Careers
| Public health careers |
 Students learning about career options during the Internship & Career Fair at the Dean Dome Research, health promotion, education, management, and policy development are some of the many focal areas for public health professionals. The variety of public and private sector careers in public health means that there are a wide range of public health career opportunities that could fit with your personal goals. One way that public health careers are divided is based on broad categories of expertise or academic disciplines. Below is a description of the academic fields at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and examples of job titles and potential employers for each specialty.
BiostatisticsBiostatistics 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.
Environmental Sciences and EngineeringEnvironmental 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.
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.
(back to top) Health Behavior and Health EducationThis 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.
(back to top) Health Policy and ManagementHealth Policy and Management 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.
(back to top) Maternal and Child HealthThis 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.
NutritionPublic 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.
Public Health LeadershipThis 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 HealthPublic 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.
(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.
Career Services is part of the Office of Student Affairs, located in 263 Rosenau Hall. |
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| Last updated October 16, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
