Where do public health professionals work?

Public health professionals work in both the public and private sectors. Many public health graduates will find work in the public sector in local, state, or federal health departments. The jobs available at health departments range from Food Safety Inspectors to Health Educators; from Policy Analysts to Epidemiologists. Other public health professionals will find work in university systems as researchers.

Those interested in working for a non-profit organization can find jobs in health advocacy, policy, or research for organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the Red Cross, or a local non-profit that focuses on specific health issues.

Still other public health professionals will find work in the private sector - working in randomized control trials for pharmaceutical companies or for health insurance companies.



Do I need an advanced degree to work in the field of public health?

While it is possible to gain experience in the field without an advanced degree, most public health professionals need at least a Masters degree for career advancement. For more information on this topics, see the Frequently Asked Question: How can a graduate degree in public health enhance my career opportunities?


What kind of job title can I expect after graduating with a degree in public health?

Job titles, position descriptions, and salary ranges of recent public health graduates will vary greatly based on their course of study and interests. Some sample career titles taken from www.publichealthjobs.net in September 2005 are listed below:

Public Health Management Analyst
Director of Programs and Services
Health Communications Specialist
Research Scientist
Environmental Health Intelligence Analyst
Manager, Breastfeeding Initiatives


source : http://www.whatispublichealth.org/faqs/index.html

Careers in Public Health

Public health careers offer something for everyone. Epidemiology and biostatistics involve mathematics and modeling. Environmental health includes a wide range of science skills. Health administration incorporates business and management skills. Health education involves skills required to develop community-wide prevention programs. Health policy includes an understanding of law-making processes.

Perhaps never has there been a more exciting time to pursue a career in public health. Why? Because....

Most experts agree that major advances in improvement of health over the next decades will not come from new medical findings or cures, but rather the broader development and application of population-based prevention programs.
Health services delivery systems are undergoing rapid change. Greater emphasis is being placed on health promotion and disease prevention as a means to reduce the costs of care by improving the health of our populations. These changes have created a broad array of new opportunities for professionals with advanced training in public health.
As the public has become better informed about the effects of toxic wastes and pollutants on their health, greater emphasis is being placed on assuring the safety of our communities as well as worker health and safety. As a result, there is growing demand for experts in environmental health and industrial hygiene.
Public health research is focusing more on women's health, and child and substance abuse, and an increased emphasis is being placed on behavioral change to prevent the risk of STDs, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and unplanned pregnancies. Greater emphasis is also being placed on school health and the health of minority and disadvantaged populations.

source :http://www.whatispublichealth.org/careers/index.html

3 Fungsi Utama Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat (PusKesMas)

Oleh : Putu Sudayasa

Salah satu tujuan bangsa Indonesia yang tercantum dalam Pembukaan UUD 1945 adalah mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa. Untuk mencapai tujuan tersebut diselenggarakan program pembangunan nasional secara berkelanjutan, berencana, terarah dan terpadu. Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat (PusKesMas) adalah sarana unit fungsional kesehatan terdepan yang memberikan pelayanan kesehatan dasar kepada masyarakat di wilayah kerjanya. Puskesmas mempunyai fungsi utama menjalankan upaya pelayanan kesehatan untuk menanggulangi masalah kesehatan masyarakat, terutama menggerakkan pogram promosi kesehatan, penanggulangan dan pencegahan penyakit menular (P2M).
Menurut rangkuman dari berbagai sumber informasi, ada 3 (tiga) fungsi utama yang diemban puskesmas dalam melaksanakan pelayanan kesehatan dasar (PKD) kepada seluruh target sasaran masyarakat di wilayah kerjanya, yakni sebagai berikut :

1) Pusat Penggerak Pembangunan Berwawasan Kesehatan
Berupaya menggerakkan lintas sektor dan dunia usaha di wilayah kerjanya agar menyelenggarakan pembangunan yang berwawasan kesehatan,
Aktif memantau dan melaporkan dampak kesehatan dari penyelenggaraan setiap program pembangunan di wilayah kerjanya

2) Pusat Pemberdayaan Masyarakat:
Berupaya agar perorangan terutama pemuka masyarakat, keluarga dan masyarakat :
Memiliki kesadaran, kemauan dan kemampuan melayani diri sendiri dan masyarakat untuk hidup sehat
Berperan aktif dalam memperjuangkan kepentingan kesehatan termasuk pembiayaan
Ikut Menetapkan menyelenggarakan dan memantau pelaksanaan program kesehatan
Membina peran serta masyarakat di wilayah kerjanya dalam rangka meningkatkan kemampuan untuk hidup sehat
Merangsang masyarakat termasuk swasta untuk melaksanakan kegiatan dalam rangka menolong dirinya sendiri.
Memberikan petunjuk kepada masyarakat tentang bagaimana menggali dan menggunakan sumberdaya yang ada secara efektif dan efisien.

3) Pusat Pelayanan Kesehatan Strata Pertama
Menyelenggarakan pelayanan kesehatan tingkat pertama (primer) secara menyeluruh, terpadu dan berkesinambungan (kontinyu) mencakup :
Pelayanan kesehatan perorangan
Pelayanan kesehatan masyarakat.
Melihat fungsi puskesmas yang sangat strategis sebagai penggerak pembangunan kesehatan terdepan di tengah masyarakat, maka diperlukan kebijakan umum seperti dukungan dana, anggaran, sarana dan tenaga yang berkompeten, dari para penentu kebijakan berwenang yang dapat memberdayakan pelayanan puskesmas secara maksimal.