WHAT CAN I DO WITH A MAJOR IN...
PUBLIC HEALTH
Public Health professionals focus on preventing disease
and injury by promoting healthy lifestyles. They implement educational programs, develop policies, administer
services, conduct research, and regulate health systems
to achieve these goals. In the past century, public health
initiatives have improved lives worldwide, including
increasing life expectancy by almost 30 years in the
United States.
*Taken from Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
SAMPLE OCCUPATIONS
Health Policy/ Management
Program Development
Human Resources
Medical Staff Relations
Patient Care Services
Policy Development
Behavioral & Social Science
Quantitative Research
Behavioral Research
Health Promotion
Intervention
Health Education
Social Marketing
Project Management
Biostatistics
Public Health Surveillance
Clinical Trials
Data Interpretation
Data Presentation
Epidemiology
Research
Grant Writing
Disease Investigation
Risk Assessment
Technical Writing
Environmental/Epidemics
Solid Waste Management
Food Protection
Radiation Protection
Occupational Safety
Health Policy
Disaster Relief
Nutrition
TYPES OF EMPLOYERS
Hospitals
Wellness Centers
Pharmaceutical Companies
Biotechnology Firms
Fed. Government Agencies
World Health Organization
Colleges & Universities
Nonprofit Organizations
PREPARING FOR YOUR CAREER IN
Health Policy & Management: Develop strong oral and
written communication, analytical, and technical skills; Learn
how to use database and spreadsheet software; Stay abreast
of new laws and regulatory changes in the healthcare industry
Behavioral & Social Science: Pursue research experience
at the undergraduate level; Learn to work well with diverse
populations and people of varying ages; Become familiar with
grant writing procedures and grant submission procedures
Health Promotion & Communication: Develop strong
communication skills for building and delivering effective
interventions; Research the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential; Gain knowledge of funding sources,
grant writing techniques, and submission procedures
Biostatistics: Develop strong written and verbal communication skills, as statisticians in this field write technical
reports to share findings; Assist with faculty research
projects or apply to a summer research program
Epidemiology: Develop a solid background in the biological sciences, statistics, mathematics, and the software utilized
for statistical analysis; Gain experience with research; Plan to
work collaboratively with other professionals who study risk
factors and disease distribution
Environmental/Epidemic: Develop strong research skills
and the ability to manage data; Develop excellent writing and
communication skills; Read journal articles to stay up to date
RELATED WEBSITES
Public Health Careers
www.publichealth.org
Careers in Public Health
www.aspph.org/discover
Health Management Careers
www.healthmanagementcareers.org
Explore Health Careers: Public Health
www.ExploreHEALTHcareers.org
American Public Health Association
www.apha.org
HOW DO I KNOW IF IT’S RIGHT FOR ME?
ASSESS: Take a career assessment, such as the Strong
Interest Inventory or MBTI, to see how your interests,
values, and personality fit with majors and careers.
RESEARCH: Research the careers on this WCIDWAMI and
thousands of other careers using these top career websites:
http://onetonline.org
http://www.bls.gov/oco
EXPLORE: Observe a professional in action by participating in the Job Shadowing program (individual shadowing and
group site visits) and attending career panels. Further your
exploration while gaining valuable skills by completing an
internship, co-op, volunteer, or research experience.
For the expanded version of this WCIDWAMI, visit
career.uncc.edu/majors/publichealth
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