6 Reasons to Pursue a Degree in Public Health

Whether you like to hear this or not, we belong to an era that has been exposed to unprecedented health challenges.  From the pervasive COVID-19 pandemic or concerns like air pollution, deforestation, water pollution, and inadequate access to health care, the last decade has exposed people to different physical and mental health challenges.

These health challenges have increased the demand for public healthcare professionals. Job opportunities for public health experts are expected to increase by 16% from 2016 to 2026. 

For people with a knack for serving the community and dealing with global health challenges, a degree in public healthcare can be the right choice. Let’s discuss the most important reasons for pursuing a rewarding career in public healthcare. 

#1.Promote Industrial Hygiene 

Industrial hygiene is the study of workplace hazards, which recognizes and evaluates them and suggests protection methods against these risks. Public health care professionals can enroll in industrial hygiene schools to study chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic hazards, such as exposure to chemicals, noise, extreme temperatures, and electricity. 

Similarly, industrial hygiene experts also study the importance of maintaining work desk safety, so corporate junkies can keep their physical and mental health intact during their office shifts. 

Pursuing higher education in industrial hygiene prepares you not only for a stable and in-demand profession but can also lead to an entrepreneurial track such as consultation and service provision. 

For example, employees sitting on their desks all day are more prone to developing musculoskeletal health concerns. That’s why offices now hire or seek sessional consultation from industry hygiene specialists who can inform employees about managing work-life balance in a way that doesn’t harm them. 

Another example is a workplace exposed to harsh temperatures. For instance; a steel factory. The job of an industrial hygiene professional in this case would be teaching the employees how to maintain safety during work. 

2. Working With Schools 

Individuals with a degree in public health are not bound to a single type of profession. Many schools and educational institutions offer high-profile roles to promote health and wellness in a community that’s growing and learning. 

Health education is often a career path chosen by people who have a degree in public health. These individuals promote healthy habits and encourage a healthy lifestyle by teaching the importance of nutritious meals, physical activity, and reduced use of technology at an early age. A person with a public health degree holds expertise in designing and implementing safe practices for children, allowing them to adopt healthy habits that stick with them for life.

Similarly, schools also hire health coordinators to ensure that students are adopting healthy practices. These coordinators help obese kids reduce weight and adopt healthier habits.

As a student, if you plan to pursue a public health degree, there can be volunteer and internship opportunities available at your school that help you build your resume and lead you to the professional school of your dreams. 

3. Skill Development During Education 

A public health degree allows students to develop practical skills too. You develop analytical skills such as data analysis, statistics, and data visualization to make professional decisions with accuracy and confidence.

Additionally, students who opt for practical degrees like public health also develop top-tier research and development skills that help them stay on top of what’s new in the industry. Besides this, submission of regular reports, creating presentations and communicating with people improves communication skills and gives you them a confidence boost. 

4. Become A Problem Solver 

During your master’s in public health, you’ll be exposed to numerous practical scenarios that might happen to people in real life. For example, a workplace injury or an eating disorder. 

These practices allow students to develop critical thinking skills and the ability to resolve complex issues much quicker than those from different educational backgrounds. Managing practical tasks at an early age allows students to choose well-paying roles such as Epidemiologist, health services manager, global health specialist, and others. 

5. Knowledge of Global Perspectives 

Public health is a well-rounded subject that revolves around different things, such as global health issues, i.e., the challenges faced by the world as a whole. 

You can make a real impact on the world by participating in the problems of different communities. Gaining knowledge of what is happening around the world helps students become more adaptable and accepting of cultures across the world. 

In addition, you get to communicate with different communities to understand their perspectives and devise resolutions for their concerns. 

Working with students and educational institutions in other countries can open different employment opportunities globally. Whether you want to work with international health organizations such as WHO or as a consultant at a school, you will have your options open. 

6. Understanding the Importance of a Healthy Life 

The modern-day youth is far from the concept of a healthy and nutritious lifestyle. Due to the introduction of fast food, healthy options have started to lose their value. This results in issues such as obesity and diabetes at an early age. 

As a public health student, you’ll learn about the importance of a healthy and physically thriving community. So, why not implement it on yourself before advising others? With a healthy and active lifestyle that accommodates balanced nutrition, you can easily alter your lifestyle to promote good choices. 

 

Conclusion

Public health is a vast subject that covers practical health-related perspectives from around the world. It allows students to develop professional skills during studies to avail international opportunities. 

As long as there are people on the planet who want prevention against diseases and pandemics, there will be multiple career options for people who choose public health as a career

 

Reason	Description
1. Make a Global Impact	Public health professionals work on solving worldwide health issues, potentially affecting millions of lives positively.
2. Diverse Career Opportunities	The field offers various roles in government, non-profit organizations, healthcare facilities, and research institutions.
3. Interdisciplinary Approach	Combines knowledge from medicine, social sciences, and data analysis, providing a well-rounded education.
4. Address Current Health Challenges	Work on pressing issues like pandemics, environmental health, and healthcare disparities.
5. Strong Job Outlook	Growing demand for public health professionals, with above-average job growth projected in many related fields.
6. Personal Fulfillment	Opportunity to make a meaningful difference in communities and contribute to the greater good of society.