Professionals in the field of public health perform an important function by working to keep our communities free of disease and infection, and you can be a part of it with a good public health education. Public health care is focused on the entire population, rather than the individual. Educational programs in public health are offered in community colleges, vocational schools and trade schools to allow workers to actively promote and maintain the wellbeing of the community as a whole.
Public health education instructs students in identifying health risks and coordinating public programs and public services to improve mental and physical health, prevent diseases and health risks, reduce substance use and abuse, and eliminate violence in communities. Whether you choose a campus-based college or an online public health school, your studies will most likely include health sciences, concepts of good health, human diseases, causes of diseases, environmental issues, food safety, child health, immunology, medical terminology, and much more.
At the vocational level, students can opt to earn public health certification, or commit to a two-year program for Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees. Credits earned in community colleges and vocational schools can be transferred to four-year colleges and universities, where students can continue their studies toward advanced degrees in public health.
Vocational schools can also provide training in health services aimed at protecting against environmental hazards, such as unsafe drinking water, food, and air. Such a course might address issues of insect control, reduction of accidental injury and death, prevention of infectious diseases, and the necessity of formulating policies to address issues of public safety and public health. Students will learn how to evaluate preventive medicine programs, how to addresses national issues of automobile safety and pollution, and other relevant topics.
