If you’re interested in pursuing a career which could give you the opportunity to change your local community for the better, save lives, and improve the well-being of the people around you, then you might be best served looking for a job in the healthcare industry. The medical and healthcare industry is made up of a huge workforce, including a range of services and occupations that provide everything from rehabilitation solutions, to diagnostic efforts, healing, preventative services, and administration.
One of the main considerations that will dictate where you will go in your medical career are the degrees that you have earned. For instance, if you earn a master’s in public health (MPH), then your aim will be to ensure that the people in your jurisdiction receive the access to medical care and health procedures that they need. Alternatively, a masters in public health nursing, which is a specialization in a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree, will put you on the front line of patient interaction, and allow you to deal with other people on a face-to-face basis when helping them to overcome illness and injury, or even engage in preventative healthcare measures.
The master’s degree you choose will also help to determine where you end up working. For instance, as a graduate of an MPH program, you could end up working in clinics, hospitals, or even in a government agency.
Master’s in Public Health
In order to work in public health, a master’s degree is essential because the higher level of education involved in master’s education helps to ensure that the graduates are prepared to take on managerial and leadership roles that might involve performing advanced research and advocating for patient rights. With an MPH degree, a graduate is considered to have the skills required to work as a leader in the world of public health initiatives.
Graduates who hold an MPH degree will have a number of fantastic career opportunities available to choose from. These individuals focus on ensuring that the people in their community can access the healthcare they need, while also organizing and developing educational health programs, conducting research, and helping to shape policies for public health agreements. While it is possible for MPH graduates to work in the healthcare industry on a local level, they generally find careers that work with the health industry on a national, or international basis.
Opportunities for MPH Graduates
Those who choose to pursue a master’s in public health degree might find that they are exposed to a wide range of different career opportunities. For instance, you might end up working in healthcare administration, epidemiology, environmental health, health service administration, biostatistics, health sciences, public health nutrition, international health, public health practice, community health, or biomedical practice. The salary for an individual with an MPH degree will vary according to the job. For instance, an environmental health analyst may earn an average of $37,000 a year, whereas a public health advisor could earn $83,000.
Master’s in Public Health Nursing
A master’s in public health nursing refers to a master of science in nursing degree that emphasizes public health. This degree can lead to a range of careers that allow individuals to work directly with patients by helping them overcome illnesses, as well as indirectly by creating programs that help them to achieve better health and longer lifespans. In general, the demand for nurses has remained consistently strong over the years, with plenty of predicted growth for the future, as there will always be a need for healthcare experts.
A master’s in public health nursing is regarded as a specialist degree, and it is best suited to people such as registered midwives and nurses who would like to earn a professional qualification and potentially open up future career opportunities. These advanced courses equip nurses to be creative and innovative when responding to the needs of various groups of clients and patients across the wide range of public health practices. Upon completion of a master of public health nursing degree, graduates will be able to show that they can address the key areas of public health practice required for registration as a specialist community public health nurse.
Opportunities for Graduates of Master’s of Public Health Nursing
Once you hold an MSN degree with a focus in public health nursing, you should find that there are many more options available for career advancement in your future. You might decide that you’d like to extend your experience to a career as a manager or a coordinator, as many MSN Programs involve courses into things like advanced leadership and communication. A master’s degree in nursing generally allows you to have a serious impact on the future of nursing within the world around you.
Studying Online
Many master’s programs, including MSN and MPH programs, are now available for online study. While it’s important to choose a program that offers high quality teaching, it’s also worth noting that there is a wide range of different options available that can help you to improve your education while allowing you to continue your current schedule and your existing job.
In some cases, if you are willing and able to study more extensively, you might also be able to take part in accelerated masters programs that allow you to take up the two years worth of classes in the course of a single year. Though this process often puts students under a great deal of pressure, it can also mean that they can pursue their chosen career faster if they are successful.
Joint Degree Options
If you can’t decide whether an MSN program with a focus on public health or an MPH program is right for your, then the best option may be to choose a joint degree solution. There are a number of MSN/MPH programs available across various respectable institutions today, including Johns Hopkins University. These programs help to inspire and prepare nurses to deliver services in wide community settings.
During this dual degree, students learn how to guide teams in developing evidence-based and innovative healthcare services for high-risk areas of the population. What’s more, the knowledge and experience you earn during your education will help to build management skills essential to public healthcare, and the ever changing world of community medicine.
Finally, before you try signing up for a joint degree, an online degree path, or any other master’s program, make sure that the program you have chosen is fully accredited. While an accredited degree is not always required to get a specific job, most organizations regard accredited degrees with more esteem than others.
