Willie Said:

getting into public health?

We Answered:

Public Health is a really interesting field. International work, such as working in Africa, is definitely a possibility.

The 'working degree' in public health is an MPH (or sometimes an MS in epidemiology). Meaning an MPH is the highest education requirement that most public health positions will require a potential employee possess.

MPH programs require you to have a bachelors degree in something. Biology is a great place to start especially if you are interested in infectious disease (which is my guess since you mention working in Africa.) Though others will come from a sociology or anthropology background and might pursue behavioral health issues, etc.

There are less than 40 accredited Schools of Public Health in the US. You can begin by looking at these schools. Some will have a focus on international public health and infectious disease.

A typical MPH program takes two years. After which, you will be able to pursue a variety international opportunities. For example, Doctors Without Borders recruits epidemiologists to help contain epidemics worldwide.

A side note, a lot of people I know used to want to go to med school and become doctors... but then for various reasons found their way to public health. Good luck.

Mabel Said:

can I work as a public health nurse with just an associates degree (RN) in nursing?

We Answered:

A person can become an RN, Registered Nurse, after a graduating from a program that prepares him/her to function as an entry–level practitioner. In most cases this is a two year program - when attending a public school like a community college. An LPN, Licensed Practical Nurse, is normally a one-year program at a public school. Both programs will require that you pass an exam from National Council for Licensure Examination.

This is a huge decision and as you know should not be taken lightly. Talk to local nurses or members of the medical community in your area and ask questions about what the situation is like in your area. There are also private schools you can attend, but in most cases they are much more expensive.

My brother and I are currently both going back to school to become RNs, him at 33, me at 36. We both have 'business' careers him in retail me in healthcare and have to continue to work full-time while we go back to school.

Our mother and grandmother both became nurses in the late 1960's and worked in various positions hospitals, emergency care, medical offices, private duty, social work and industrial nursing over their careers. So, your choices are varied and you never know where you will end up.

I can't share any real information on being an Occupation Therapist except that is can also be lucrative and rewarding. Again, I suggest you find people locally maybe through your church or talking with people at local schools or find out who your friends know who are in these fields and ask lots of questions before making a decision.

Take into consideration that you can always go beyond being an RN and receive a BSN or become a Nurse practitioner or Physician’s Assistant. So, how far you want to go is only limited by you.

Good Luck!

Steven Said:

Need help about changing careers into Public Health?

We Answered:

i am also entering the field of public health. i am a lpn finishing my BS in health care admin. i then plan to pursue my master's in public health. typically, health care likes some type of clinical experience. however, it is also about the certs you have behind your name. one of my profs told me it is a good idea to get licensed in anything in the health field to simply help you get past the initial resume weeding. i believe many states offer case manager training and certs. that may be worth looking into. Good luck

Ben Said:

How to become a Public Health Nurse?

We Answered:

Public health nurses don't have a MPH- they have a MSN. You can't find many programs because there aren't many- because demand is lower for public health nurses than it is for teachers.
There are many jobs for nurses that don't involve seeing people immediately after a traumatic event.
Public health nursing is not a combination of teaching and nursing. School nursing may be closer to such a hybrid, but there are very few jobs for school nurses.

Bill Said:

Public Health Education or Nursing?

We Answered:

you can do both
you can teach nursing if you want to teach
get your Bachelors of Science in Nursing work for a bit and get your masters, continue to work as a nurse after that for a bit and eventually get yor PhD and you can be a prof. at a university teaching nursing.

I was torn between being a History Proff and a Nurse. I've decided to be an RN and work my way up to being a CRNA and eventually a Nurse Proff.

whatever you do though, make sure its something you want and love to do! if you do something just for the money or just to do it then you're going to hate working.

there are pros and cons of each however they depend on the person

for some, the long shifts are a con, for me? i love the long shifts. so what might be a pro/con for me might be the opposite for you

good luck
madison