The demand for Public Health Professionals is on the rise across the globe. Not only will you access great earning potential, but you’ll give something back with a profession that helps potentially millions of people. For those looking for a career change, or perhaps just starting their career, here are five altruistic jobs within the field of public health.
Epidemiologist
An Epidemiologist works to monitor and evaluate diseases, including the causes, potential treatments and solutions. The field of Epidemiology combines maths, statistics and biology as well as socio-economic causes. As an Epidemiologist you would be educating policymakers on various diseases, tracking epidemics and producing detailed reports. You would also be evaluating government or local health agencies.
Public Health Project Manager
A Public Health Project Manager works to oversee and develop public health projects which are designed to enhance the wellbeing of communities. As a Public Health Project Manager you would be responsible for budgeting and evaluating project progress; managing staff and tasks; and documenting project reports. Public Health Project Managers often work with research institutions, social work organizations or government bodies.
Healthcare Consultant
Healthcare Consultants work to evaluate a healthcare facility, identifying issues and creating ways to solve them. As a Healthcare Consultant you would typically assess a healthcare facility in terms of management and activities. You would also write reports and make comparisons of opinions. A Healthcare Consultant creates policies and documents to help healthcare staff improve quality and efficiency. They also create and assess options to implement healthcare tech and procedures.
Public Health Lab Scientist
A Public Health Lab Scientist focuses on the testing and laboratory aspects of public health care. They work to conduct tests on lab samples, analyze results and research diseases. The responsibilities of a Public Health Lab Scientist include testing and analysis, training health professionals, creating new methods of testing, writing reports and performing quality control.
Biosecurity Specialist
A BioSecurity Specialist, in the public health sector, works to implement and create safety measures in relation to Biosecurity. These professionals develop plans to ensure that a population has the proper safety measures in the event of a biological emergency. The typical responsibilities of a BioSecurity Specialist involve working with lab professionals; researching biosecurity risks in the field of public health; and creating analysis reports to outline biosecurity procedures.
How can I pursue such a role?
To pursue a new career in public health-related you will need to obtain a Master of Public Health degree. In some cases, you may require a Master of Healthcare Administration degree. Both of these programs focus on learning the skills and knowledge to support public health both locally, nationally and even internationally. These masters options differ in content and outcome, yet some of the learning does overlap slightly. To find out more information about these two masters options, take a look at the University of Nevada Reno. Here you’ll find details about the curriculum of these courses, plus benefits, requirements and further career options.
