what to do with a MPH

So what is the plan with this MPH?

That is a good question – and one that I get asked frequently.  And to be honest, the answer changes often.  There are many options, which can be a good thing or just add extra confusion when figuring out my path after the program.

The MPH degree is definitely helpful for anyone that wants to become a Health Educator.  A Health Educator works within a community to help it become healthier and safer.  They will promote overall wellness.  The first step for Health Educators is in many ways the most important: assessing the population.  A Health Educator should identify the needs of the community and the best method for reaching the right people.  For instance a Health Educator would not go to the gym to encourage community members to get more exercise.  The people at the gym are already aware that exercise is an important activity for overall health.  While gym members might be included in an exercise based initiative, a Health Educator would need to look further to incorporate members of the community who are not already participating in that activity.

A career as a Health Educator could be interesting because the work is so varied.  The daily experiences of many Health Educators in the community can change from speaking to a large group to working with a small group to setting up a committee, perhaps even in the same day.  All of these jobs include skills related to creating brochures, presentations, lectures, displays, powerpoint presentations and now even prezis, blogs, videos, facebook and twitter updates etc.

Constantly improving the message and the medium allows Health Educators to demonstrate their skills and value to the community.  As professionals, Health Educators need to repeatedly impress policy makers with professionalism and value to encourage more jobs in the field.