In the field of Public Health, there are many different exciting specializations. Some require Masters in Public health degree but that decision is ultimately up to you. Here they are a little more in-depth:

1. Health promotion – Health promotion is another important field of Public Health. Those who are involved with health promotion make it their job to promote current issues in Public Health and what can be done to correct these issues. They also may be involved in health education programs at health departments and health fairs, but mostly, they work with legislatures to pass public health policies.

2. Administration – The field of Administration is more the business side of Public Health. Those who work in the Administration field handle finances, schedules, oversee staff, handle patient relations, handle public relations, etc. This is more for the person with outstanding communication skills who seeks a career mostly behind a desk.

3. Behavioral sciences – The Behavioral Sciences field is a good one to seek a public health career in. Whether you work for an agency as a community outreach worker or you work as a caseworker for someone affected by disease, there are plenty of jobs available to public health workers in the field of behavioral sciences.

4. Health Education – Health Education in Public Health is simply educating the public on public health issues. If you educate the public on health issues, then you will most likely work for a regulatory agency or a health department. You will lead information groups at events like a health fair and educate those that attend on diseases and illnesses and ways to prevent or control them.

5. Biostatistics – Public Health is a field mainly concerned with research on how to make public health better for the world at large. In order to have high quality research, you need statistics – which, in the field of Public Health translates to Biostatistics. This is a field that is concerned with collecting and analyzing data in relation to Public Health. If you have a previous degree in mathematics or statistics or if you just like crunching data, then a job in Biostatistics is for you.

6. Infectious diseases – The field of Infectious Diseases is probably the most known field of Public Health to go into. The person who works in the field of Infectious Diseases researches said diseases, finds ways to prevent or control them and educates others on the topic. If you work in the Infectious Diseases field, you may also find yourself as a sort of patient advocate by helping an AIDS patient keep on top of their treatment. The sky is really the limit with this particular field in Public Health.

7. Environmental science – The field of Environmental Science is an important one in Public Health. Many diseases and hazards are environmental in nature, so there is a strong need to study environmental science within the Public Health community. The environmental scientist will research and identify potential environmental hazards to public health. They will also come up with ways to prevent or control said environmental hazards so as to limit the destruction caused upon public health.

8. Epidemiology – The Epidemiology field is primarily concerned with research. Epidemiologists study health-related events and their causes in society and develop strategies to combat these events. As it is a field of mostly research, it does require someone with a strong attention to detail and someone who is able to focus on a particular task for a lengthy period of time. There are many different areas within the field of Epidemiology to go into as well.

9. Public Health Practice/Program Management – Quite simply, these are workers who manage a public health program – either at a company, government agency or healthcare facility. They oversee every step of the program and manage its progress. The average annual salary for these positions is between $41,175 and $102,000.

10. International health – Those who work in International Health research, identify and plan ways to combat public health issues on an international level rather than just on a national one. Jobs in this field are heavy on international travel and involve a lot of field work. The average annual salary for these positions is between $31,500 and $86,625, not including travel stipends.

11. Biomedical Laboratory – The worker in a biomedical laboratory is responsible for collecting and analyzing biomedical samples given to them by a hospital or other official entity. The average annual salary for this position ranges from $31,500 to $78,750 depending on the area you work in.

12. Nutrition – Those who work in the field of Nutrition are responsible for identifying problem areas in a person’s diet and helping them formulate a plan to correct those problem areas. Nutritionists usually work for a hospital system, but may also work in a company as the sole company-wide nutritionist. Salary for Nutritionists averages to the $31,500 – $70,875 range and is dependent on the employer.

13. Occupational safety and health – Occupational Health is the field of Public Health that deals with the health and safety of those engaged in employment. Those MPH program graduates seeking to work in the Occupational Health field can find work in government agencies and hospitals.

14. Joint medicinal program – Some doctors and MD students also find a degree in Public Health to be beneficial, especially doctors in private practice. It gives them the means to understand the administrative side of how public health works, rather than just the medical side of things.

15. Joint law program – Believe it or not, getting a degree in Public Health can be very beneficial to a practicing attorney. Many attorneys find themselves working for public health agencies and having the MPH degree enables them to better represent their clients.

16. Joint social work – Those seeking careers in the field of social work often find a degree in Public Health enables them provide better service to their clients. It gives them the ability to recognize any health factors that may contribute to their cases.

17. Joint dentistry – A joint degree in Public Health enables a dentist to recognize public oral health problems in the US and abroad. It gives them a better understanding of what is going on in terms of dental hygiene on a public health level.

18. Joint Veterinary – Graduates with degrees in both Veterinary science and Public Health are in high demand. They work in areas of public health related to animals and the diseases they carry and spread.

19. Joint Business Administration – An employee in Public Health may find a degree in Business Administration to be handy, particularly if they work in the Administration field of Public Health. It gives them a better understanding of business practices and financial matters.

References:

• http://www.chhs.niu.du/ph/mph/specializations.asp
• http://www.publichealth.northwestern.edu/MPH/degreeprograms/comb-degree.htm
• http://www.law.georgetown.edu/joint_degree/jdmph.html
• http://mph.nyu.edu/academics/dual-degrees/ddsmph.html
• http://www.mph.ufl.edu/programs/collaborative/vet.htm
• http://depts.washington.edu/sswweb/programs/msw/concurrentprogram.html