Tysha Pratt was waiting for the right major to come along while earning a bachelor’s degree in general studies at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).
Hello, Bachelor of Science in Public Health.
“It was a perfect fit for me,” Pratt said. “I knew I wanted to be in the health field and pursue something that would actually make a difference. I don’t want to get a degree just to say that I have one. I want to put the degree into action. I was waiting for the public health degree program.”
Pratt, a physician office representative for Baylor Scott & White Health in Grand Prairie, Texas, recently switched from the on-campus general studies program to the online BS in Public Health program, which was approved for UTA by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in late 2017.
“The online format is more manageable with a full-time job, but you also have to be organized,” Pratt said. “At first, I was not organized. Now that I am organized, it works really well. The flexibility is good. I work on school for about three hours a day.”
After making the switch to the new program, Pratt had to tell friends and family members about the ins and outs of the major course of study she is pursuing.
“You have to explain what public health is,” she said. “It’s odd that not everybody knows what it is. They’re like, ‘You want to help the world?’ I say, ‘Yes, I want to help everybody.'”
Now that Pratt has found the major she was looking for, she hopes to lay the foundation for a long career making a positive impact on as many lives as possible.
“I feel like I don’t have a career right now, but this degree will help a lot with what I want to do and help me reach my ultimate career goal,” she said.
True Calling
Pratt took a trip to the Philippines with a friend, Geraldine Warren, to visit Warren’s family for Christmas in 2016. The journey made a big impression on Pratt and piqued her interest in public health.
“I saw all of the things they didn’t have that they should have — water, food, accessibility,” Pratt said. “To be able to work with organizations or communities to change that is something that I am very excited about. I’m ready to do it, but I have to get the degree first.”
Pratt began working as a medical assistant in 2003 and graduated with an associate degree from Tarrant County College 11 years later. She started at Baylor Scott & White Health in March 2018.
“I want a job that gives me the flexibility to be able to promote awareness for health issues and different diseases,” she said. “I don’t know exactly what that would be right now, but, ultimately, I would like to run a company that would allow me to do that.”
Although Pratt just started the online public health program, she loved the first course in the curriculum, KINE 2350: Public Health: Principles and Populations, taught by Dr. Becky Garner.
“You work with each other get to know your classmates a lot better than you would sitting in a lecture,” Pratt said. “All of my classmates are public health majors, so we are going to see each other down the road eventually. It’s nice to keep in touch with them and network with them. You’re active with one another, even though it’s an online class.”
The value of that teamwork has already paid dividends and affected the way Pratt approaches her job.
“Normally, I would sit back and not say anything,” she said. “Now, I am more able to speak up and help people if they need something. I can also help people understand the different backgrounds and needs of the patients we serve.”
Right on Track
Pratt, who initially chose UTA for its convenience, affordability and strong reputation, hopes to help people around the world once she graduates from the online BSPH program.
“I want to help here in America because we also have a lot of disparities,” she said. “I also want to be able to travel and volunteer overseas to help. I’m in the medical field, so I can help with those needs. I’m sure they can use as many medical people as they can get. That’s an option I want to pursue.”
Pratt did not participate in the commencement ceremony at Tarrant County College, so she looks forward to walking the graduation stage at UTA.
“This is a big one,” she said. “I’m going to be there on stage and, hopefully, everybody is going to be there to see me graduate, too. That’s something you should enjoy and be proud of. My sister is going for her bachelor’s degree, too. She said, ‘You should be following in my footsteps, not the other way around.’ I told her I could help her get into UTA.”
Now that Pratt has the hang of online courses, she is fired up about finishing the college experience in a degree program that is ideal for her goals.
“I’m passionate about helping people and being able to do what I can,” she said. “I am a giver. When I finish school, I know what career I want to have. It’s exciting for me to know what I want to do because it took a while for me to figure that out.”
Lean more about the UTA online BS in Public Health program.
