What Can You Do with a Public Health Degree? - Skills To Get Ahead In Your Career

The healthcare industry encompasses a wide range of professions, especially in the public health sector. An individual with a public health degree might offer educational courses to improve the physical well-being of others or help create laws that bolster health standards. A public health degree can help refine your job search and increase your earning potential.

In this article, we explore some of the top jobs that you can get with a degree in public health.

A public health degree may involve a career in field research or clinical care, with opportunities available at all degree levels. Below is a list of 13 career options you can pursue with a public health degree along with typical job duties and average salaries.

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A public health educator teaches communities how to promote wellness. They often advise on topics like nutrition and exercise. Public health educators collect data to determine the community’s health needs and create policies that improve practices. Some health educators may work primarily with healthcare providers to promote safe practices.

Nutritionists analyze eating habits and characteristics of patients and clients in order to create meal plans and offer advice. Nutritionists and dietitians are experts in dietary requirements for individuals. Duties can include creating specific health goals or working with patients to maintain or improve their general health.

A director of social services oversees and organizes community health programs. As supervisors, they recruit and train new staff members. They may write proposals to gain funding or prepare reports for grants or sponsorship. Social service directors can have careers in both the public or private sector, where they may serve an entire community or focus on a particular population.

Health and wellness managers oversee the development of plans for groups such as corporations, universities or medical centers. Health and wellness managers implement plans and communicate results. They may also offer health education classes and conduct research to gauge the success of ongoing health programs.

Emergency preparedness managers provide emergency planning to first responders and the public. They evaluate community emergency preparedness and may help to formulate disaster response plans. These professionals may oversee the response to communities before, during and after an emergency. Another common duty for emergency preparedness managers includes writing proposals for emergency funding grants.

Public health nurses advance community health by providing clinical care and wellness program development. Nurses often work to improve healthcare access in areas that lack adequate services. Public health nurses serve the community and strive to make healthcare accessible. While some healthcare facilities will employ public health nurses with an associate’s degree, many nurses earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing to increase their range of job opportunities.