The public health sector tries to develop the science of preventing diseases and extending life expectancy. The industry achieves its goal through organized efforts and making informed decisions.
The public health sector is a highly professional field. If you wish to partake in this industry and help change the landscape of public health, then you should know what’s in store for you. Here we have listed some career paths which you can pursue a promising career:
Director Of Industrial Hygiene
As an industrial hygienist, you may assess and control chemical, biological, and physical hazards found in workplaces or within a community’s residents. Such a physical risk refers to noise and temperature extremes. At the same time, a chemical threat may refer to toxic fumes which machines emit. These hazards need immediate addressing as they can quickly become injurious or cause a widespread disease outbreak.
As a hygienist, you need to implement different control measures such as substituting chemicals for less hazardous material to minimize exposure. It can also be introducing workers to more protective gear and convincing companies to invest in them. Your goal is to subsidize the threat.
Education. To pursue this career, you need a bachelor’s degree in physics, engineering, biological or physical science, which will be sufficient in landing you a job. However, you may look into a master’s degree for more executive positions, such as a project manager.
Epidemiologist
As an epidemiologist, your work will lead you to study the patterns, causes, and effects of health and diseases in defined populations. It is the hallmark of public health and significant for the sector. Your study’s outcomes will lead to more policies and evidence-based practice that would aim for preventative healthcare.
As an epidemiologist, you will study design, collection, and work with the statistical analysis of data. If you have ever wondered what is epidemiology? This curiosity is at the center of what the job entails. The research helps in developing methods in clinical settings, public health studies, and biological sciences. Such as tracing the source of Ebola and the frequency of it being contagious.
You may work in government agencies such as the local health department. However, you may work in private organizations or pharmaceutical companies.
Education. As an epidemiologist, you will need at least a master’s degree to start your career. Your bachelor’s degree must be in any science-related field, while your master’s must be in epidemiology. Your advanced studies should walk you through public health, biology, and statistics, with medical informatics being especially stressed.
Public Health Nutritionist
As a Public Health Nutritionist, you may work as a registered dietitian. You will utilize your knowledge and skills in implementing nutrition policies and programs for various organizations and individual patients. You may work with a local or International organization depending on your position as a nutritionist.
When working with patients, you will provide them with a custom diet plan meant only for them and not transferable to their family and friends. You may guide your patients on various diseases, such as preventing a stroke and food items with less sodium. You may work beyond a hospital in community settings to plan diets for an entire family they can easily follow.
Education. It would help if you started your undergraduate degree by majoring in nutrition, dietetics, or any food science. Your undergraduate degree will determine your bachelor’s degree, after which you can start your career. You may opt for a Master’s of Science Degree if you are interested in high-ranking jobs as a public health nutritionist.
Healthcare Consultant
As a healthcare consultant, you may need to handle numerous responsibilities. These may include conducting research to identify the source of the problem, researching probable solutions, and interacting with clients, colleagues, and managers to write reports and share solutions. Typically you may work for large healthcare organizations.
Your education must prepare you for researching, analyzing, and extrapolating data. You must possess critical thinking abilities and use basic computer applications to present practical solutions. You must be able to study trends carefully and suggest possible future trends which will most likely yield.
Education. You will need a minimum bachelor’s degree to start your career. However, it would help if you went for an advanced degree in business or healthcare. With your bachelor’s, you may find yourself just as an assistant. Still, a master’s degree can remedy this, and you can have a higher position and better pay.
Public Health Social Worker
As a social worker in public health, your focus will be around social influences which impact a population’s overall health. However, you will comprehend how thought processes influence the overall well-being of a person. For example, depression may lead to neglect, such as starvation and poor hygiene.
You may choose to concentrate your career on a specific health concern instead of having a general view of the diseases. Such as focusing on obesity, substance abuse, or mental health issues. You may work with families and individuals in helping them cope with their emotional and social problems while providing them effective solutions.
Education. As a public health social worker, you will need a Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or sociology. You may seek graduate-level education. For instance, going for a dual degree program would award a master of social work (MSW) or a master of public health (MPH).
Wrap Up
There are numerous fields for you to explore in public health. As a director of industrial hygiene, you will minimize potential hazards. You may become an epidemiologist and study trends around diseases and their relation to a growing population. Follow a path as a nutritionist and explore how diet influences a lifestyle.
As a healthcare consultant, your research work will be pivotal to organizations while they design policies. Finally, extend your support as a social worker and help communities find their momentum again.
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