From epidemiologists and administrators to those providing direct health care in clinics, ample opportunity exists for those interested in pursuing careers in the public health sector.

Despite this good news, some experts in the field believe there that it is certainly a challenging time to be working in public health. According to Dr. Linda Rae Murray, a Chicago based public health physician, she believes that there is a social gradient of health that affects Americans, causing challenges within the public health system that go beyond financial issues.¹

Defined by the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH), public health is the science and art of protecting the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention.²  

There are several high growth areas in the public health sector to be noted. Social workers, those that provide psychological support needed to cope with terminal diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and AIDS, is a growing field that will see about 2.24% in growth through 2018.³

An even larger area in demand for talented practitioners is epidemiology. Often considered the basic science of public health, epidemiology covers a lot of ground and is expected to grow due to awareness of bioterrorism. From discovering the causes of disease to evaluating public health programs, there is an expected growth rate of 15% by 2018.⁴

Medical and health services managers are also in demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008 medical and health services managers held approximately 238,500 jobs, and growth in this area is expected increase by 16% by 2018.⁵

For those green to the public health job market, it is recommended to talk with professionals in the field, or visit with graduate students in their specific niche of interest. Mostly Medicaid also offers crash course literature specifically on Medicaid for job interview preparation and increased knowledge base.

Source: “Medical and Public Health Social Workers in the United States,” Career Outlook.http://www.careeroutlook.us/career.php?id=211022&st=USA 

1.  “Challenging Times for America’s Public Health Officials,” Adrianne Deweese, October 4, 2011.http://www.examiner.net/health/x360263110/Challenging-times-for-America-s-public-health-officials

 2. “ASPH Brochure,” Association of Schools of Public Health, http://www.asph.org/files/ASPH_Brochure_LQ.pdf

 3. “Medical and Public Health Social Workers in the United States,” Career Outlook.http://www.careeroutlook.us/career.php?id=211022&st=USA

4. “Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition,” Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos310.htm

5. “Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition,” Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos014.htm