Public Health
Public Health professionals focus on preventing disease and injury by promoting healthy lifestyles. They implement educational programs, develop policies, administer services, conduct research, and regulate health systems to achieve these goals. In the past century, public health initiatives have improved lives worldwide, including increasing life expectancy by almost 30 years in the United States.
Sample Occupations
- Health Policy/ Management
- Program Development
- Human Resources
- Medical Staff Relations
- Patient Care Services
- Policy Development
- Behavioral & Social Science
- Quantitative Research
- Behavioral Research
- Health Promotion
- Intervention
- Health Education
- Social Marketing
- Project Management
- Biostatistics
- Public Health Surveillance
- Clinical Trials
- Data Interpretation
- Data Presentation
- Epidemiology
- Research
- Grant Writing
- Disease Investigation
- Risk Assessment
- Technical Writing
- Environmental/Epidemics
- Solid Waste Management
- Food Protection
- Radiation Protection
- Occupational Safety
- Health Policy
- Disaster Relief
- Nutrition
Types of Employers
- Hospitals
- Pharmaceutical Companies
- Fed. Government Agencies
- Colleges & Universities
- Wellness Centers
- Biotechnology Firms
- World Health Organization
- Nonprofit Organizations
Preparing for your career in
Health Policy & Management: Develop strong oral and written communication, analytical, and technical skills; Learn how to use database and spreadsheet software; Stay abreast of new laws and regulatory changes in the healthcare industry
Behavioral & Social Science: Pursue research experience at the undergraduate level; Learn to work well with diverse populations and people of varying ages; Become familiar with grant writing procedures and grant submission procedures
Health Promotion & Communication: Develop strong communication skills for building and delivering effective interventions; Research the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential; Gain knowledge of funding sources, grant writing techniques, and submission procedures
Biostatistics: Develop strong written and verbal communication skills, as statisticians in this field write technical reports to share findings; Assist with faculty research projects or apply to a summer research program
Epidemiology: Develop a solid background in the biological sciences, statistics, mathematics, and the software utilized for statistical analysis; Gain experience with research; Plan to work collaboratively with other professionals who study risk factors and disease distribution
Environmental/Epidemic: Develop strong research skills and the ability to manage data; Develop excellent writing and communication skills; Read journal articles to stay up to date
How do I know if its right for me?
ASSESS: Take a career assessment, such as PathwayU, to see how your interests, values, and personality fit with majors and careers.
RESEARCH: Research the careers on this WCIDWAMI and thousands of other careers using O*Net Online, The Occupational Outlook Handbook or FirstHand.
EXPLORE: Learn more about a career field of interest by job shadowing, attending a career panel, or participating in a Career Trek. Further your exploration while gaining valuable skills by completing an internship, co-op, volunteer, or research experience.