degree in public health

degree in public health

The Importance of a Degree in Public Health

1. Introduction

Majoring in healthcare management and public health provides a solid background in statistical and scientific knowledge of population health. Students and degree holders of healthcare management can take advantage of this added knowledge towards a medical career. The medical field believes in prevention and today’s physicians are always thinking of methods to prevent illness and disease. Measures in assuring community health and wellness are approached by healthcare management and administrators and through this, doctors can work with healthcare professionals to learn the most cost-effective and healthy solutions in disease prevention. With a strong understanding of epidemiology tactics, healthcare management graduates can greatly aid doctors and medical professionals. This benefits the medical industry, community health, and ultimately the health of the population. An epidemiologist is a public health professional who studies patterns and causes of diseases and health problems. The ultimate goal is to apply this knowledge to improve and develop strategies and inform medical and public health practice. This career field in public health is growing and is an excellent opportunity for those interested in healthcare.

This essay talks about the importance of a degree in public health and reasons why it is important to have a degree in public health. Public health ensures that the health of the population is well-managed. This is quite similar to the role of healthcare management. Healthcare management plays a big role in maintaining a healthy society. Healthcare managers and administrators work behind the scenes in the medical industry, where the battle for improving the health of a population is fought. The battle is won through dedicated individuals who design and implement healthcare services and systems and who influence the health of the population through strategic planning. Together, the combined efforts of healthcare administrators, as well as public health professionals, can lead to a greater sense of security in the battle against inevitable widespread diseases and illnesses.

2. Benefits of a Degree in Public Health

Not only in health-related industries, individuals with a public health degree are also welcomed to change or enhance their career fields outside of the health sector. This is because the essence of the public health profession is to influence and improve the conditions of society as a whole for the sake of health and welfare. With various transferable skills such as critical thinking, analytical abilities, and problem-solving, public health alumni have the chance to transition into different fields that still align with their skills. For example, a public health graduate could work as a diplomat or enter the field of journalism and create a health issues column, both of which involve changing fields but with a focus on impacting society at large.

The key advantage of having a degree in public health is the ability to have better career opportunities and the option to change career fields. In health-related industries, a public health degree opens up opportunities in professional fields beyond hospitals or traditional healthcare settings. Public health specialists focus on preventing the spread of diseases and promoting good health not only in local communities, but for society as a whole. This unique approach to addressing health problems, as opposed to clinical treatment, allows public health degree holders to find opportunities in government sectors at the local, state, or federal levels. There are also potential job offers in private sectors, non-governmental organizations or civil communities, international health organizations, and multinational companies with health service providers.

3. Career Opportunities in Public Health

Environmental health: Environmental health workers are responsible for assessing and ensuring the safety of the natural and man-made environment in order to promote a healthy life space. They identify all possible threats to health and implement controls and remedial solutions to create healthy living and working areas.

Public health administration/Management: Public health administrators are decision-makers that are responsible for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health programs. They often lead community or international organizations, viewing changes in the healthcare system as a means to an end, not an end in itself.

Health education/Behavioral science: Health education/Behavioral scientists attempt to study why people do what they do, how their behavior affects their health, and how they can be helped to change. This is in an effort to improve the health of individuals and communities by understanding the science of behavior change.

Biostatistics: Biostatisticians are the designers of experiments, surveys, and questionnaires to assess the state of health in a community, a hospital, or a general population. They often collaborate with other research workers to study health problems. This is an important factor in why I chose an internet social data science degree at WGU, which will be very useful to society.

Epidemiology: Epidemiologists are responsible for studying disease patterns, analyzing statistical data, and developing preventative measures to combat disease in communities. This involves collecting and analyzing vital data, then reporting their findings to the public health community.

Those with an advanced degree in public health are considered specialists and can work in numerous areas such as the following:

Public health graduates will acquire the skills needed to work in numerous areas including national or local government organizations, health advocacy groups, international health agencies, and much more. With a degree in public health, you will be working with a diverse population in an array of settings. Graduates can expect changes day to day, working in and outside of the office in a range of positions from research to education. This is an exciting prospect for those who wish to have variety in their work.

4. Skills and Knowledge Gained in a Public Health Degree

One of the key skills and a major component of knowledge in which public health students obtain is the understanding of epidemiology. Epidemiology is the study of the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations. It is the cornerstone of public health and helps decision making and the formulation of health policy by identifying the causal link between a health problem and its effective solution. By identifying and implementing strategies to prevent different health issues, it helps to enhance the overall quality of life and the well-being in the targeted population group. An epidemiological approach to the prevention of health issues is a far more cost-effective method than a treatment-oriented approach to individual health problems, and this is why this skill and knowledge in such a method is so important to the overall improvement in population health. This being said, there is still a place in public health for health education and an understanding of community-based health promotion, and the knowledge gained in epidemiology must be used in conjunction with other skills and other areas of knowledge.

A public health degree gives students a multitude of skills and a vast amount of knowledge in which they can apply to various areas of healthcare and health education. This knowledge is also used to improve the overall health of communities and different population groups. This is a macro level, preventive approach aimed at the eradication of disease and illness rather than a micro level approach which attempts to diagnose and treat health issues at an individual level.

In coming to an understanding about the necessity for a degree in public health, it is vital to understand the key skills and knowledge that are gained from doing an accredited course. This is because the overall aim of a degree is to gain knowledge and a skill set that would aid in the profession that the student would wish to enter. By understanding what a public health degree teaches students and what the students can do with that knowledge in the professional world, we gain a firmer understanding of the overall value of a public health degree.

5. Conclusion

According to the Institute of Medicine, “all health professionals should be educated to deliver patient-centered care as members of an interdisciplinary team, emphasizing evidence-based practice, quality improvement approaches, and informatics.” An article in the New England Journal of Medicine outlines this change, stating that “the individual practitioner needs insight into the community and the aggregate of causative factors that are influencing the health and incidence of disease in the patient or patients under his care.” In the upcoming years, the need for a highly competent public health workforce is an issue of growing importance. With recent advancements, it is imperative that the public health workforce has the necessary training. In response to this, the IOM’s report on the future of public health education set a goal that “by the year 2020, all public health professionals will possess a master’s degree or higher.” Though this objective was set with surveillance of the health of the nation, added and specified goals in other areas of public health will only increase the demand and necessity for better education.

Health promotion makes a difference in the health of millions of people every day and leads to healthier communities and a healthier world. This mission is at the core of what public health professionals do and is the framework for the NPHPSP. The profession of public health takes a variety of forms and is practiced in many different settings. An understanding that the practice of health is not confined by national borders led to a common agreement on vital global health goals in the 21st century. Changing demographics are leading to an explosion of public health needs, and the nation prepares for unprecedented healthcare. People employed in the medical field are finding that a public health education increases their understanding in the medical field. This is translating to a healthier community and a healthier patient.