101 + Careers in Public Health

by Beth Seltzer MD, MPH

Overview

Praise for the First Edition:

First rate advice.

American Public Health Association

In just the past few years, interest in public health careers has soared. Public health degrees are more popular than everóbut what opportunities are out there once youíve earned that MPH? And do you have to have to have a degree in public health to break into this field? This updated and revised second edition of 101+ Careers in Public Health provides an extensive overview of the numerous and diverse career options available and the many different roads to achieving them. It includes both familiar public health careers and emerging opportunities. New to the second edition are public health careers in the military, public health and aging, and careers in cutting-edge areas such as nanotechnology and public health genetics. Readers will learn about modern approaches to public health programs, including the evolving study of implementation science and the increased role of community-based participatory research.

The second edition also presents expanded information on getting started in public health, including the increasingly popular field of global health. Included are descriptions of careers in disease prevention, environmental health, disaster preparedness, nutrition, education, public safety, and many more. Whether you are a student who wants to launch a career or a professional looking to change careers, this guide offers a straightforward introduction to the public health field. It details the training, salary ranges, and degree requirements for each job and alerts readers to alternative pathways beyond the traditional MPH.

New to the Second Edition:

• Public health careers in the military

• Public health and aging

• Expanded information on global health careers and how to get started in global health

• Careers in cutting-edge domains of public health, such as nanotechnology and public health genetics

• The evolving roles of implementation science and community participatory research

• MD or MPH? The differences between healthcare and public health

Key Features:

• Includes a detailed guide to educational paths, options, and training requirements at the bachelor's, master's, and PhD levels

• Offers guidance on navigating the job market through both traditional and nontraditional pathways

• Provides tips on landing the job you want

• Includes interviews with public health professionals who offer details of their day-to-day lives on the job

• Helps job-seekers just starting out and those interested in career change

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826195999
Publisher:	Springer Publishing Company
Publication date:	12/11/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	448
File size:	730 KB

About the Author

Beth Seltzer, MD, MPH, is a public health physician, board-certified in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine. She has been with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene since 2019, serving as the Director for the Clinical and Scientific Affairs unit in the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention.

Table of Contents

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Share 101+ Careers in Public Health, Second Edition

PART I: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH

1 What Is Public Health?

History of Public Health

The Role of Public Health Today

2 Education in Public Health

Bachelor’s Degrees in Public Health

Master’s Degrees in Public Health

Doctorates in Public Health

Combined Degree Programs

Other Master’s Degrees

Engineering Degrees

Certifications and Other Training

Finding a School of Public Health

3 Finding Jobs in Public Health

Traditional Pathways

Getting in the Back Door

Combining Public Health With Another Career

Professional Associations

Federal Government Agencies

State and Local Agencies

PART II: PUBLIC HEALTH CAREERS

4 Infectious Disease

Epidemiologist

Public Health Profile : Orion McCotter, MPH, Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Epidemiologist, Arizona Department of Health Services, Tucson, AZ

Medical Officer

Public Health Profile : George Pourakis, MD, MPH, Medical Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

Public Health Nurse

Public Health Profile : Donna Westawski, MSN, Tuberculosis Nurse Consultant, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Wilkes-Barre, PA

Public Health Veterinarian

Public Health Advisor

Vaccine Researcher

Public Health Profile : Mario Roederer, PhD, Senior Investigator, ImmunoTechnology Section, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

Disease Ecologist

Infection Preventionist

5 Chronic Disease and Cancer

Health Educator

Health Promotion Program Coordinator

Public Health Profile : John Wedeles, MPH, Program Coordinator, Manhattan Tobacco Cessation Program, New York, NY

Medical Epidemiologist/Chronic Disease

Public Health Profile : Sarah Schillie, MD, MPH, MBA, Medical Epidemiologist, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Springfield, IL

Public Health Dentist

Public Health Profile : James Lalumandier, DDS, MPH, Professor and Chair of Community Dentistry, Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, Cleveland, OH

Tobacco Quitline Coach

Public Health Profile : Shelley Anderson, Counselor, California Smokers’ Helpline, San Diego, CA

Behavioral Scientist

Study Coordinator

6 Public Safety

Injury Prevention Specialist

Director of Emergency Medical Services

Public Health Profile : Virginia Hastings, MHA, Executive Director, Inland Counties EMS Agency, San Bernardino, CA

Specialist in Poison Information

Public Health Profile : Jean Lubbert, RN, CSPI, Nebraska Regional Poison Center, Omaha, NE

Forensic Pathologist

7 Maternal and Child Health

Administrator, Family Health Services

Public Health Profile : Chris Haag, MPH, Deputy Director, Bureau of Family Health Services, Alabama Department of Public Health, Montgomery, AL

Home Visit Nurse

Community Health Worker

WIC Nutritionist

Public Health Profile : Rosemary Flynn, MS, RD, Public Health Nutritionist, WIC Program, Nassau County Health Department, Uniondale, NY

8 Aging

“Age-in-Place” Program Coordinator

Dementia Services Coordinator

Researcher in Aging and Public Health

Director, Area Agency on Aging

Public Health Profile : John Skirven, MMS, Chief Executive Officer, Director, Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia, Norfolk, VA

9 Pharmaceuticals and Drug Safety

Pharmacist

Public Health Profile : Lt. Brian Parker, PharmD, Pharmacist, San Xavier Indian Health Center, Tucson, AZ

Medical Officer/Drug Evaluation and Safety

Public Health Profile : Sandra Kweder, MD, Deputy Director, Office of New Drugs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC

Biostatistician

Director, State Board of Pharmacy

Regulatory Affairs Specialist

10 Environmental Health and Water Safety

Toxicologist

Poisoning Prevention Coordinator

Environmental Engineer

Public Health Profile : Jeff Stone, MBA, PE, Chief Engineer, Engineering Section, Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock, AR

Hazardous Waste Inspector

Public Health Profile : Chad Babcock, Environmental Project Scientist, South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Pierre, SD

Hydrologist

Environmental Health Nurse

Community Activist

Public Health Profile : Peggy Shepard, Executive Director, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, New York, NY

Health Physicist

11 Occupational Health and Safety

Occupational Medicine Physician

Employee Health Nurse

Industrial Hygienist

Public Health Profile : Erica Stewart, CIH, HEM, National Environmental, Health and Safety Senior Manager, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA

Corporate Medical Director

Public Health Profile : Ron Stout, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH

12 Food Safety and Nutrition

Nutrition Consultant

Food Service Sanitarian

Public Health Profile : Sara T. Losh, RS, Health Inspector, Health and Food Safety, City of Frisco, Frisco, TX

Food Inspector/Department of Agriculture

Consumer Safety Officer/FDA

Food Scientist

13 Disaster Preparedness and Response

Emergency Preparedness Specialist

Public Health Profile : Bindy Crouch, MD, MPH, Primary Care Emergency Preparedness Medical Coordinator, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY

Disaster Preparedness Researcher

Public Health Profile : David Abramson, PhD, Director of Research, National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY

Biodefense Researcher

14 Health Communication

Journalist

Communications Director

Public Health Profile : Katherine Hull, Vice President of Communications, Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, Washington, DC

Social Marketer

Public Health Profile : Les Pappas, President and Creative Director, Better World Advertising, San Francisco, CA/New York, NY

Medical Writer

15 Education

Health Teacher

Public Health Profile : Steve Haines, MA, Health and PE Teacher, Newtown Friends School, Newtown, PA

Continuing Education Coordinator

Professor, School of Public Health

Dean, School of Public Health

Public Health Profile : Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, Dean, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY

16 Health Disparities, Vulnerable Groups, and At-Risk Populations

Director, Office of Minority Health

Public Health Profile : Duane Herron, MPH, Minority Health Program Coordinator, Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, Toledo, OH

Patient Navigator

Correctional Medicine Physician

Public Health Profile : Elizabeth Sazie, MD, MPH, CCHP, Chief Medical Officer, Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, Oregon Department of Corrections, Wilsonville, OR

Disease Prevention Activist

17 Mental Health

Mental Health Researcher

Public Health Profile : Leigh Ann Simmons, PhD, MFT, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC

Public Health Social Worker

Public Health Profile : Mamie Elmore, LMSW, Social Work Director, Region 4, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), Florence, SC

Coordinator, Behavioral Health Program

18 Public Health Law, Regulations, and Policies

Advocacy Director

Policy Analyst

Public Health Profile : Jennifer Greaser, RN, MSN, Public Health Analyst, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Washington, DC

Health Legislative Assistant

Health Economist

Public Health Lawyer

Administrative Law Judge

Consumer Advocate

Public Health Lobbyist

19 Evaluation, Safety, and Quality

Program Evaluator

Public Health Profile : Allison Meserve, MPH, Research Associate, Public Health Solutions, New York, NY

Quality Improvement Specialist

Outcomes Researcher

Informatics Specialist

Patient Safety Specialist

Public Health Profile : Iona Thraen, ACSW, PhD, Director, Patient Safety Initiative, Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake City, UT

Health Facility Surveyor

20 Nonprofit Organizations

Grant Writer

Development Director

Program Officer

Public Health Profile : Brenda Henry-Sanchez, PhD, MPH, Research and Evaluation Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, NJ

Volunteer Coordinator

Director of a Professional Association

Public Health Profile : Mike Barry, Executive Director, American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM), Washington, DC

21 Public Health Administration and Leadership

Health Commissioner

Public Health Profile : Teré Dickson, MD, MPH, Deputy Commissioner of Health, Director of the Center for Social Health and Advocacy, Nassau County Department of Health, Uniondale, NY

Public Health Laboratory Director

Medical Director

Federal Agency Director

Surgeon General of the United States

22 Global Health

Online Overview: Global Health Websites

Is This Really the Career for Me?

Why Pursue Specific Training in Global Health?

Education and Areas of Study

Finding Your First Job

Job Listings Online

Physician/Global Health

Program Manager

Public Health Profile : April Davies, MPH, International Programs Manager, Water.org, Kansas City, MO

Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Logistician

Procurement Manager

Public Health Profile : Paul Stannard, Deputy Procurement Manager, Crown Agents, Based at John Snow Inc., Arlington, VA

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Manager

NGO Founder/Director

Public Health Profile : Asheesh Bhalla, MPH, President/Executive Director, The Friends of Humanity Organization of Afghanistan (FHO), Kabul, Afghanistan/Washington, DC

Global Health Lawyer

Biomedical Engineer

Entomologist

23 Military

Air Force Public Health Officer

Army Preventive Medicine Officer

Public Health Profile : James Mancuso, MD, MPH, DrPH, Program Director, Preventive Medicine Residency, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD

Army Health Promotion Officer

Additional Examples of Public Health at Work in the Military

24 On the Cutting Edge

Public Health Genetics

Public Health Profile : W. David Dotson, PhD, Senior Coordinating Scientist, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

Implementation Science

Nanotechnology

Public Health Profile : Sara Brenner, MD, MPH, Assistant Vice President for NanoHealth Initiatives, Assistant Professor of Nanobioscience, Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (SUNY Poly CNSE), SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY

25 Off the Beaten Path

Dance Instructor

Urban Planner

Hospital Administrator

Chef

Public Health Profile : Esther Cook, Chef Teacher, The Edible Schoolyard Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Worksite Wellness Manager

Medical Expert/Media

Public Health Profile : John Whyte, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Expert, Vice President of CME, Discovery Channel, Silver Spring, MD

PART III: THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH

26 The Future of Public Health

Collaboration With the Community

Climate Change and Public Health

Public Health and Changing Populations

New Media and Public Health

PART IV: PUBLIC HEALTH OR MEDICAL SCHOOL?

27 Public Health or Medical School?

Clinical Medicine Versus Public Health Practice

Treating Patients Versus Treating Communities

Medical School Versus Public Health School

A Word About Debt

Refusing to Choose

The Public Health Medical Specialty

Getting a Job as a Public Health Doctor

Where to Learn More

PART V: ADVICE FROM CAREER COUNSELORS

28 Advice From Career Counselors

The Job Market: Some Current Trends

Common Mistakes

Online Networking

In-Person Networking

Making the Most of an Informational Interview

Writing a Resume That Stands Out

Ace That Interview

Planning for the Future

In Conclusion

Index