Considering a Degree in Public Health?

Public health is a field that offers plenty of job opportunities that suit a variety of skills and interests. Whether a person is interested in conducting research or working with people, there is a place for him in the field of public health.

The field of public health is ideal for those people who gain satisfaction to improve the lives of others.

Public health professionals work in both the private and public sectors. They will find work in the public sector in local as well as in the federal or state health departments.

The available job at health departments ranges from Health Educators to Food Safety Inspectors; from Epidemiologists to Policy Analysts. There is also work in university systems as researchers.

Some people are interested to work for non-profit organizations. They can find a job in health policy or advocacy, or research for organizations like the Red Cross, American Cancer Society, or any other local non-profit organizations.

In the private sector, work can be found in pharmaceutical companies or health insurance companies.

What You Should Know About The Public Health Field

• A growing and exciting field. A field that challenges professionals to tackle complex health cases, such as controlling of infectious disease, improving access to health care, and reducing substance abuse, violence, environmental hazards, and injury.
• A diverse and dynamic field. People coming from different educational backgrounds can specialize in a different range of fields. For example, specialists including journalists, teachers, administrators, researchers, demographers, environmentalists, laboratory scientists, attorneys and social workers work for the protection of public health.
• Geared toward serving others. To serve local as well as national and international communities. Public health professionals meet many exciting challenges for protecting the public health, now and in the future.
• A rewarding field. Its a great personal fulfillment of working towards improving health of people, with wellbeing as a rewarding day's work.

What Types of Public Health Degrees Are Offered?

The different public health degree programs are mentioned below:

• PhD = Doctor of Philosophy
• DrPH = Doctor of Public Health
• MPH = Master of Public Health
• MSPH = Master of Science in Public Health
• MHSA = Master of Health Services Administration
• MHA = Master of Health Administration

In general, the MPH degree will require assignments in many public health disciplines, like epidemiology, administration, behavioral and environmental, while specialized degrees like MHA will be focused more on a specific topic.

There is another distinction between degrees - academic degrees versus professional degrees.

Academic degrees are more biased towards students, who wish to seek a career in research and academics, rather than public health practice. For example, academic degrees are the PhD, MS and ScD.

Professional degrees generally are biased towards practice in public health settings. The MHA, MPH and DrPH and are example of such degrees that are inclined toward people seeking careers as practitioners of public health in managed care organizations, traditional health departments, hospitals, community-based organizations, international agencies, consulting firms, and federal and state agencies.

It is also possible that the school of public health may tailor a degree program or programs significantly. Any student interested seeking a degree in public health must check with individual schools for more information on specific degree programs.

Career Opportunities In Public Health

Although there are many specialties in public health, most career opportunities are found in the following fields:

• Biomedical Laboratory
• Public Health Practice / Program Management
• Nutrition
• International Health
• Environmental Health
• Health Education / Behavioral Science
• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics
• Health Services Administration

Jobs Available After Graduating with a Public Health Degree

Some careers that can be pursued after graduating with degree in public health are:

• Environmental Health Intelligence Analyst
• Public Health Management Analyst
• Health Communications Specialist
• Manager, Breastfeeding Initiatives
• Director of Programs and Services
• Research Scientist

Dual Degrees and Public Health

A public health degree will assist those people having degree in other fields to understand the principles of public health and apply these principles to their practices.

Dual degrees are available to those people pursuing degrees or who have degrees in the field of law, nursing, public policy, social work, medicine, dentistry, business and veterinary medicine.

In many schools of public health, people with an advanced degree are also eligible for a shortened MPH program.

Graduate Degree In Public Health For Better Career Opportunities

There are many public health jobs that require a graduate degree in public health. Such a graduate degree would enable public health professionals win a competitive edge over other professionals. It enables professionals to:

• apply the skills needed for problem solving;
• gain knowledge of local, as well as national and global social and legislative polices;
• improve their communication skills, because they work with diverse people;
• achieve priority for a leadership role in disease prevention and health promotion;
• develop collaborative and multidisciplinary strategies for solving health-related problems.