Careers in Public Health
Public Health
Public health involves working towards improving the health of the general public, or communities. This can be undertaken by a number of methods and included: education, research, and promoting a healthier lifestyle. Individuals within this sector study health problems within the general population and then devise programs to deal with the same.
On a bigger scale, public health is concerned with the overall population of the US or entire states. At the other end, a particular community, ethnic group or neighborhood may be subject to study and improvement programs.
A good example would be preventing the spread of HIV or AIDS. A public health worker will determine which groups are most at risk; a strategy would then be developed; and then implemented. This could be through improving sex education, offering free condoms, or arranging mandatory tests for certain groups.
Public Health Careers
There are a large variety of roles within this industry/sector. It would be easy for most graduates, with a health academic background, to be able to pursue a career in public health.
For instance, those who have strong mathematics skills could be asked to help with biostatistics, and other forms of collecting data; or those who specialize in health administration can use their skills to help co-ordinate the collation of information and implementation of strategy.
Since the population of the US is ever expanding, the demand for public health is only set to increase. For instance, if you were to only consider the health education aspect in isolation, the US Bureau of Labor Studies estimates that demand in this field is like to grow by 37% between 2010 and 2020! This is much faster than most industries, and almost double in some cases.
At a junior level, salaries are around the national average. This is not surprising as many within this sector are employed by either the Federal Government or individual state governments. Higher salaries are available to those who work in the private sector but there is limited scope for careers in such an environment.
Our web-based search tool will help you find the best public health academic program for you.
Frequently Asked Question(s)
Q:My search for public health career programs mentioned a course in Population Health. What is the premise of this course?
A:Course on Population Health would be mentioned when searching for public health career programs. This course is worth 3 credit hours and deals with theoretical and historical perspectives of public health. With the help of this course, students also get a chance to learn about chronic disease prevention, health promotion and determinants of health. Prospective students interested in this course are advised to search our website for more information.
Q:Where can I pursue a career in public health?
A:There are a number of places where professionals can pursue a career in public health. These professionals can find themselves working in Hospitals & Clinics, Managed Care Organizations, Insurance Companies, Advocacy Organizations, Education Sector, Community Based Organizations and Voluntary Health Organizations. There is huge potential for students who are interested in pursuing this career.
Q:What sort of careers in public health are available in America?
A:The healthcare industry is one of the largest growing sectors in the United States. You may be able to pursue one of several careers available in the United State's public health sector. You may be able to build a public health career in hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, non-governmental organizations and government public health programs.
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