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Questions about . . . a career in public health?





What jobs will be available to me?


Public health is a multidisciplinary field, including professions such as doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, sanitarians, counselors, case/outreach workers, health educators, administrators, biostatisticians, epidemiologists, laboratory technicians, industrial hygenists, and others too numerous to mention here.

While there are many specialty areas in public health, most jobs fall into one of three categories:

    administration

    community health practice

    research

The Master of Public Health program at the University of Nebraska will offer specializations in public health administration and in community health education.

The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPHA) lists the following examples of jobs and salary ranges within one year of graduation as reported on a nationwide survey:

    Health services administration:

      $24,700 - $107,600

      Public or private sector planning, policy development, resource management, finance and marketing.

      Example Job Titles: Hospital Administrator, Director of Marketing, Health Care Policy Analyst, Chief Executive Officer


    Public health practice and program management:

      $27,450 - $68,000

      Social Work, Nursing, Dentistry, Medicine, Environmental Health, Behavioral Health, Aging, Maternal & Child Health.

      Example Job Titles: Sanitarian, Community Health Nurse, Counselor, Aging Specialist, Program Director


    Health education:

      $22,000 - $57,750

      Design and implementation of programs that affect health including helping people develop healthier lifestyles and self-care practices.

      Example Job Titles: Health Educator, Wellness Consultant, Director of Education


    Occupational safety & health:

      $27,300 - $84,000

      Identification, prevention and control of health and safety hazards related to work and the work environment.

      Example Job Titles: Project Director, Fitness Consultant, Industrial Hygienist


    Epidemiology:

      $25,450 - $90,825

      Study of the distribution and determinants of disease or disability in population groups.

      Example Job Titles: Senior Data Analyst, Director of Health, Health Research Manager, Section Chief



Information and advice on local, national and international job listings may also be obtained from the following websites:



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Which employers hire public health graduates?


Both public and private sector employers need qualified professionals to keep up with the rapidly changing health care industry and the public health challenges in our complex world. Typical employers of public health graduates include:

    Hospitals & Clinics

    Managed Care Organizations & Insurance Companies

    Pharmaceutical & Medical Supply Companies

    Professional & Advocacy Organizations

    Local, State & Federal Government Agencies

    Business & Industry

    Schools, Colleges & Universities

    Community-based Service Organizations

    Voluntary Health Agencies



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Will a graduate degree enhance my career?


A master of public health (MPH) degree will provide a solid foundation of knowledge and experience to help you secure a professional position, or to advance in your chosen profession. The curriculum is science-based and practice-oriented. You will emerge from the program equipped to make a positive impact on health in your community. Graduate studies will give you the opportunity to and challenge you to develop or improve upon the following core public health competencies:

    Analytic/Assessment/Informatics Skills

    Basic Public Health Sciences Skills

    Evaluation/Applied Research Skills

    Cultural Competency Skills

    Communication Skills

    Planning Skills

    Ethics Skills

    Community Dimension of Practice Skills

    Management/Administration Skills

    Leadership & /Professionalism/Advancing Skills

    Policy Development/Advocacy/Public Health Law Skills



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What do public health professionals really do?


The mission of public health is to promote physical and mental health and prevent disease, injury and disability among population groups. Public health professionals prevent epidemics and the spread of disease; protect against environmental hazards; prevent injuries; promote and encourage healthy behaviors; respond to disasters and assist communities in recovery; and assure the quality and accessibility of health services.

The following are 10 essential public health services in which public health professionals are typically engaged:

    Monitor health status to identify community health problems.

    Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community.

    Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.

    Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems.

    Develop policies and plans and manage programs that support individual and community health efforts.

    Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.

    Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.

    Assure a competent public health and personal health care workforce.

    Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services.

    Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems.



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