master of public health jobs

master of public health jobs

Advantages of Pursuing a Master of Public Health Degree

1. Overview of Master of Public Health Jobs

Public health is a diverse and dynamic field which draws from a wide range of disciplines to address health issues on a local, national, and global level. Public health professionals work to prevent health problems from occurring or reoccurring by implementing educational programs, recommending policies, administering services, and conducting research – in contrast to clinical professionals like doctors and nurses, who focus primarily on treating individuals after they become sick or injured. Reiterating these same points, the article “Pursuing an MPH Career” from the American Public Health Association states that the heading “Protecting Health” is the overall concept of public health. Further key points made in this article include the fact that public health is concerned with assessing health problems, providing leadership in identifying and addressing health problems, assuring that all populations have access to cost-effective and appropriate health care, and monitoring health status to identify and solve community health problems. This article lists the following as a sample of core public health jobs: Epidemiologist, Public Health Administrator, Biostatistician, Health Educator, Occupational Health and Safety Specialist, and Environmental Scientist. A knowledgeable understanding of the wide range of public health jobs, and the individual job descriptions, is useful in deciding which specific career path will best suit you.

A question that is often asked by students thinking about undertaking a Master of Public Health is: ‘What kind of job can I hope to get with an MPH?’ There is no one answer to this, since the range of job categories and positions available to MPH graduates is as wide as the mission of public health itself. For this reason, we would do well to first glance over the vital statistics of the field of public health.

2. Benefits of a Master of Public Health Degree

Last but not least, a master’s degree can improve your skills in many areas, whether it be in research, analysis, communication, public health service, or other various skills. It is the best place to refine or develop new skills. The public health perspective, on the other hand, evolves through self-development and the understanding of the determinants of health, diseases, and health disparities of populations. The ultimate goal here is to be more effective in preventing health problems and promoting efforts to increase the quality of life for all people.

To become an effective public health professional, one would need to have broad knowledge in many areas and keep up with current issues and concerns. This would be hard to do without having a solid foundation in public health. A Master in Public Health degree provides a wide range of public health knowledge, from epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, social behavioral science, and much more. You can also learn at your own pace, as there are various class schedules that can cater to working adults. With the knowledge gained, you will become resourceful in solving issues and concerns and more influential in making a difference in this field step by step.

People may say that when you work in an organization that concerns public health, you can learn the job through experience and do not need to further your study to the master’s level. However, earning a Master in Public Health degree can boost your credentials and offer more advancement in your career.

As a graduate student majoring in Public Health, people often ask me about the advantages of earning a Master in Public Health degree. This question can be answered in many ways, but to simplify things, I have grouped them into 4 broad benefits: Career Advancement, Usefulness, Skill Development, and Public Health Perspective.

3. Career Opportunities in Public Health

Hospitals and clinics provide a variety of opportunities for individuals with public health expertise. The rapid increase in managed care systems has created a major need for public health professionals in various community-based and public health care organizations. Globalization of public health issues has expanded the need for public health professionals within international organizations and several international agencies. The World Health Organization and other groups are working worldwide to help resolve acute and chronic health problems. This has created an international job market for persons with public health knowledge and skills. Finally, there is a wide range of job possibilities within government public health agencies. These agencies exist on the national, state and local levels, and they provide a wide range of public health services. Jobs within public health agencies in the United States often offer the greatest job security, but it is important to understand that levels and types of services provided vary from one community to another.

The range of career opportunities in public health is broad and the employment outlook for public health professionals is very promising. Those with a Master of Public Health degree have many job opportunities upon graduation. Positions for healthcare practitioners such as medical doctors and dentists have significant public health responsibilities. It is generally recommended that those seeking to become practicing physicians attain a Master of Public Health degree, or at least complete a public health concentration during medical school. Physicians who have completed specialized training in family medicine, internal medicine, occupational or environmental medicine, pediatrics, or preventive medicine are likely to find public health positions suited to their specialty. Other healthcare practitioners find the Master of Public Health program to be a useful means of facilitating a change from clinical to administrative practice.

4. Skills and Knowledge Gained from a Master of Public Health Program

The skills gained from a Master of Public Health program are increasingly useful in today’s information age. MPH students in many programs must use the internet to gather information for class projects and to access course material. While this may seem trivial, practice in searching for information can be an important skill. Being able to discern reliable, trustworthy sources on the internet from biased, nonfactual, or opinionated sources is still a more valuable skill. Many health-related issues are politically charged and the information available is used by various interest groups to promote their agenda. The ability to find the most reliable information on issues relevant to public health, dissect that information, and form it into actionable policy is a skill which can have a significant impact on improving the public’s health. As the MPH degree becomes more of a standard across various public health occupations, a master’s level graduate will have an increasing competitive edge over those with only a bachelor’s degree. Research jobs are increasingly employing those with master’s and even doctorate level education. For certain management and administrative positions, the only way to move up is through higher education. While it is by no means necessary to obtain a master’s degree in order to have a good public health career, the range of opportunities and options for career advancement with an MPH are far greater.

5. Conclusion: Why a Master of Public Health Degree is Worthwhile

I strongly support the necessity for specialization through the completion of a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree. There are limited advanced degrees for health professionals, partially due to the multidisciplinary facet of this field. However, in order for one to truly gain expertise in public health, further investment in education is necessary. It is my belief that the completion of an M.P.H. degree displays a commitment and true understanding of the field of public health; and these individuals should be regarded as specialists, much like those in other health-related professions such as medicine (M.D.) or nursing (N.P.). While an advanced degree may not necessarily be rewarded with a higher salary, those with an M.P.H. degree will have a number of career opportunities available to them, and will be more likely to be employed in a position relevant to their field of study. The range of career opportunities and job security are definite advantages for those considering an M.P.H. degree. Finally, individuals seeking to facilitate positive change in the world or within a community will find that a public health degree provides the knowledge and skills necessary to affect change in many different areas. The knowledge gained through completing an M.P.H. degree translates to improvement in the health of entire populations, whether it be through policy change, health education, or development and implementation of an effective health intervention.