Christopher Norris, MPH 2012 has been employed with CareFirst since February of 2013. When asked "What made you decide to get your MPH?" This is what he had to say, "At age 20, it is difficult to know exactly what career you would like to hold for a lifetime. Like many at that age, I struggled in determining what career would give me the most fulfillment. One day in my undergraduate program, I enrolled into a course called Wellness Programming and Administration. Taught by an incredible professor, I quickly fell in love with designing programs that would not only benefit one person, but several people at a time. Ever since, I knew public health was the career for me."

What did you like most about the EVMS/ODU MPH Program? 

"While at EVMS/ODU, I participated in several volunteer events and two internships. It would be my second internship that led me to my first full-time job. Without the encouragement and assistance of several professors at EVMS/ODU, this may have never happened. I love that EVMS/ODU MPH program makes career development a priority for students and creates a curriculum that goes beyond the classroom."

What do you do for CareFirst and what is it? 

 "I serve as a Senior Program Consultant for CareFirst's Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program. CareFirst is a not-for-profit organization and the largest health care insurer in the Mid-Atlantic region, serving 3.4 million members. CareFirst employs approximately 5,000 associates and contractors throughout Maryland, Washington D.C., and Northern Virginia." There are three other EVMS/ODU MPH graduates that work for CareFirst!

What is your favorite part of your job?

"Being able to help build a PCMH program that serves 1.3 million commercial members and approximately 35,000 Medicare beneficiaries. Today, thousands of people struggle each day to navigate the health care system to achieve the best possible outcome. In addition to a complex system, costs related to these services are exponentially increasing. What CareFirst and I truly believe in is that Primary Care Physicians can have an incredible impact on lowering costs and improving the quality of care patients receive. I am very lucky to be in a role that allows me to use all my skills to the best of my ability to create practice transformation throughout Maryland, Washington D.C., and Northern Virginia."

What skills did the program teach you that are invaluable every day of your job?

"Another aspect I loved about EVMS/ODU MPH program is that it exposes you to all the disciplines of public health; environmental health, epidemiology, health promotion, health management. Being able to have a broad understanding of each field and then concentrate into your specialty has proven invaluable. Though I concentrated in health management and policy, I rely on skills learned from each core component every day with my interactions with associates, physicians, and other allied health professionals. I use learned skills such as data analysis, program development, financing, social behavior transformation, and many more. I truly believe without the skills learned from the program, I may have not been recognized as CareFirst Medical Affairs Division's Employee of the Year for 2014."

Where do you see yourself in the Public Health Field in 5 years?