in exploring creative alternative sources. The Data Lab assistants are also incredibly helpful when it comes to statistics support.
How have your research interests developed during your degree, and what impact do you aim to make in your field?
One of my key research interests is identifying populations whose health needs are not being fully met. Through my GIS class, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a syringe service provider in Worcester, where I helped analyze client data to better understand the population they serve. I hope this work not only supports the organization in improving services for their clients but also contributes to a broader understanding of the geographic reach and impact of syringe service programs.
How has your experience in the MPH program shaped your understanding of public health issues?
My MPH coursework has addressed many pressing public health issues—including the opioid epidemic, nutrition access, and climate change, to name a few. More importantly, it has equipped me with the tools and foundational knowledge to explore and understand any public health issue I may encounter in the future.
How has your MPH program prepared you to address public health disparities and promote health equity?
As part of my program, I had the opportunity to collaborate with partner organizations dedicated to promoting health equity. I interned at a day program serving unhoused and unstably housed individuals, where I contributed to a variety of projects. These included writing a community description for grant applications, creating an article and infographic to highlight the importance of day programs for stakeholders, and developing informational sheets on job, education, and legal resources for clients.