jobs in public health

jobs in public health

Jobs in Public Health

1. Introduction to Public Health Jobs

Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations (public and private), communities, and individuals. Public health professionals work to improve the health of individuals and communities. They identify and analyze the health problems of specific communities or populations and advocate and implement solutions. Potentially, this could mean improvements to the health of an entire society. As a career, it offers the chance to work on difficult health issues and make a real difference in the lives of others. Public health careers might be misunderstood because the field can be difficult to define. The types of jobs are quite varied, and health has a variety of room for people interested in any level of education. This document is designed to provide guidance to people interested in public health careers, specifically resources on determining expectations for salaries and what to expect from the different types of jobs.

2. Education and Training Requirements

Epidemiologists are scientists who study the occurrence, causes and distribution of diseases in populations. They are often employed by federal or state health agencies, educational institutions, or research institutions. Epidemiologists are typically required to have an advanced degree, ideally the PhD in epidemiology. Effective September 1, 2005, the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) also requires a minimum of an MPH degree for all new master-level public health professionals and for all new health educators and community health workers. Public health nurses who have been practicing with various levels of education prior to this date are considered “grandfathered” and are typically still employable with on-the-job training. This change will affect the educational requirements for public health nurses in the future.

Public health encompasses a wide variety of positions and occupational fields; as such, the educational qualifications of job applicants can differ considerably. The educational and training requirements are defined by the specific areas of public health practice and can vary throughout the spectrum from no formal education to advanced degrees. Positions in public health education or health promotion typically require an MPH, CHES, or employment in a related field. Community health workers typically function in the business sector and can be employed by for-profit or non-profit organizations. These positions may only require a high school diploma, though formal post-secondary education can increase one’s job prospects. Health educators and community health workers with more training and/or more advanced degrees will typically receive higher pay.

3. Key Roles and Responsibilities

An academic public health career can similarly be varied and the UK Clinical Research Collaboration is currently developing a public health research workforce strategy to provide an overall framework to guide public health research skills development in the academic workforce so that researchers can enter at various stages of their careers and be supported through appropriate learning and training to develop their skills and research careers.

Public Health career paths can be very complex and varied as there are many specialties and settings in which one can work and that can be open to those in medicine and non-medical based careers. The Faculty of Public Health has identified the following six levels of entry into public health as a guide for developing careers through the generalist and specialist public health workforce to give an idea of potential entry to different posts, where doctors would be at level A starting on the specialist public health register and those in non-medical careers starting from levels B or C.

The UK Public Health Skills and Career Framework was launched in 2008 to support the specialist and non-specialist public health workforce. It sets out key areas of work and functions across all public health workers and identifies the knowledge and skills required for different career stages, allowing the workforce to plan and develop their career, employers to consider their needs and ensure they have or recruit staff with the right skills and competences. It can also be used by educationalists to inform curricula for public health studies.

Ensuring that the UK has a workforce that is prepared for public health roles has been an ongoing issue. It is crucial to future success and it is everyone’s business, from healthcare professionals and academics to those in the third sector and those who have careers unrelated to public health.

4. Job Opportunities and Specializations

Health educators have the option of certification with the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. While it is not necessary for entry level employment, it is expected that it will become a requirement in the near future.

Public Health programs are often offered by accredited schools or top schools for medical degrees. Most accredited schools in the US are graduate schools and this could be an obstacle for those wishing to make a career change to public health. However, there are a growing number of accredited online programs in addition to traditional campus based options.

Finally, administrative or management oriented jobs that have direct benefits to health can be found in various sectors. For example, the CDC hires people to work in essentially any area that has direct relationship to health. This includes education in the National Center for Health Education, public policy in the Office on Smoking and Health, or research in the prevention of work related injuries.

The most common area for epidemiologists to find work is in medical research institutions, followed by colleges/universities, and hospitals. The work of an epidemiologist in a clinical setting is usually to support research initiated by a principal investigator such as a clinical trial or a study of specific patient population.

For those seeking public health jobs abroad, the word “all” can be a bit misleading. Including Mexico, there are 193 member countries in the United Nations. Over 6,500 non-governmental organizations work with the World Health Organization. The US government hires public health workers in many agencies. These types of workers have the potential to address global health challenges and it is likely that anyone ranging from epidemiologists to health educators will engage in some form of international work.

Another example is the work of policymakers, whether they work at local, state, or federal government levels. The aim of public health policy is to provide changes to health systems or regulations that directly affect health at a population level. All public policy has the potential to influence public health, however public health policy takes an explicit health approach to achieve two objectives: to improve effectiveness and equity of health services and to promote the health of populations.

Some jobs require health knowledge, but they are not in the healthcare sector. For example, health educators work in colleges, companies, and government entities to design and implement educational programs that promote health. These programs aim to raise awareness of specific health issues and encourage people to take steps to protect their health. The programs range from public health campaigns to higher education initiatives. The goal is to eventually influence the behavior of the target group.

5. Future Outlook and Conclusion

Overall, the job outlook for public health is a positive one. This is a field with a wide variety of different career options, and it is also a field that is likely to provide job security for its employees. This website includes detailed information on jobs in public health as well as a tool that can help you find the perfect public health job.

As far as the future outlook of public health jobs goes, it varies greatly by field. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics has data on many public health jobs. They have data for environmental health, health educators, community health jobs, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, public health physicians, and public health lawyers. In general, the BLS projects jobs in all areas of public health to grow.

The field of public health includes many different career paths, so regardless of your interests, it’s almost guaranteed that you can find a job that’s a good fit. Many people who are interested in the promotion of public health and the education of future generations find that a job in higher education is a good fit. There are also many opportunities at the CDC. Jobs at the CDC can be a good fit for those interested in epidemiology, emergency preparedness and response, global health, health communication and information technology, and environmental health.