When looking towards your professional future, you may find yourself drawn to the ever-growing career field of public health. There are so many specializations that fall under the realm of public health, and each offers unique job opportunities. An advanced degree, such as a Master’s in Public Health (MPH), will prepare you for many of the impactful, in-demand, and top-paying career prospects today. The question is, which public health career path is right for you? Learning about the different areas of public health will help shine a light on possible pathways you can pursue once you have obtained your master’s degree.
As the world faces many public health crises and healthcare advances, having an MPH degree in hand has never been more advantageous. An MPH offers job opportunities that are both versatile and exciting. The below list of MPH career fields can help you take the next best step towards your future in public health.
- Epidemiology
When the world faces spreading diseases and viruses, like COVID-19, it is up to epidemiologists to reveal preventions that will help save lives. These professionals not only work towards disease prevention and control, but also help to identify the risk factors and patterns of any health-related event. Epidemiology looks past the individual and instead focuses on the community or population collectively, in order to protect the greater well-being. In this area of public health, collecting health data is done through research studies, surveys, and biological samples. Epidemiologists use that data to investigate public health problems such as environmental factors, injuries, infectious diseases, natural disasters, and even terrorism.
Epidemiology is a field that offers a wide range of possible job opportunities, with an MPH being the typical requirement. MPH career opportunities in this field may include infection control, pharmaceutical research, or veterinary study of diseases spread in animal species. With your MPH, you can work as an epidemiologist and enjoy a rewarding and growing career. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics states that those who decide to enter this field of public health can expect a growth of 30 percent from 2020 to 2030. This growth rate further showcases how important the area of epidemiology is for those considering possible MPH job opportunities.
- Biostatistics
Biology and mathematics combine to create the fascinating field of biostatistics. This is a field within public health where health trends and potential causes of disease and injury are studied. Professionals in this field may also evaluate the success of programs and campaigns that concern public health. For example, you can use biostatistics to analyze whether school health programs have affected the trends in childhood obesity. Biostatistics relies on the approach of using statistical methods to analyze and evaluate public health data.
The job opportunities within biostatistics often do not involve direct work with patients. So, it may be more suitable for those who would like to contribute to public health through research and risk factor assessments. If you enjoy working with numbers, you may find your niche as a biostatistician. Many other public health fields rely on the numbers provided by biostatistics to solve problems and create treatments. Within the profession of biostatisticians, jobs are available in academia, biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical companies, and software. With your MPH degree, you can obtain the diverse careers available in this field and can expect high wages (around $93,290 annually for statisticians). You will be able to find a profitable job in this field that contributes tremendously to the realm of public health.
- Management
Management is a crucial pillar of the public health field. In public health, managers take on the administrative and organizational responsibilities that are needed to efficiently deliver health services. This area of public health is for those who enjoy overseeing, directing, coordinating, and planning. The International Journal of Health Policy and Management states that strong public health management is the key to help detect, prevent, and respond to naturally occurring outbreaks. This stresses the dire need for effective public health management to ensure proper public health practice. Delivering health services must be done effectively and efficiently, and management is essential to accomplishing this.
The need for a strong management workforce makes it an area of high demand, with a faster-than-average job outlook of 32 percent. There is a plethora of career opportunities found in the management field of public health, with an MPH degree in hand. Healthcare settings such as government agencies, clinics, hospitals, mental health facilities, nursing homes, and state and local health departments are where you can find many public health management career opportunities. In some public health management positions, you may be in charge of a large facility or oversee a group of practitioners. With your Master’s in Public Health, you can take on these roles and succeed in the many job opportunities the area of management provides.
- Research
It seems that the foundation of public health is research. This area of public health involves analyzing data and conducting surveys to obtain data as it relates to the health of our populations. If you are interested in discovering health trends and uncovering key health factors, then research may be the area for you. In this area of public health, you are always learning and gathering information to have a better perspective on a community’s health. Surveys, interviews, laboratory, and clinical tests are part of gathering information.
Without valuable research, other public health professions would not be able to carry out tasks such as treatment planning or disease prevention. Research is a field within public health filled with lucrative job opportunities. These job opportunities can range from working in hospitals to researching within universities. Gaining an advanced health degree, such as your MPH, will allow you to follow this exciting pathway.
- Disaster Mitigation
If you desire to step in and take an active role in preventing disaster and saving lives, then disaster mitigation may be the public health pathway for you. People involved in this area are often the unseen heroes in emergency management. The overall goal in disaster mitigation is to lessen the effects a disaster may have on individuals and communities as a whole.
Examples of this include engineering dams to prevent flooding or bridges that can withstand earthquakes. It may also involve developing building codes or determining flood plains. Or, it may involve a career with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), helping citizens prepare for, and respond to, natural disasters. By taking these actions, those in the field of disaster mitigation hope to lessen the impact of potential emergencies. They want to ensure that both people and property are kept safe from potential threats. The jobs in this realm of public health can see salaries around $74,000 annually. This field is not only filled with fruitful career opportunities, but it also allows you to aid in keeping people and communities secure.
Do any of these concentrations in public health interest you? If so, it is important to know how to start your journey towards a successful career. Having your Master’s in Public Health opens up so many job opportunities. Finding a flexible and career-focused school, such as Goodwin University, will provide you with the opportunity to gain an MPH degree that will prepare you for every area in the vast realm of public health.
Goodwin University offers online MPH classes that are both comprehensive and flexible for aspiring public health professionals. You can prepare yourself for countless MPH job opportunities in as little as 12-15 months. As the public health field continues to expand, career opportunities continue to grow. Now is the time to earn your Master’s in Public Health and find where you can make an impact.
If you are ready to start your exciting journey to gain your Master’s in Public Health, reach out to Goodwin University today! For more information call 1-800-889-3282 or visit us online.
Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.