What Career Opportunities are Available in Public Health

[NicholasSmith00]

I'm really interested in getting involved in public health in California. I fell in love with the free clinic model and infectious diseases a few years ago when I started using them myself.

Ideally I want to work with the public as a doctor, answering sex education questions, and coordinating efforts on a local scale to combat infectious diseases.

I'm considering going the direction of Med School and getting a Masters in Public Health. However, I'm not exactly sure what careers are available in public health as a doctor with a Masters in PH.

I've also heard that a nurse with a NP can do a lot of similar roles.

I really prefer the route of a doctor and would like answers directed more at that than other professions, but since I'm at the beginning of my education, I'm open minded.

Thank you in advance.

Nicholas

[pnetra]

:D Public health degrees open doors beyond just the commonly assumed government career path. There are actually a wide variety of settings in which public health graduates may work, as with any degree program. Some of those settings are:

Public: Health department administration, disaster preparedness and public nursing are just three areas in which a public health graduate may work for the government.

Education: Education-related roles in public health are often as teachers to public health students or within research.

Private: Whether as a consultant or employee, public health graduates often work for pharmaceutical brands, healthcare organizations, Medical Schools or insurance companies.

Non-profit: Non-profit roles for public health graduates tend to address gaps in healthcare or specialize in a specific population. For example, a non-profit role may serve minorities, veterans or mothers.

[NicholasSmith00]

Pnetra, thank you so much for that reply. Very thorough and it helps.

Can you speak to what an MD with a MPH can do specifically? Is there something they can do within the fields of Sex Ed/Infectious Diseases/STIs/Community Health?

This question is attempting to help me decide if I'm embarking on the right path before I go through all the schooling.

[Amy Turner]

Hi Nicholas,

Being a doctor with a Masters in PH, can give you many opportunities in both public and private health sector. You can move towards non profits, teaching or research as well. Depends upon your expertise and understanding of different areas your career path is defined. Good Luck!!

[Babot]

There are really a lot of opportunities. It's actually the reason why it's worth to choose to study public health.