7 Jobs in Public Health (+ How to Get Started)

The field of public health focuses on the health of the population, especially as it pertains to government regulation and support. This career path involves making decisions around hygiene, epidemiology, and disease prevention. Unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic heightened awareness of the important role that public health professionals play in fostering a safe and healthy society. 

Public health differs from other health careers in that it focuses on protecting and promoting health in populations rather than on diagnosing and treating individual patients. 

Discover more about this fulfilling career field and explore seven key roles in public health. 

Why pursue a career in public health?

Some people choose a career in public health for reasons beyond money. They might pursue this career to help address health regulations and policies at a broader level and have a positive impact on local or global governance. The pandemic highlighted the importance of health education and preventative health measures, exposing inequities and flaws in these systems.

Although some professionals enter the workforce after earning a degree in public health, many professionals continue their education and earn a master’s in public health, a PhD in public health, or a degree in medicine, which can lead to many types of public health careers. Having a higher degree can give you a boost in salary and an opportunity to pursue advanced job opportunities.

7 emerging public health careers

Public health provides many rewarding career paths. Explore several emerging public health careers across the UK, including salary and entry requirements.

1. Medical and health services manager

• Median annual UK base salary: £31,498 [1] 

• Typical requirements: A degree in any subject and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Health Care Leadership

As a medical and health services manager, you’re responsible for planning and coordinating services in a healthcare facility, department, or GP surgery for doctors and nurses. You’ll have to stay up-to-date on changes to healthcare regulations, laws, and new technologies. This role may involve training staff, developing team goals, and monitoring budgets and performance, so it requires good organisational and communication skills.

2. Biostatistician

• Median annual UK base salary: £43,052 [2]

• Typical requirements: Degree in maths, science, or biology; higher degree like a master's or PhD

A biostatistician uses statistical analysis to answer pressing questions in public health and medicine. For example, you might research what causes cancer, whether a new prescription drug works, how certain chemicals might harm the body, or how long a pandemic will last. Using data like disease rates or genetic information, you might design clinical trials to evaluate drug or patient outcomes. If you enjoy applying statistics and maths to global health, this can be a lucrative path for you.

3. Public health consultant 

• Median UK annual base salary: £50,976 [3] 

• Typical requirements: Degree, completion of specialty training programme, professional registration at public health specialist level with the General Medical Council (GMC), the General Dental Council (GDC), or the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR)

Public health consultants work with varied organisations in regard to public health issues. As a public health consultant, you might research public health problems within communities at local, regional, and national levels; interpret the information you receive; and recommend interventions. You might also be in charge of evaluating intervention programmes, and you might offer public health advice to improve services in medical care and social care. In this role, you may lead and manage teams, prepare and manage budgets, provide training, and develop research projects. 

4. Epidemiologist

• Median annual UK base salary: £43,534 [4] 

• Typical requirements: Degree in maths, biological sciences, medicine, physiology, or a related field; master's or PhD in epidemiology or public health or a related field like biological science or statistical science 

Epidemiologists investigate patterns and causes of diseases, injuries, and disorders in society and work to reduce their occurrence and risk with research, education, and health policy. As an epidemiologist, you might work in governments, in the private sector with health insurance or pharmaceutical companies, or in non-profit organisations. Epidemiologists typically specialise in an area. 

5. Public health researcher 

• Median annual UK base salary: £36,661 [5] 

• Typical requirements: Degree in a public health-related subject. You’ll need a PhD to become a research fellow. 

As a public health researcher, you'll conduct research regarding health and well-being in communities. You might provide your findings to pharmaceutical companies, governments, or other interested parties to help shape health guidelines and practices, create new health treatments, and more. Different areas of focus for public health researchers include economics, geography, medicine, mental health, politics, and nursing. 

6. Public health nurse 

• Median annual UK base salary: £41,881 [6] 

• Typical requirements: Nursing degree, specialist training course in community nursing

Public health nurses play a key role in the health and well-being of communities. As a public health nurse, you might provide health screenings, immunisations, or information to the public. Various work settings for public health nurses include schools, government agencies, and health clinics. 

7. Health promotion specialist

• Median annual base salary: £29,225 [7] 

• Typical requirements: Degree in health studies, public health policy, behavioural science, or a related field.

Health promotion specialists teach people about wellness and how to be healthy. In this role, you might promote healthy lifestyle habits like a nutritional diet, exercise, and mental health awareness and warn about the dangers of alcohol, drug, and tobacco use. As a health promotion specialist, you might make presentations to local councils or government officials; organise public events; or conduct classes for members of the community. 

Where public health professionals work

Public health professionals work in many different environments. Some common workplaces you might consider include:

• Global health organisations

• National, regional, and local government agencies

• Community organisations

• Colleges and universities

• NHS and private medical facilities

• Charities 

Explore public health with Coursera.

People who care about the health and well-being of others may thrive in a public health career. This rewarding field offers many options for entry-level positions, and if you want to advance in public health, you may wish to earn a master's degree. For a highly respected programme in the field, consider the Global Master of Public Health from Imperial College London, one of the world’s top 10 universities.