public health educator jobs

public health educator jobs

Public Health Education: A Path to a Rewarding Career

1. The Importance of Public Health Education

The educational approaches to improving public health are well established and included in many health initiatives. The future educated healthcare worker would need comprehensive knowledge of the varied ways of implementing public health education initiatives.

A clear example of this is a recent study showing that there is a huge shortage of healthcare workers, especially in low-income areas. With graduate degree education teaching, a lot of these workers can be tracked to a great degree of success in many public health jobs, primarily as a healthcare administrator. They are trained to perform administrative duties in much different environments and for varied employers. Due to a higher demand for workers in some of those areas, there has been a rapid increase in jobs for those with public health education. This has an overall positive effect on the job market and therefore a trickle-down effect on the economy.

Public Health and Individual Benefits Education is a lifelong process that has multiple benefits for individuals. It improves the chances of a better quality of life and helps increase an individual’s earning potential. This is seen in the complex and highly sophisticated field of public health. For individuals hoping to improve the health of their communities, the benefits of public health education are more than a diploma. Public health education is not limited to one particular area. It transcends the core subjects being taught at schools and is the application to the various public health issues affecting our world.

Adequate education is one of the key elements necessary for the practice of public health. To explore the reasons why public health education is important, this essay first examines the benefits of education in general, which can be divided into two categories: individual benefits and societal benefits. This essay then goes on to discuss how the practice of public health is an art and a science. This essay will conclude with a reflection on global health education and the importance of the practice of public health.

2. Qualifications and Skills for Public Health Educators

Personality and experience will play an important role in the job market for public health educators, where it may not in other professions. Having some basic qualifications in areas of basic biological sciences, human development, psychology, nursing, and many others are of consideration and may open numerous doors in the health education career. Keep in mind that the work for public health educators may differ from company to company. Globally, public health work may have a stronger focus on prevention and health education compared to a job in the public health sector in which a health educator may be providing various unskilled services in health maintenance and geriatric programming. Even an individual with no experience in public health may be able to find an entry-level position in the junior college systems and various public health organizations as a health educator. Current college students may have an edge on others if they obtain a student membership directing with the Society for Public Health Education to further solidify career plans in the field.

Earning a well-rounded education is not only a necessity in this field, but it is also highly valuable. Obtaining a formal education can prevent a few setbacks when it comes to looking for employment in this field. A graduate degree from an accredited institution is the best route straight out of high school. When considering a bachelor’s or advanced degree, individuals will want to select a program that is recognized by a national accreditation agency and has its curriculum designed to follow national health education guidelines. The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is one of the many national organizations that offer various resources and information on accredited programs, councils, conferences, and publications. A majority of individuals entering into the field will start off with an associate or a bachelor’s degree in health education from a school with accreditation from the National Standard and Training Council to receive the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential. According to the NAHEC Foundation and National Council for Workforce Education, it’s crucial to consider health educators who are future workers of America’s health information technology initiative. This suggests that an individual should take courses to attain knowledge of preventative care or health promotion in a field anticipated to work alongside modern technology.

First and foremost, to become a public health educator, one must possess a significant amount of interests and knowledge. For individuals with a positive spirit and broad interest in health, this could be an ideal career. A public health educator must be someone who is motivated, self-driven, charismatic, and a leader. A career in public health education offers various job opportunities such as working as a public health informatics specialist, a telehealth nurse, a substance abuse counselor, or a research analyst with a good consistent income. While all of these jobs serve specific needs in the health of the community, they all have the same end goal of preventing illness and promoting better health through knowledge and effective communication. So ultimately, said professionals are working forcibly towards an improved healthier future for our world. How amazing would it be to know that you were able to help a person in a region of poverty and poor health get the necessary education that would lead to better living practices and an increase in their overall quality of life.

3. Job Opportunities in Public Health Education

Employment of health educators is expected to grow by 18% from 2008-2018, faster than the average for all occupations. The role of educators will grow alongside these other professions. Those with a master’s degree in public health or a related field can also find work as a public health analyst for research facilities, non-profit organizations, or in the private sector. Analysts apply a wide range of knowledge, methods, and skill sets from social, behavioral, health communications, and health policy in the research and analysis of the potential and actual effects of programs, policies, and practices on population health. The multi-disciplinary focus of the degree is highly attractive to employers who will recruit graduates to fill the gap in expertise with a particular issue or population. This translates to more political and financial support for public health education, expanding the field and creating improved job security for graduates. It is an exciting time to be part of the new concepts in health education and promotion. There are opportunities to use both traditional and non-traditional approaches to content areas, and both qualify and quantify the science of the work. The training in education, behavior, and communication as relates to public health is crucial and highly marketable in today’s job market.

4. Career Advancement and Growth in the Field

This is an exciting time for health educators. This area is growing and likely to grow for the next several decades due to the current government emphasis on health and the aging population. Over the next 10-20 years, the potential goes as far as postulating that health educators will no longer be needed. Although no other job in the world can compare to the high job security enjoyed by disciples, work availability will always be at a premium for health educators, whether in the not too far off future of preventive medicine and health promotion or the present public health policy, systems, and financing. The forecast is bright, and the time has never been better to choose a career in health education.

Promotion of a healthy lifestyle and distribution of various health-related information are just a few examples of the role family and consumer scientists have in health education. Moreover, these professionals are expected to assume a leadership role in planning, conducting, and evaluating health education and promotion programs. Some have a greater emphasis on the promotion element of health education, working with communities on public health awareness, while others enter into the policy realm, focusing on legislation increasing health equity, and others start work in medical or hospital care. The range of jobs open to family and consumer science professionals in health education is big and exciting. From the public sector to private industry, and the chance at academic or research-based work, there is no limit to the possibilities of a health education and promotion career.

5. Making a Difference: Impact and Benefits of Public Health Education

Public health education professionals are uniquely trained to use evidence-based approaches to improve the well-being of entire populations. This benefits us all on a day-to-day level as their efforts often translate into changes in policy, as well as making health services more accessible. The result of this work is healthier, equitable, and more vibrant communities for people to live. In seeking to promote health to more people, the focus on preventive medicine has expanded. Prevention of disease is a long-term effort which aims to make our future and quality of life better. From an economic standpoint, preventive services can reduce healthcare costs as they cut down on the need for more complicated and costly medical interventions.

Public health educators are advocates for societal well-being, with a goal of enabling people to stay healthy, and this is an advantage on the individual, community, national, and global level. One of the common goals in the public health education field is to work towards a healthy lifestyle. Attainment and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle is an ideal for many individuals, across the spectrum of age, gender, cultural, and socioeconomic boundaries. With the explosion of information about living healthier, the public has become more aware of the steps they should take to prevent illness, and this has increased the demand for educated professionals to assist in health promotion. This is an exciting and quickly growing field.