What is Public
Health?
The broad field of public health involves studying and improving the health of
communities and populations. Health research, promotion, education, and policy
development are some of the focal areas for public health professionals.
The variety of careers in public health necessitates a diversity of knowledge
and expertise, and relates to numerous academic disciplines.
Below is a description of the academic fields at the UNC
School of Public Health, and examples of careers for each specialty.
Biostatistics
Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Epidemiology
Health Behavior and Health Education
Health Policy and Administration
Maternal and Child Health
Nutrition
Public Health Leadership
Global Health
Additional Information
Biostatistics
Biostatistics involves the development and application of
statistical science to human health and disease. Biostatisticians analyze data to determine
the cause of illness and injury, identify health trends in communities, analyze
risk factors, plan interventions, or evaluate statistical data for clinical
trials.
For example, you might estimate the number of deaths from
gun violence, or analyze trends in cancer incidence. Career settings
include academic institutions, the government (CDC, EPA), industry
(pharmaceutical companies, CROs), and non-profit organizations.
Additional information about career opportunities is available on the Biostatistics website.
(back to top)
Environmental
Sciences and Engineering
Environmental Sciences and Engineering encompasses a broad array
of factors that can influence human health and environmental quality. Such areas include but are not limited to studying
and managing the quality of air, water, and soil, as well as noise control,
hazardous waste management, and vector control.
Knowledge about the interaction between humans and the environment can
lead to solutions for environmental problems through means such as policy
change.
For example, you may examine how environmental factors
contribute to asthma, cancer, or other diseases, or advocate for policy changes
to improve water quality. Careers
include environmental engineering, policy, and research in a variety of public
and private settings throughout the world.
Additional information is available on the Environmental
Sciences & Engineering Student Organization website.
(back to top)
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is often considered the “basic science” of
public health. One of the benefits of a career in epidemiology is that you can
take it in so many different directions and apply it to a wide range of
problems.
Some epidemiologists work in the field investigating
outbreaks of disease, seeking to determine the cause and trying to control its
spread. Other epidemiologists design and
implement studies to understand patterns of disease in society, such as the
disproportionate prevalence of diabetes or cancer in a particular segment of
the population. Epidemiologists often
employ knowledge and tools from other fields ranging from sociology, psychology,
and statistics to cellular and molecular biology.
(back to top)
Health Behavior and
Health Education
This public health concentration prepares individuals for
leadership positions in health education planning, management and
evaluation. Health Behavior and Health
Education students study a wide range of models and methods for developing,
implementing, and monitoring behavioral and social change interventions to
improve the health of individuals, groups and entire communities.
For example, you may develop an intervention to slow the
spread of HIV/AIDS, promote seatbelt use, or design health communications to
reach individuals at risk for colon cancer.
Careers are available throughout the world in government and international
agencies, health departments, research, and non-profit agencies.
Additional information is available about job opportunities
and alumni careers on the Health Behavior and Health Education website.
(back to top)
Health Policy and
Administration
Health Policy and Administration involves the study of
health care systems, including organization, quality, and demand, clinical and
financial management, health care reform, health law, and policy analysis.
For example, you may direct hospital services, analyze
utilization patterns of healthcare, create policies for health insurance
companies, or analyze the impact of Medicaid changes on quality of care. Careers are available in a variety of public
and private sectors, including hospitals, insurance companies, and the
government.
Additional information is available through HPAA’s
Professional Development and Career Services.
(back to top)
Maternal and Child
Health
This public health field focuses on improving the health of
women, children, and families in domestic and international settings through
research, program planning, training, and policy development. In preparing the
next generation of MCH leaders, major emphasis is placed on population-based
solutions to complex health problems that are multi-factorial in origin.
For example, you may collect and use data to improve programs and decision
making in family planning, nutrition,
and HIV/AIDS in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia.
Or, reach clinicians, community members, and policy makers with resources that
help pregnant and parenting smokers quit.
Upon graduation, MCH students are hired as project directors,
clinical/medical directors, program planners, evaluators, researchers,
consultants, and advocates in a diverse array of community, state, national,
and global public health organizations and entities.
(back to top)
Nutrition
Public health nutrition applies the physiological,
biochemical, and behavioral aspects of nutrition to the health of human
populations.
For example, you may advocate for nutrition-related policy changes, manage
nutrition services for a school system, conduct research for a food
manufacturer or hospital researcher, or work to decrease nutrient deficiencies
in high risk populations. Careers are available in a variety of public
and private settings, including hospitals, health departments, school systems,
private consulting, academia, and research.
(back to top)
Public Health
Leadership
This area of public health focuses on the population level
of health care, and seeks to build knowledge and skills related to leadership,
assessment, policy development and assurance for current health care
practitioners. Careers are available in
a variety of public health leadership positions.
(back to top)
Global Health
Public health professionals are often engaged in improving the
health of the world’s populations through research, service, and teaching, i.e.
global health. As global health is multidisciplinary, there is potential
to work in the global arena in all of the above specialties.
Careers are
available in a variety of institutions, including non-governmental organizations,
businesses, contract research organizations (CROs), private voluntary
organizations (PVOs), faith-based organizations (FBOs), academic institutions,
the U.S.
government, and United Nations groups, among others, both domestically and
abroad.
Additional information is available through the Office of
Global Health and their Career Development resources.
(back to top)
Additional Information
The following websites provide additional information about careers in the field of public health.
For assistance with finding employment in public health, please visit Career Services.
American Public Health Association
Association of Schools of Public Health
What is Public Health?
Explore Health Careers
(back to top)
|
