10 Courses You Should Take If You Want To Get Into Public Health Sector
Nowadays, it’s a challenge to get a job that’s profitable in the long run. There are a lot of young individuals who are trying to decide what field of study they should take for future success, and luckily a growth in public health programs has come to address them.
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the workforce and education sector worldwide. And while this happens, health and medicine-related job opportunities in the public health sector have become more important than ever.
The importance of public health cannot be understated. Public health practitioners primarily find solutions to community and global health issues. This includes fighting diseases and developing prevention programs. If you’re interested in pursuing a job that values the overall improvement of human life, then pursuing a public health career might suit you.
Students who are interested in public health can have a wide variety of opportunities. The list below shows some of the public health-related courses you should take if you wish to pursue a career in the field.
1. Public Health
A bachelor’s degree in public health usually takes four years of education, which will provide a solid and broad background of information and training in the public health discipline. Taking this degree also serves as the basis for an entry-level public health career, or the first step in pursuing a more advanced practice in the field.
The public health field is a unique and extensive area of study which combines different academic areas for a multidisciplinary approach to the healthcare field. However, it primarily focuses on improving and protecting community health and well-being through child wellness, disease prevention, education, disaster relief, clean water, access to healthcare, and a lot more.
Public health practitioners can work in a lab and study from a statistical angle. They can work with hospitals and directly interact with patients. They can assist lawmakers informing and designing public health policies. These practitioners can also coordinate with nonprofit organizations in providing low cost and free healthcare services to their community.
2. Nursing
Nurses play one of the most important roles in frontline medicine. Nurses are the skilled personnel who fulfill the bulk of treatment prescribed by doctors on duty as well as patient interactions. Getting a nursing degree lets you learn and adapt to the minute-by-minute responsibilities of caring for patients.
To become a registered nurse, students must obtain a nursing license. Besides dispensing medicine, prepping, and monitoring vitals of patients, nurses also endure many emotionally-charged situations with the utmost professionalism.
3. Occupational Health
Obtaining a degree in occupational health and occupational safety allows you to identify and analyze health and safety conditions in public health. Its primary goal is to reduce and eliminate hazards which may lead to occupational illnesses and injuries.
Getting employed as an Occupational Health and Safety Specialist lets you inspect workplaces to determine whether they adhere to safety rules and regulations. You can also design and implement proper workplace processes and procedures to improve working conditions, as well as investigate accidents and incidents to determine and solve the issues to prevent future accidents and hazards. An occupational health practitioner can also conduct education and training programs on public health and safety-related subjects such as emergency preparedness.
4. Microbiology
Pursuing microbiology lets you study organisms using different kinds of laboratory tools and equipment. These microorganisms come in the form of algae, bacteria fungi, parasites, and viruses, and most of these can take a toll on human health. Microbiology lets you better understand the nature of microorganisms, their growth, as well as their interaction with other organisms, like human beings.
Microbiologists play an important role in the public health sector because they work by planning and conducting research about microorganisms so they can eventually develop drugs to manage or treat countless infectious diseases. They can also create and develop higher-quality biofuels and genetically engineered crops. In order to complete certain studies or researches, Microbiologists regularly work with several other scientists from different disciplines, while managing the work of technicians and other staff in their laboratories.
It’s vital for bachelor’s degree holders to acquire an adequate amount of laboratory experience before onboarding in the field. If you plan to work or conduct research at a university or college in the future, you can also get a graduate degree relating to a specialized area of microbiology.
5. Psychology
A degree in psychology or other mental-health related courses remains relevant in the public health sector. It allows students to learn and name and define various conditions and disorders, as well as proper diagnosis and treatment.
Psychologists and therapists play an essential role in modern healthcare. Whether it’s one-on-one private practice sessions or working with recovering addicts in a substance abuse treatment center, this course involves confronting some of the more confounding aspects of medical science. It’s a big responsibility that involves addressing the nuances of mental health and getting to the root cause of all mental health issues the society.
6. Nutrition And Dietetics
Taking up a course in nutrition and dietetics allows you to research, evaluate, and recommend the right diet planning, determine what foods eat to address any health issues influenced by your diet, and improve a community’s overall health.
Dietitians and nutritionists can work in hospitals, neighborhood clinics, assisted living facilities, and even in private practices. They work with other medical professionals in order to come up and implement nutritional plans and dietary restrictions for specific patients. They can also directly monitor and supervise food service operations to guarantee safety, quality, sanitation regulations set by the industry.
You may also take certifications and licensure to earn an advanced degree, or immediately get into supervisorial positions.
7. Epidemiology
If you wish to research and investigate the different causes and patterns of countless diseases, then pursuing epidemiology is the right course for you. Studying this course will prepare you to effectively plan and conduct investigations on different public health issues, collect and study data to easily locate the causes of diseases, and eliminate its negative impacts on human beings.
Some of the basic skills you’ll learn in epidemiology include identification of statistical trends in medical data, application of new findings to actual health policy changes, and thorough understanding of the origin and transmission methods of diseases.
Generally, you may choose between applied epidemiology and research epidemiology on your specialization. Choosing to specialize in research epidemiology allows you to work for universities while applied epidemiology increases your chances to work for state and local government agencies.
8. Health Education
A bachelor’s degree in health education or health promotion is beneficial in teaching individuals topics one one’s health and wellness, and how to improve overall wellbeing. Studying health education lets you have adept knowledge of the community’s variety of health problems and issues so you can effectively teach or guide individuals about certain concerns, and report the findings as your way of better serving the community.
As a public health educator, you’ll create and present educational programs and events for communities, provide training for health care workers and other health professionals, and become advocates for improved health resources. Aside from your bachelor’s degree, some employers may also require you to take further certifications or obtain a master’s degree in health education to improve your credentials.
9. Emergency Management
Studying emergency management allows you to learn deep planning for preparedness and emergency response training, as well as coordinating crisis management and disaster response during an emergency or disaster event. Taking an emergency management course also gives you the edge to develop strong organizational and communication skills, so you can manage and coordinate the efforts of emergency response teams that include firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and others while working effectively under pressure during disaster events.
Additionally, you may also get up two to five years of emergency management experience to improve your skills in the public health field.
10. Social Work And Public Administration
Getting a bachelor’s degree in social work and public administration can become your ticket to create and implement various community and social services and health programs.
When you become a social and community service manager, expect that you’ll have to recruit, train, and manage staff members to ensure that they provide high-quality service to all clients. You’ll also learn how to write different types of letters to request for funds and prepare accurate reports in order to provide evidence for sponsorships of different health programs.
Working as a social and community service manager can become your ticket to work for different government agencies and non-profit organizations. Your job as a social and community service manager will usually involve a very specific demographic or on particular groups such as the homeless, children, seniors, handicapped, or veterans.
In summary,
Given these courses, there are a lot of possibilities for people who wish to study a public health career path. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, there is a growing need for public health workers in every sector.
Public health workers coordinate with local communities in educating the public about health awareness. Besides working with communities, there is also a growing opportunity for public health practitioners to contribute to health policy initiatives.
So, if you’re planning to pursue a public health-related course, there is a variety of options that you may choose from. One of the benefits of getting a public health degree is that it creates an impact to improve society’s health status. And knowing its impact on the world and people can be another reason to study public health.
