Career Opportunities

A number of rewarding career opportunities are available for graduates of the Public Health/Health Promotion Program in the Department of Health at West Chester University. Graduates complete the program with knowledge and skills that are adaptable to many settings including: federal and state agencies, voluntary health agencies, hospitals, health maintenance organizations and worksite settings. The terms public health educator, health education specialist, health promotion specialist, and health educator are often used to describe the job titles for graduates. It important to note that health educators are rarely in employment situations where only one skill is needed. A combination of skills and the ability to work as a member of a team ensures success at working in the following settings:

1. GRADUATE SCHOOL: Students who graduate in the area of public health / health promotion will be able to advance into a master's level program in a variety of health concentrations and may be eligible for graduate study in related fields.
2. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES:
   
   • FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES: Public health educators are employed by federal and state government agencies. Examples include: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and State Departments of Health. Many federal and state agencies tend to work with local/county health departments in the development and implementation of public health education programs. Public health educators in these positions often manage large grant programs that provide government funds for HIV/AIDS education, chronic disease prevention, and other public health campaigns. Public health educators working in these government positions have strong organizational skills and are adept in the legislative process. A wide variety of career opportunities exist for public health educators who work for the government as it carries out its mandate to protect the health of the people.
     
   • LOCAL/COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS: Many local/county health departments provide a wide variety of services and programs that utilize public health educators. Public health educators combine community organization, program planning, organizational, marketing and communication skills to develop and implement programs in injury prevention, school health education, community nutrition, and health promotion/disease prevention. Public health educators often work as a member of a team (public health nurses, community nutritionists, environmental specialists) in the development and implementation of health related programs for members of the community.
   
   
3. VOLUNTARY HEALTH AGENCIES: Public health educators have a long history of working as paid staff in voluntary health agencies such as the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the American Lung Association. Voluntary health agencies play an important role in community health in the United States. Public health educators are likely to enter a voluntary agency at the area or regional level. Educational activities usually consist of public education and professional in-service education. Many voluntary health agencies collaborate with local health departments, hospitals, and other voluntary agencies to deliver educational programs. The public health educator assumes a wide variety of responsibilities in voluntary agencies including: program development and implementation, supervision of volunteers, participation in fund raising campaigns, and delivery of educational services to the community.
   
   
4. HEALTH CARE SETTINGS:
   
   • HOSPITALS: Community health education programs and patient education programs are found in the hospital setting. Many health education specialists work in hospital community health education departments to develop and implement educational programs for patients and community members. Programs dealing with disorders that affect large numbers of patients, such as diabetes and heart disease are offered through many hospital based programs. Additionally, many hospitals are active in the "wellness movement" and provide programs that focus on promoting higher levels of wellness for the community. Programs such as weight reduction, smoking cessation, and various health screenings are often provided through the community health education departments. Program development and evaluation skills are extremely important in a hospital setting because programs that demonstrate cost savings are important in the today's world of health care delivery.
     
     
   • HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS/MANAGED CARE: HMO's and managed care agencies emphasize shorter hospital stays by providing outpatient services and primary prevention. Some managed care groups may have contracts with employers to provide employee wellness programs. A wide variety of opportunities exist to impact the cost of providing health care through the development and implementation of disease prevention programs. Therefore, the health education specialist that works in an HMO is prepared to work in a variety of health settings including: the hospital, the business setting, physicians offices, and the community to provide programs in health maintenance and disease prevention.
     
     
5. WORKSITE SETTINGS: A large number of health education and promotion programs are developed for business and industry. Job opportunities are available through worksite health promotion programs, employee wellness programs, and employee assistance programs. Examples of worksite health promotion programs include: stress management, smoking cessation, weight reduction, and disease prevention. Program development and implementation skills are essential for health educators in the worksite setting. A working knowledge of marketing and communication is important to ensure employee participation in programs offered at worksite.