Public health sets safety standards and policies to promote, as well as protect the health of people in every community where they live, learn, work and play.

Doctor drawing samples in a lab.

What does a public health professional do?

  • Unite community health services with underserved and those at risk to assure the conditions in which they live are healthy
  • Evaluate potential issues and screen the health status of a community
  • Connect people with the appropriate resources to assist with health issues
  • Advocates for and implement community health policies, plans and laws
  • Explore, analyze, and respond to health problems and hazards in the community
  • Develop diverse and trained public health and personal health care workforce
  • Works to limit health disparities with robust organizational structure for public health
  • Employ judicial measures to safeguard health and safety
  • Communicating the ways to stay healthy and giving science-based solutions to problems
  • Organize and collaborate with community partnerships to recognize and answer health problems

Fields in Public Health

  • Public policymakers
  • Environmental scientists
  • Life, physical and social science technicians
  • Scientists and researchers
  • Mental health and substance abuse social workers
  • Social and human services
  • Social scientists
  • Urban and regional planners
  • Nutritionists
  • Epidemiologists
  • Public health caregivers

Public Health Resources

 

Public Health Occupations

two public health workers standing in front of a fire truck wearing high visibility vests.