Health care jobs in public health

Public health can be an exciting field to work in, as people in the field get the chance to tackle such issues as reducing environmental hazards, improving access to health care and controlling infectious disease. Not only are the career opportunities positive in this growing field, but it is also a job that can be rewarding and provide for excellent personal fulfillment. There are many different jobs in public health.

Here are five of them:

1. Epidemiologist
What they do: Epidemiologists examine and explain both the causes and spread of disease. They also help to develop a means for prevention or control.
What they need: Nearly all epidemiologists are required to earn a master's degree from a school of public health. Depending on the specific work they perform, some may also need a medical degree or a doctorate of philosophy.
What they earn: $92,593 per year*

2. Biomedical engineer
What they do: There are a number of occupations available in the biomedical industry, including scientists, technicians, photographers and engineers. Biomedical engineers combine biology, medicine, and engineering to develop devices and procedures that solve medical and health-related problems.
What they need: Qualifications vary based on each specific position, but most entry-level biomedical engineer jobs require a master's degree, and also that applicants have biomedical knowledge and training in engineering.
What they earn: $82,421 per year*

3. HIV/AIDS counselor
What they do: Nearly all jobs help to improve public health by encouraging people to make healthy choices. For example, someone in this field might opt to become an HIV/AIDS counselor. As such, they would care for patients diagnosed with HIV and AIDS and also work to stop the disease's spread.
What they need: Many people in this field are registered nurses, meaning they need a bachelor's degree, an associate degree, and a diploma from an approved nursing program.
What they earn: $55,170 per year*

4. Biostatistician
What they do: Biostatistics, which is also known as biometrics or biometry, refers to the application of statistics to various topics in biology. The work of biostatisticians helps to bring together evolutionary biology and genetics into a logical whole that can be quantitively modeled.
What they need: While one can earn a bachelor's degree in biostatistics at a number of universities across the nation, most individuals who want to be in this field will need either a master's or doctoral degree.
What they earn: $76,737 per year*

5. Environmental health inspector
What they do: There are a number of jobs in environmental health, including aides, inspectors, advocates, practitioners, sanitarians, technicians and technologists. Many of these people work in government agencies that enforce environmental rules.
What they need: Requirements vary based on the exact position that one desires to hold. While some people in environmental health attend postsecondary school, many simply earn a bachelor's degree and enter the field through training and experience.
What they earn: $58,296 per year*

*Salary information listed is the average figure from CBsalary.com, November 2011.