Regardless of a person’s location, income, or education, they deserve to have access to good health care and to live healthy lives. That’s what public health professionals work towards every day by examining the root causes of health and safety issues to create long-lasting solutions that benefit all. A career in public health is a great choice for those who love to investigate and find answers that impact people globally.
In the twentieth century, average life expectancy climbed 30 years, and a big reason for this increase was public health efforts like clean water programs, motor vehicle safety laws, smoking cessation initiatives, vaccine development, occupational safety measures and more. The Centers for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health are just two examples of public health agencies that work to keep the public informed about health threats and how to best fight them.
A few different definitions of public health exist, but one of the most influential is the Winslow-Acheson definition: “a combination of science, skills and beliefs that are directed at the maintenance and improvement of human health by means of collective or social action.” This is an important definition because it reveals that public health’s focus is not limited to just treating illness after it happens, but that it also encompasses preventative care and community outreach.
For those with an interest in medicine, the field of public health is an excellent option because it offers a wide variety of roles and opportunities for growth. The multi-disciplinary approach to this profession allows you to explore different fields such as social work, psychology, biology and political science while gaining a greater understanding of global health challenges.
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