spacer
spacer
  Trouble viewing this email? View the web version. header pics
  logo top
spacer
logo bottom Current Students   |   Courses   |   Calendars   |   Contact Us
spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer

Insights Home Insights December 2016

ER Manager, father of five and full-time student Mikael Diaz

"Working, raising a family and going to school full time is a big undertaking. My wife gave birth to triplets shortly before I enrolled in the master’s program, so there would have been no way for me to attend courses in a physical classroom while working and balancing family responsibilities."

BS '15 and current MSM student Mikael Diaz






MSM Degree in Public Health/Public Policy

The MSM degree in Public Health/Public Policy is designed to help students classify underlying causes of disease, evaluate interventions for public health issues or emergencies, and examine ways to mitigate disparities and positively influence public health policy.







New Jersey State Library

Membership has its privileges! All Thomas Edison State University students, whether in or out of state, have unlimited access to the suite of electronic resources offered by the New Jersey State Library (NJSL). As a NJSL member, you can access the more than 200 databases and thousands of full-text online journal and publication articles, career assistance sites, databases, ebooks and downloadable audio books at your disposal. Register for your free NJSL card today.



 

Master of Managing

For ER manager, father of five and full-time student Mikael Diaz, it's all in a day's work.

Mikael Diaz has plenty of valid reasons to avoid course work and exams. But avoidance is not an option for the emergency department manager, graduate student and father of five.

"In my line of work, I knew that earning my bachelor's degree would help me in being promoted to the level of supervisor and coordinator within a healthcare system," said Diaz, a manager for Hackensack Meridian Health's Mobile Satellite Emergency Department. "I did a lot of searching for a program that would fit my lifestyle and decided that Thomas Edison was the best choice."

Training as a critical care paramedic early in his career, Diaz said he had accumulated some certifications and college credits but did not complete his degree. After learning about Thomas Edison State in an online search for undergraduate programs, he enrolled. Tackling more than 36 credits per year, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in 2015.

He is not stopping there.

"I am looking forward to seeing what opportunities earning my master’s degree will bring," he said. Currently enrolled in the University's Master of Science in Management (MSM) degree program in Public Health/Public Policy, scholarship support is helping to ease his burden.

Diaz is a recipient of the Dr. George A. Pruitt Endowed Presidential Scholarship named for the president of the University. The scholarship is awarded to students currently enrolled in, or seeking enrollment in, a graduate program. The scholarship support will help fund Diaz' degree completion in the John S. Watson School of Public Service and Continuing Studies.

"Working, raising a family and going to school full time is a huge undertaking. My wife, Heather, gave birth to triplets shortly before I enrolled in the master's program, so there would have been no way for me to attend courses in a physical classroom while working and balancing family responsibilities," said Diaz. "With the majority of my schooling being funded through student loans, I was thankful to have the additional financial support to aid me in completing my degree. Having gone to school for so long, the cost was adding up for me and my family. It was a true honor to be selected as a recipient and have the opportunity to continue my education."

The MSM degree in Public Health/Public Policy area of study is designed to help students like Diaz effectively analyze public health issues and evaluate the social, political, environmental and economic forces that influence the health and well-being of various populations. Students often find themselves classifying underlying causes of disease, evaluating interventions for public health issues or emergencies and examining ways to mitigate disparities and positively influence public health policy.

"Our exam proctors and course mentors understand that most of us have other responsibilities, so they are very empathetic and supportive," he said. "The research capabilities built into the online courses have also been very useful. Both EBSCOhost and ProQuest online research databases are great academic resources available at no cost to TESU students through the New Jersey State Library. I've found these resources are invaluable in conducting rapid and informative research for completing course assignments and expanding my general knowledge."

His experience as a manager of an innovative mobile satellite emergency department brings applied perspective to his MSM course work and discussion board assignments. During their asynchronous online exchanges, Diaz said that fellow students from a broad spectrum of professions provide perspectives and solutions on issues he may currently be facing in his own career. These exchanges, he said, have been very integral to his learning process for the myriad of responsibilities he has on the job.

"Hackensack Meridian Health's Mobile Satellite Emergency Department is the only program of its kind in the country," said Diaz, who is responsible for the program's budgeting, purchasing, expense management and coordination of resources. "The program's three customized tractor-trailers basically house entire emergency departments that can be deployed anywhere during major disasters and emergencies," he noted. "This enables us to quickly set up a field hospital comprised of a 14-bed emergency room, including an operating room and medical staff that can be transported to any location." Once deployed, Diaz would serve as the program's operations lead, coordinating with host hospital departments, vendors and emergency response agencies. "I make sure equipment and supplies in the mobile emergency rooms are maintained, serviced, rotated and ready for deployment at a moment's notice."

To learn more about the homeland security, public health/public policy and other programs at the John S. Watson School of Public Service and Continuing Studies, visit www.tesu.edu/watson.

* * *


Insights Home »


spacer
spacer
shadow


Find Thomas Edison State University on FacebookConnect with Thomas Edison State University on LinkedInFollow Thomas Edison State University on TwitterSubscribe to Thomas Edison State University on YoutubeFollow Thomas Edison State University on Google+

Thomas Edison State University  |  111 W. State St.  |  Trenton, NJ 08608  |  (888) 442-8372