5 Jobs With a Bachelor’s in Public Health

Graduates with a Bachelor’s in Public Health are prepared for a wide variety of private and public careers. This degree’s curriculum is infused with elements of:

  • life sciences
  • social sciences
  • medical sciences
  • biological sciences

These provide students with a broad understanding of public health. Students will gain the skills and knowledge needed to excel as public health professionals.

Disease Prevention and Control Coordinator

These health care coordinators often work for hospital organizations coordinating infection control programs. They:

  • review patient records
  • maintain surveillance of clinical areas
  • read microbiology reports for the presence of pathogenic cultures

These coordinators are always on the lookout for signs of:

  • unusual epidemics
  • infection clusters
  • abnormal pathogen-based infections

They take special note of any infection occurrence that occurs within hospital grounds and operations. If this occurs, they:

  • monitor established infection baselines
  • observe patients in isolation
  • track multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO)
  • review patient admit sheets for follow-up investigation

Related resource: Top 25 Master’s in Public Health Degree Programs With the Highest Acceptance Rates

DOH Admissions Coordinator

A Department of Health admissions coordinator may review:

  • intakes
  • patient data
  • disease occurrences

They directly communicate with Department of Health staff to share and receive health care information. They may:

  • check records of post-op patients
  • trace sources of infection
  • review admissions records
  • teach staff about isolation procedures

These admissions coordinators often ensure compliance with Department of Health standards and guidelines for:

  • hygiene
  • infection control
  • disease hazards
  • staff training
  • sterilization and disinfection methods

They may act as liaisons between all hospital departments and locations concerning staff development and periodic statistical reports.

Public Clinic Administrator

A public clinic administrator employed in a state-funded health care facility is responsible for the overall operation of the program. They assure that all required policies, procedures, systems and standards are in effect and communicated to staff. They ensure the physical, medical, educational and community needs of the clinic’s client base are met and exceeded. They review day-to-day operations like:

  • patient scheduling
  • physician notes
  • treatment visits

They maintain current knowledge of Joint Commission standards and the patient population served. They must ensure that policies and procedures are current because they must coordinate Joint Commission audits and state public health inspections.

Public Health Inspectors

Public health inspectors may work for a variety of government agencies that monitor:

  • business
  • sanitation
  • food industry
  • health care
  • public utility organizations

They develop, schedule and implement plans to examine random and planned audits. They identify non-compliances, training gaps and intentional violations in order to issue:

  • warnings
  • citations
  • legally binding orders

For example, they could help a receptive restaurant update outdated policies and incorporate better practices into their operations. On the other hand, they may issue fines and citations to a restaurant that flagrantly and consistently violates public health codes.

Public Health Official

Public health officials will:

  • review policies
  • lead initiatives
  • establish quality measures
  • enforce organizational goals

They may work on major projects that survey public health trends and outcomes in order to:

  • collect data
  • implement changes
  • monitor systems

They may:

  • establish new programs
  • set up policy reviews with committees
  • disseminate legally binding procedures and standards

For instance, they may randomly monitor the clinical competency of medical staff in Medicaid-funded hospitals. They do this  to ensure patient care meets industry standard best practice measures. They will:

  • develop capital budgets
  • review performance reports
  • maintain expenditures
  • allocate resources

A Bachelor’s in Public Health will include classes essential to the management of public health programs. There may be:

  • introductory classes in epidemiology
  • research methods
  • statistical reasoning
  • environmental health
  • public health policy
  • informatics
  • communication
  • program evaluation
  • behavioral dimensions.