July Alumni Spotlight with Mike Carson

Mike Carson, originally from Girard, Ohio, received an MS in Preventive Medicine from The Ohio State University in 1992, and a BS in Pre-Medicine from the University of Toledo in 1988. His academic advisor at Ohio State was Randall Harris. Carson is the program manager of Tuberculosis Control and Refugee Health Programs at the County of Orange Health Care Agency in Santa Ana, Calif.

Briefly explain your job responsibilities.
I manage the clinical services, surveillance activities, and disease control and prevention programs related to tuberculosis (TB). In addition, I manage the Refugee Health Services program. I directly supervise nine supervisory positions. The TB Control and Refugee Health Services Programs have a combined budget of approximately $13 million and 89 employees at two clinic sites.

What do you enjoy about your work?
I have spent my 15-year, public health career in disease control and prevention. I particularly enjoy that no two days are the same and that I can see the direct impact of disease intervention on the clients we serve.

Also, priorities may change with a phone call or e-mail, so I'm ready to tackle any new challenges as they arise. For example, a TB case in a school can put a halt to day-to-day activities and force attention to a whole new set of issues.

What's challenging about it?
As the number of TB cases decline, the medical and psycho-social complexities of the remaining TB cases increases. Add to that the economic downturn and reduction in the public health workforce and funding, and you have the "cycle of neglect", which has been seen to repeat itself throughout the history of TB in the United States.

What's one thing you learned at the College of Public Health that's helped you?
A solid understanding of epidemiology and biostatistics has helped me in each of my public health jobs. Although I am currently a program manager, I still rely on data to inform and support the programmatic and budget decisions made. I always remember that I am an epidemiologist at heart.

What public health issues concern you the most?
Public health issues of concern to me include the re-emergence of diseases treatable and curable, such as tuberculosis and sexually-transmitted diseases, and the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of infectious diseases. Both are preventable with public, patient and healthcare provider education.

What advice do you have for others interested in pursuing a career in public health?
Public health is a perfect blend of science and practice. The epidemiology, biostatistics, health economics, and health theory all form the backbone of daily public health function and have a direct, positive result on public and personal medical care and prevention activities.

Do you have a fond OSU memory to share?
As a research associate, I assisted professor Moon Chen on studying heart health issues impacting the Asian community. This was my first exposure to Southeast Asian culture and may have foreshadowed, if not influenced, my Orange County career and life paths. Orange County has the largest population of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. In addition, my wife is Southeast Asian. One lasting memory in particular involved my first exposure to Southeast Asian cooking and the realization that mixed in with the rice, vegetables and eggs was fried chicken feet!