Public health is a constantly-growing and relentlessly-improving field that seeks to prevent diseases before they even appear in humans. It focuses on population-based preventive measures to mitigate the threat of illnesses spreading among the masses. Hence; we can see how COVID-19 brought new attention towards further development of this field. That’s why public health workers have become much sought-after in 2021, with many in-demand careers available to them. Let’s review some of these careers.
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Clinical Research Coordinator:
Vaccines require clinical trials before they get approved for human consumption. Here we need the expertise of clinical research coordinators to direct the trial activities under a principal examiner. So; they ensure that all subjects under trial comply with the rules and regulations, including their written consent. They also document the results of these trials as well as set the budget required for this procedure. This field will observe an expansion in 2021 to create better anti-COVID vaccines.
Average salary: $49,000 – $61,000
Water Quality Investigator:
They study the aquatic supply to different communities and investigate the quality of water consumed by people. That’s why they must possess expertise regarding the utilization of water-quality measuring apparatus and techniques. Water quality investigators study water systems and write research papers that are used by government agencies. Companies working in waste management often hire the services of these professionals. They can also issue summons against violators.
Average salary: $40,350 – $118,070
Public Health Nurse:
How does a public health nurse differ from a traditional one? Well, she/he doesn’t interact as much with patients and focuses more on the education of patients’ families. They also coach a community about the importance of hygiene in society. They work for agencies intending to improve people’s access to healthcare services. Pandemics and epidemics have become a significant cause for their high demand across the globe. Thus more individuals seek a career out of this lucrative profession. In most states, with Masters in public health online, RNs are securing desired jobs in the industry as the demand is increasing significantly.
Average salary: $50,273 – $63,432
Epidemiologist:
These professionals identify the most vulnerable from a disease, ways to mitigate these risks, and measures to prevent its further spread. Last year, people became more interested in what epidemiologists do. The reason was the expansion of infectious illness. They don’t work mainly in a laboratory but are present within the diseased community. That’s why some people refer to them as “disease sleuths.” Their area of study ranges from air pollutants to wildfires. They can find jobs with both private and government agencies. Even some international organizations hire epidemiologists. Also, they can work independently as part-time consultants.
Average salary: $56,220 – $92,600
Biostatistician:
This field combines public health with a lot of statistics. Biostatisticians collect and assess data to discover biological trends in society. That’s how they answer questions related to medicine and healthcare. Such professionals can work on clinical trials, genome projects, or studies regarding different diseases. They apply mathematical techniques to find the reasons behind illnesses and the rate of their expansion among the masses. They sometimes collaborate with epidemiologists during their research and also try to gauge how geography impacts public health. But their subject focuses more on collecting data rather than implementing the results.
Average salary: $60,821 – $110,176
Environmental Researcher:
You might’ve heard of the famous three Ps of environmental health – pollution, population, and poverty. Environmental scientists study how natural and synthetic environments affect public health. They also focus on protecting the world’s delicate climate to benefit humanity and other species. We know that there’s an unequal distribution of resources in the world.
The United States accounts for 4% of the world population and consumes a proportionally larger number of resources. Environmental researchers study how this distribution and human-produced pollution affects the health of society.
Average salary: $42,810 to $124,760
Public Health Educator:
The recent pandemic made healthcare professionals realize the need to spread awareness regarding this virus and curb misinformation. So, educators engage in public health campaigns to address safety issues within a community.
Many schools, colleges, universities, and even government agencies employ the services of these health specialists. But their main job description doesn’t include directly interacting with people. Instead, they focus more on gathering information to create programs implemented by government or private organizations. They also promote workplace hygiene to restrain the spread of diseases through a hospital.
Average salary: $46,949 – $80,839
Hospital Administrator:
Health centers struggled in many European countries when coronavirus cases started exploding. Doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to provide flawless healthcare services to patients and mitigate the death toll. Some 40% of all health center admins in the United States find employment in hospitals. Their responsibility is to ensure smooth daily operations in the facility. They also cooperate with the scientific and journalistic communities to regularly update the healthcare industry’s progress. Moreover, their tasks include setting a budget and creating a healthy environment for the hospital staff and the patients.
Average salary: $46,135 – $181,452
Mental Health Researcher:
The pandemic has negatively affected people’s psychology and caused a spike in mental health problems. A study published in November found that 20% of patients developed anxiety/depression after acquiring COVID-19 in the United States. That’s why we need more mental health researchers to study the social impacts of mental disorders on society. These professionals learn preventive measures to control the spread of psychological illnesses meanwhile spreading mental health awareness. Their work includes research by observing and interacting with study groups. You can excel more in this field with a Ph.D. or M.D. degree in public health.
Average salary: $53,000 – $110,000
Conclusion
In Emerson’s words, health is a person’s foremost’s wealth. Public health workers promote hygiene and prevent the spread of diseases with their informed decisions and organized endeavors. This quickly-developing industry always requires fresh graduates to join the diligent workforce. The coronavirus pandemic has enhanced the employment opportunities for public health workers by providing them high-paying careers. These careers range from biomedical engineers to water quality examiners. As humanity is getting vaccinated against COVID, healthcare professionals are busy ensuring public immunity against future diseases. Since they know, there’s no future without public health.
