To reduce suffering among humans, public health aims to protect, prevent, and implement public policy. Dealing with the effects of infectious illnesses and natural catastrophes is also a part of it. By giving people access to sufficient healthcare resources and services, public health aims to enhance people’s quality of life and enable them to lead active, healthy lives free from disease.
Protecting global health interests is the common goal of all the many disciplines that comprise the enormous public healthcare sector. Of course, the list of significant contributions made by the public healthcare sector is extensive.
However, the Coronavirus pandemic brought this field to the forefront and made it increasingly important, affecting the lives of billions of people worldwide.
This is why the time is right for you if you wish to work in the field of public health and try your hand at various roles available today. In fact, with the appropriate training and work experience, you can choose from several fascinating public health job possibilities.
With that in mind, here are a few public health careers that allow you to help humankind. Plus, they pay really well!
- Disaster Recovery Manager
A disaster recovery manager’s duties include planning, directing, and advancing local recovery efforts. These professionals have a solid foundation in community development and a thorough understanding of the area’s demography.
Their primary responsibility is to direct and organize neighborhood revitalization and development and know all the steps of a disaster recovery plan, especially if their locality is struck by a natural disaster such as earthquakes, fires, tsunamis, etc.
To work as a disaster recovery manager, individuals must obtain a bachelor’s in public health, emergency management, or a related field. According to ZipRecruiter, a disaster recovery manager’s average salary is around $97,225 annually.
- Biomedical Researcher
A biomedical researcher’s job is to discover cures and preventative measures for illnesses that can make people really sick and even kill them. They employ clinical trials to investigate interventions’ value, safety, and efficacy. The ultimate purpose of every biomedical researcher is to find medicines, locate treatments, and give patients the best care possible.
You must get a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a science-related field, such as chemistry, biology, neuroscience, biomedical sciences, or bio-engineering, to apply for a career as a biomedical researcher. Moreover, a public health degree will also do the trick.
Typically, biomedical researchers are employed by diagnostic centers, labs, development corporations, educational institutions, or pharmaceutical firms. According to a BLS report, biomedical researchers earn an average annual salary of $88,790.
- Public Health Educator
Public healthcare educators must develop programs and campaigns to address specific health and safety issues. Even though they function at a higher administrative level, gathering data and developing plans, they can have a title that allows them to teach the general public about healthcare.
To enhance the general population’s health, local, state, or federal governments, private businesses, and nonprofit groups apply the programs and data that have been gathered.
A bachelor’s degree with a major in a healthcare-related subject such as public health is the minimum educational requirement for employment as a public healthcare educator. Such a degree should cover topics like public health and community health education, at the very least. According to a BLS consensus, a public healthcare educator typically earns roughly $70,000 annually.
- Public Health Consultant
A public health consultant advises other public health experts and local and state public health officials. They are responsible for assessing the efficacy and efficiency of their consultancy services. Some of these services deal with drug misuse, maternity and child health, health screening, and health education.
Candidates must hold a public health bachelor’s or master’s degree to fill such a position. However, your chances of finding work will rise tenfold if you also have a Ph.D.
A public health consultant’s typical annual compensation is estimated to be about 74,932 dollars by PayScale. However, the typical yearly salary for public health consultants with five to nine years of experience is above $100,000.
- Social Service/Community Manager
A social service/community manager works with governmental and nonprofit institutions to compile statistics for health programs and guarantee their efficacy. They further assess these data to aid medical facilities in determining the effect of the health program on its intended audience.
Most social service/community managers have bachelor’s or master’s degrees in business administration, social work, public health, or a related discipline.
An average government agency pays a social service/community manager roughly $85,000 annually. Additionally, they get a total yearly salary of around $67,150.
- Public Health Manager
Medical centers, hospitals, clinics, and the whole public healthcare system are managed by public healthcare managers, sometimes called public healthcare administrators. They ensure that these hospitals’ operations continue to be successful, efficient, and reasonably priced. A healthcare manager’s further responsibilities include hiring workers, supervising the medical and support staff, and more.
A bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration is required for employment as a public healthcare manager. Some companies may also demand that you get a master’s degree in the same subject. According to the BLS, public healthcare administrators get an average six-figure compensation of around $100,980 annually.
At the same time, the top 10% might make an average of around $198,000 annually. Ultimately, it is one of the highest-paying public health careers.
- Public Health Nurse
Focusing on the population’s health, particularly avoiding disability and infectious illness and improving general health, is the responsibility of a public healthcare nurse. These medical professionals work in hospitals, nursing homes, community health centers, public schools, colleges, and other institutions.
Their responsibilities include carrying out interventions, figuring out a population’s general healthcare requirements, and pushing individual healthcare best practices to avoid diseases, accidents, impairments, and death.
To work as a public healthcare nurse, you must acquire a BSN degree, followed by a bachelor’s in public health. PayScale reports a public healthcare nurse’s yearly pay is around $74,427.
Final Words
While specific jobs in the public healthcare industry may be hard to get without a bachelor’s degree, many others call for you to earn an MPH (Master of Public Health). The professions mentioned above guarantee public health degree holders a secure future while meeting people’s healthcare demands.
After all, knowing that you help people in their everyday lives will give you a fantastic sense of purpose and accomplishment.