best public health schools

best public health schools

The Importance of Choosing the Best Public Health School

1. The Role of Public Health Education

The practice of public health education involves many practitioners in a variety of practice settings. A long-standing misconception is that public health education is mainly concerned with the communication to individuals or groups living in conditions of poverty and that it involves only basic training of promoters for locating and educating people in the community. Public health education is undertaken in many different forms, and its practitioners work in a variety of locations, including health departments, community-based organizations, health service delivery and non-governmental organizations, schools and worksites, and sustaining programs in many other webs of social determinants of health. The practice involves teaching populations with special needs, teaching diverse people, making sure health information is conveyed, and health promotion and advocacy are done in a culturally competent manner. All the areas require a sound educational background to work effectively.

Public health education encompasses numerous learning experiences and sites of instruction, and it takes many forms. The settings for public health education are varied, diverse, and in many cases, quite unexpected. In addition to schools of public health, other health professional schools (e.g., medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine) offer some public health instruction at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Freestanding programs, departments, and schools of public health provide a major thrust of public health instruction. Colleges and universities also contribute by offering a range of courses in the liberal arts, sciences, and social sciences. Outside traditional academic settings, public and private organizations with health-related missions may conduct public health education activities.

2. Factors to Consider When Choosing a Public Health School

Accreditation of a school is a very important factor and you should carefully research the details of what being accredited means for a public health program. A school of public health can be accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Attending a school that has an accredited program will ensure that your degree is widely recognized by reputable public health organizations and will give you the qualifications needed to obtain a desirable job. If you are planning to work in a specific state or country, it would be worthwhile to research whether the school’s accreditation aligns with that region.

Cost is another extremely important factor for choosing a school. Not only will the cost of tuition vary depending on whether the school is public or private, the cost of living in the area will affect how much money you will need to attend. Some schools offer a lower tuition rate for in-state residents, which could make a difference in your decision depending on whether that state is conducive to your desired living environment. While taking on loans is an option for most students, high debt following graduation can be a large burden. If cost is a large factor for you, researching the availability of scholarships and the criteria for obtaining in-state tuition at different schools would be worth your while.

The location of a school can be an important factor for many students. If you have family that you are close to, you may want to attend a school that is relatively close to home. Moreover, the climate and surrounding environment can be an important factor for some. If you are someone who enjoys outdoor activities or beach living, a school in California or Florida might be more your style. However, if you are adaptable to change, moving to a location very different from where you grew up could be a fun and enriching experience.

Before choosing a public health school to attend, it is important to carefully weigh the pros and cons of your potential options. Deciding which school to attend can be quite stressful and many students are unsure of what they should be looking for in a school. There are a few factors to consider that can help you make a more informed decision about which school would be the best fit for you. These include the location, cost, accreditation, available programs, and faculty/research opportunities.

3. Top Public Health Schools Worldwide

An overview of the top school rankings can be seen in many sources. However, rankings do not always match. The Bloomberg School of Public Health at John Hopkins University is often considered to be the best public health school, however, this does not always reflect what is found in other rankings. US News and World report actually ranks the School of Public Health at Harvard as the best. Other schools that are generally ranked among the top 10 in the world include, but are not limited to, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of Michigan, Emory University, University of Washington, UCLA, and University of Minnesota. Many of these schools are recognized for their excellence in particular programs. For example, Michigan is widely accepted to have the best health management program, and UNC is recognized for health education and prevention. Becoming familiar with specific programs within different schools and matching them to personal career goals can be very helpful in choosing the best public health school.

Just like in any other discipline, finding the best public health school can be challenging, particularly with the rise of many schools worldwide. The sense of the best school will likely differ from one individual to another, depending on the individual’s preference on the program, cost, faculty, location, job placements, and many other measurable factors. However, certain schools are commonly considered to be the best in the public health field, and the rankings of these schools might be beneficial to many in choosing the best public health school.

4. Benefits of Attending the Best Public Health School

Native American, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students thrive in higher education learning environments where there are other students from their same ethnic group. Although these races are not the poorest public health students, enrollment numbers are very low and there are far too few public health graduates from these races. With an overall higher education achievement for their people and improved public health for their communities in mind, these students need to find a quality program and take advantage of any race-based scholarships. As a bias may be said, these students may benefit from attending a historically black college or university to find an environment supporting their education in public health. Any students looking to get a dual degree in public health and law or public health and medicine will find much benefit in attending a high-ranked institution. Many top medical and law schools offer a joint program, and a high-performing public health student may find better opportunities here as there are often reserved spaces in these programs.

Top faculty often teach at more than one institution. Usually, this is because they are being paid well to be a visiting professor or they are just so renowned that multiple institutions want them to lecture. This means that students at lower-ranked schools may take the same class as a highly ranked institution, but the quality of education is not the same. High-ranking faculty will not only have a better understanding of the material they are teaching, but they often have a strong research history which gives a more comprehensive approach to why subjects are being taught. When students take classes where multiple sections are taught by different instructors, it is very common to hear students at the lower-ranked institution complaining that a higher performance section is being taught even though the subject material is the same. Having a quality network of students is more important than some may think. These are the future professionals of public health, and an association with them in school may lead to better career opportunities down the road.

Graduates of public health programs that are ranked by US News and World Report perform better in their careers. The rankings are calculated on a number of variables, a few of them being faculty to student ratio, age of school, research activity, and amount of faculty with an Institute of Medicine membership. A high ranking means more accolades, better performance, and an overall higher quality education. Often these programs are more than just the best school in a certain region. To get the best education, attending the best program regardless of location is key. By attending a higher-ranked institution, individuals are exposed to better faculty and a higher quality network of students.

5. Conclusion: Investing in Your Future through Public Health Education

So assuming that we are in agreement as to the value of the higher degrees in public health (the topic of a future essay), the consideration here is in getting the right type of education, the best ROI (Return On Investment); determining what will lead to the best public health job and provide the greatest career satisfaction and fulfillment. Whether enrolled in a degree or merely a career track, the highest and most important goal for education should be preparing for a job in public health. An ideal way to avoid extra schooling that doesn’t lead to a specific career, or making a transition of schooling during a mid-career track, is to prepare with education that very closely mirrors the job, with content and skills that are directly transferable to positions in the desired field. Odds are today that career will be public health.

As a long-time public health professional, I see the main take-home message as not about a particular career or job title, but the fact that the value of graduate level entry into the public health field is in the long-term. Whether tied to a medical, nursing, or public health graduate degree, culminating in a DrPH or PhD, leadership at the high ranks of public health and health care requires an understanding of innumerable issues beyond one’s specific field. This kind of understanding is best obtained through formal study of public health. Whether a recent university graduate or a professional seeking to shift career tracks, the road to the best public health jobs will involve a high degree. This means today that despite a still bad economy, a continuing slow job market, and uncertainty about the future of health care and public health funding, a life in public health higher education is an investment in the future that holds significant potential.