Public health careers include some of the most important positions in society, covering everything from health education to policy to direct community wide health projects and clinical care. Almost all health care advances in history have been facilitated through the development of the public health sector and the public health jobs that were created to support it. In addition, this ever changing and growing field is necessary and vital to the future of every nation in the world in order to ensure that the medical needs of people are met and guaranteed.
Considering a Public Health Career
If you are considering a career in the public health sector, there are so many venues and different paths to take, so no matter your interests or passions, there are public health careers that will include them. Specifically, careers include government policy and law making related to public health, community clinic creation and management, disease prevention, health education at all levels, and even bio-statistics and research. These are just some of the more traditional public health jobs, but there are even more that you might not have considered including health journalists, corporate medical directors, state and federal environmentalists, lab directors, nutritionists, school health educators, and legislative policy advisor.
Because health is an extremely fast paced and changing field, a comprehensive education in health and your specific career is necessary. In most instances, no matter what path you take, a bachelor’s or specialized degree or certificate will be necessary to obtain public health jobs. Those working directly with the health of the public, will need to earn a bachelors in science, with a focus on biology, health or psychology. Individuals who are more interested in management can follow the career path of business and administration with a focus on health. Policy makers and lobbyists will need government and political educations as well as learning internships in order to be successful at what they want to do.
Regardless of what focus you want to take as a public health official, you will need to prepare yourself for a definite advanced education plan. Most universities and colleges offer focused degree paths that will help you first determine what you want to do in the field and then provide you with just those classes that are specific to those jobs. This way you do not take more classes than are necessary, but get all the required information and learning that you do need. In almost all cases, there is the need for continuing education and a lot of learning on the job, so your education will never really be over. The exciting part is being part of the positive change in society as a result of the new information and education you are receiving.
Public Health Earning Potential
Much like the careers in public health vary, so do the salaries and potential earnings for the men and women that fill these roles. Much of the expected earnings for these positions depends on the amount of education you have received, the level of your expertise, the importance and demand for your position and of course, the economy based in the area where you are seeking employment. It is not odd to find that two people doing the same job on opposite sides of the country or world are on extreme ends of the salary pole. In cases such as these, it has to do more with the area they are serving than their effectiveness or worth. It is important to remember though, that even these low income, high poverty areas require community health management, even more so that other areas, and working here does involve a calling to serve.
In general though, if you hold at least a bachelor’s degree and are trained in your field you can expect to earn a career salary of around fifty to sixty thousand and as high as one hundred thousand or more per year for policy makers and lobbyists. These figures are what can be expected after an initial couple years when you have established yourself in your field and are earning the expected income for someone in that field.
If you are interested in learning more about the steps you would need to take to get the education necessary, or know that you are interested in public health careers in general but need a little more guidance, read all about the specific careers and duties that each entails. This is an exciting time for public health and ever generation has seen and benefited from the growth and developments that these men and women strive to accomplish and build every day. Even with the rate of change that all of these areas are seeing, there is something for everyone, and it is a steady enough career field that you will always be able to apply the knowledge you have in some way.