If you often wonder what can you do with a public health degree, the answer is five different things that are stable and well-paying. However, before you go ahead, you must know that you will need more than a degree to get a job in public health with no experience.
This blog provides insights on 5 top entry-level jobs in public health and the prerequisites for this career.
Overview of Public Health Career and Degrees
The career’s core lies in the prevention of diseases and maintenance of the overall human health. The importance of public health shouldn’t be underestimated now more than ever, because climate change is affecting us perilously.
In the past 100 years, the average life expectancy of human beings has increased by 30 years in the US. And the number is almost the same in other developed countries. In those 30 years, we can easily attribute 25 years to effective and advanced public health.
The demand for public health officers has also increased by several percentages in the past 10 years. This has led many educational institutions to offer degree programs in public health and safety.
The public health is an umbrella term for several careers, including public relations specialists, epidemiologists, and public health educators.
How to Get a Job in Public Health with No Experience
Depending upon the profession, the way to pursue a public health career will differ, in terms of numbers of degrees and certifications. However, here are the steps to get into an entry-level public health career without any experience.
Earn a Graduation Degree
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for an entry-level job in public health. You can either pursue a Bachelor of Science in Public Health or Bachelor of Arts in Public Health. Since master’s degrees concentrate in particular public health niches, when you are at your bachelor’s studies, choose electives that will support your masters and help get your job in the preferred niche.
Study Master’s Degree in Public Health
If you have the time and money, you can enroll in a master’s degree program to broaden your career prospects. The Masters of Science/Arts in Public Health is a professional degree program that will help you take up and practice the leadership roles in various public health systems, including local, state, national, and international.
A master’s degree is essential in many jobs, including that of an epidemiologist, health survey researcher and analyst, and public health educator.
However, you can still get into many entry-level jobs with a basic bachelor’s degree in public health.
You can stop here and start hunting for jobs. Or study and research more and earn a doctorate in public health, if you want a tailored experience and exposure.
Pursue Doctorate Degree
If you want to become a medical scientist, a professor, or an advanced public health researcher, you will need a doctorate to back you up. While Ph.D. in Public Health is the most focused and sought after program, you can also choose a particular field and pursue a doctorate in it. Common doctorate subjects on public health include chronic disease epidemiology, environmental health policy, public health and management, and biostatistics.
What Kind of Educational Background You Require for Public Health Careers
Finding the right program is very important to ensure you stay on the right path.
If your goal is finding entry-level jobs for bachelors in public health and that’s all you want, then gain certification and start job hunting.
If the job you want only requires a two-year degree, but you also want to get into a bachelor’s degree, then enroll in an associate/diploma degree program.
If your goal is taking care of the public at large scale and keeping doors open for other work opportunities, complete a bachelor’s degree program.
If you are already in the medical field or have begun your career in public health, but want to take your job to another level, such as medical research, earn a Master’s degree.
5 Top Entry-Level Public Health Jobs
A bachelor’s degree covers foundational information and training on public health discipline. Health disparities, nutrition & public health, and health disparities are courses offered in bachelor’s degrees. This degree will serve as the first step in obtaining an entry-level job position.
Dietician and Nutritionist
These professionals monitor, prescribe and manage people’s diet, nutrition, and food habits based on lifestyle and health problems. With an allied certification or concentration in food science and nutrition, dietetics, and food management, you can become a certified nutritionist or a licensed dietician.
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologists research the facts, history, causes, and configurations of diseases, especially which are communicated by human beings, to prevent negative impacts on the public. You can be employed in research epidemiology (universities and federal agencies) or applied epidemiology (state and local government) depending upon your educational background.
Community Health Educators
Healthcare educators and workers teach the public and people living in the society about different health and wellness problems, such as menstrual hygiene, green living, garbage disposal, and so on. You may have to get a Health Education Specialist Certification (CHES) to get into this field.
Occupational Health and Safety Inspector
With a bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety or a related subject, you can assume an entry-level public health position that focuses on identifying and analyzing health conditions of residential and commercial spaces, and implementing plans that eliminate different hazards and diseases.
Community Service Member
In this job, you will undertake the role of a social and community service manager and organize and supervise different community-based programs. You will most likely work with government agencies and non-profit organizations. A bachelor’s degree in social service or community service is needed for the job.
Since technology has changed the way we work, most public health entry-level jobs can be pursued from home, while many courses can be studied online simultaneously.
If you are looking for something relevant to find out about public health, ask us in the comments below, and we shall get back to you soon.
