Public health is an exciting field that seeps into sectors as diverse as medical, non-profit, education, government, privately funded research, and global affairs. If you have obtained your bachelor’s degree in Public Health or a similar discipline, maybe you are already building a career in one of these areas! Even if you are thrilled with your current position, it is never too early to consider how you can advance your public health career. Start thinking long-term by considering lateral positions across the field, understanding the full spectrum of opportunity, and learning some of our tips for your public health career advancement.

Here are just a few ways you can advance your public health career.

Touch lives through community health

Community health coordinators deserve hearty thanks for bringing public health programs to underserved or needful populations across America. A person working in an entry-level community health position might embrace one of the below specialties or act as a generalist for all of them by working with specific populations, such as children, young adults, women, or senior citizens.

• Health advisor for hepatitis, STDs, and HIV
• Housing access coordinator
• Human services program specialist
• Mental health counselor
• Nutritionist
• Physical educator
• Social services benefits counselor
• Youth or teen center administrator

A community center or outreach department in a medical facility can be the best access point for vulnerable community members to have their health questions and concerns addressed. People who work in community health have a strong professional focus on advocacy, equity, and integrated health concepts. The National Association of Community Health Centers has served 31.5 million patients over its 50+ years of existence. The NACHC organizes its services into a framework that divides the concept of value transformation into three change-making areas: care delivery, infrastructure, and people. Community health is another method of distributing preventative care and promoting healthy choices in a proactive (rather than reactive) approach to health, safety, and security concerns.

Career growth in this area of public health could mean becoming a community health program manager, a president or vice president, or a fundraising, development, or private partnerships specialist. A master’s degree that specializes in community health can help you not only administer programs but also design them, plan funding schemes, and think more broadly about the health of your community.

Goodwin University’s MPH program offers three concentrations: Global Health, Community Health, and Health Policy & Management, empowering students to choose the best pathway for their desired career outcome.

Contribute meaningful data to public health research initiatives

Research makes the field of public health hum. Chances are you know this because your bachelor’s degree program required endless term papers and data analysis! If you are currently in a professional position that touts data collection, research, and policy writing, you may want to advance your career in health policy and management. Positions you might secure include:

• Clinical research associate for health policy
• Governmental program analyst
• Health inspector
• Health scientist in injury prevention
• Infectious disease field researcher
• Research assistant for global health equity

Data is important because it helps public health leaders make decisions. According to the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, evidence-based decision-making has a substantial impact on public health and program implementation. To take your public health research career to the next level, you’ll want to prepare for a position where you turn data into convincing arguments that help you fight for money, influence, attention, and resources at your organization. Health policy and management professionals who can apply data to initiatives and policies are desirable in the federal government, epidemiological settings, health insurance companies, local public services such as utilities and sanitation, and more. In these environments, a master’s degree in Public Health can give you credentials to make your voice heard through data-fueled public health policy change recommendations.

Make a difference in public health education

Global health programs, universities, schools, hospitals, and community health centers are all similar in that they value public health education. Roles such as the below are excellent springboards toward more advanced public health careers in education.

• Emergency preparedness coordinator
• Global health program administrator
• Health educator at a hospital
• Health promotion manager at a university
• Health services counselor at a school
• Non-profit health program coordinator
• Wellness officer at a community center

Becoming a hospital education director or public health director might mean planning curriculum, coordinating programs and staff, or translating new education recommendations from theory to application. A global Public Health master’s degree specialization offers an appropriate background for implementing public education health programs, whether domestically or abroad.

A flexible Public Health master’s degree program such as Goodwin University’s MPH means that you can build your future in public health while maintaining your present job and responsibilities. Classes are available online, and the program can be completed in as few as 12-15 months while studying part-time or full-time. No matter which area of public health you’re most passionate about, an MPH can get you there and help you advance your public health career.

The MPH at Goodwin provides ideal flexibility so that you can be a competitive candidate, whatever you decide to do next! Learn more about Goodwin University’s advantages by contacting us at 800-889-3282, or request more information today.