What does someone in the public health field do?

“Public health protects and improves the health of individuals, families, communities, and populations, locally and globally. 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” (ASPPH).

Some of the biggest areas of impact for public health professionals are improving global health, advancing environmental health, reducing the impact of natural disasters and global epidemics and addressing health disparities.

To learn more about public health, visit the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health’s (ASPPH) website here.

Choosing This Field

When figuring out if public health is the right profession for you, make sure to look at various resources to inform you about possible career paths, engage in self reflection regularly, and seek out relevant clinical and service experiences.

To explore career options and figure out why this profession might be a good fit for you, visit the ASPPH’s Profiles in Public Health page, as well as their Study page, which shares possible areas of study, degrees you can receive in the field, and resources for fellowships and internships.

Finding a Program

To find public health programs, use the ASPPH’s searchable database, the Academic Program Finder. For information on the application process, visit the centralized service for application to public health programs, SOPHAS.