Arelis Moore de Peralta, Med, MPH, MD, Ph.D.

Research assistant professor with the Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life at Clemson University

November 3, 2015

How did you become interested in public health? I always had a desire to help people. I developed a strong interest in public health when I realized the environment played a major role in the health and well-being of individuals. As a physician, I felt I was only making a difference on an individual basis; whereas I felt I could make a larger impact through population-based health.

What jobs and experiences have led you to your present position? I have previously worked as a medical physician in the Dominican Republic, an epidemiologist for the CDC, a national consultant, and the director of the Center for Community Services located in Simpsonville, Sc.

What personal qualities or abilities are most important to being successful? The individual must possess a strong love and genuine care for the realm of public health.

What areas of knowledge or degrees are most important for advancement in this field? Obtaining your doctorate has the greatest weight in this field.

What experiences, paid or unpaid, would you encourage for anybody pursuing a career in this field? I would recommend securing a leadership role in a nonprofit organization. This would allow you to strengthen decision-making skills that are vital to public health.

If you were starting out again, would you do anything differently? No. I am very happy with my career and feel that medical school helped strengthen my abilities as a public health care provider.

Please tell me more about your organization and its purposes. The institute on Family and Neighborhood Life conducts empirical research, performs policy analyses, develops and evaluates programs, and provides technical assistance and community education in order to support strong families and communities that are necessary for healthy development.

What do you do on a typical day in this position? As a faculty member, I teach both graduate and undergraduate students, conduct research analysis, and serve on several advisory committees.

What part of this job do you find the most challenging or satisfying?

I think preparing reports for research analysis is the most challenging part of this job. The most satisfying part of this job is seeing improvement and progress.

What are the “hot issues” in this field? Community sustainability is an important issue in this field.

What are your alternative career paths? Public policy and government, communications and journalism, informatics, consulting

What areas do you feel promise the most opportunity? The most growth? I feel community-based participatory research promises the most opportunity and growth. It is a movement towards a holistic approach and involves the expertise of many disciplinaries.

What are the biggest challenges facing this field? The biggest challenge facing this field is addressing health disparities.

What, if anything, do you wish you had known before you entered this occupation?I wish I would have known about the concept of public health from the beginning, rather than finding out about it over time.

Can you suggest anyone else whom I could contact for additional information?Paola Gutierrez, PASOs’ Director of Programs and Training