7 Public Health Careers (+ How to Get Started)

Public health concerns the population's health, especially regarding government regulation and support. This career path involves making decisions about hygiene, epidemiology, and disease prevention. Unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic heightened awareness of the critical role that public health professionals play in fostering a safe and healthy society. 

The India Brand Equity Foundation estimated the total market for hospitals in India was 98.98 billion USD in 2023 and projected an 8 percent compounded annual growth rate through 2032 [1]. The demand for Indian healthcare professionals continues to grow both nationally and globally. India’s ratio of healthcare professionals to population is currently 1.7:1,000 for nurses and 1:1,500 for doctors [1]. These figures demonstrate the high demand for trained professionals in the healthcare industry in India in the coming years.

Watch this video to learn more about the 10 essential public health services:

Why pursue a career in public health?

Public health attracts some people for many reasons. You might pursue this career to help address health regulations and policies at a broader level and have a positive impact on local or global governance. The pandemic highlighted the importance of health education and preventative health measures, exposing inequities and flaws in these systems.

7 public health careers

Healthcare offers a broad range of opportunities to specialise, from skilled medical specialities to roles managing the business side of healthcare. Explore careers as a medical and health services manager, biostatistician, healthcare consultant, public health nurse, occupational health and safety specialist, social and community service manager, or health education specialist to find a possible path forward in your career journey. 

1. Healthcare manager

Average annual salary in India (Ambition Box): ₹7.3 Lakhs [2]

Education requirements: Sometimes, you may need a master’s degree. In other cases, you may be able to start working as a healthcare manager with a bachelor’s degree or a postgraduate diploma and experience. 

As a medical and health services manager, you plan and coordinate services for doctors and nurses in a healthcare facility, department, or medical clinic. You may also work in hospices, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, or drug rehabilitation centres. You’ll have to stay up-to-date on changes to healthcare regulations, laws, and new technologies. This role may involve training staff, developing team goals, and monitoring budgets and performance, so it requires good organisational and communication skills.

2. Biostatistician

Average annual salary in India (Ambition Box): ₹5.8 Lakhs [3]

Education requirements: Typically, you will need to earn a master’s degree to become a biostatistician, commonly in biostatistics, statistics, or maths. 

As a biostatistician, you will help answer pressing public health and medical questions using statistical analysis. You might research what causes cancer, whether a new prescription drug works, how harmful certain chemicals are for the body, or how long a pandemic will last. You may design clinical trials to evaluate drug or patient outcomes using data like disease rates or genetic information. 

3. Healthcare consultant 

Average annual salary in India (Ambition Box): ₹8.5 Lakhs [4]

Education requirements: To begin a career as a healthcare consultant, you will typically need a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, healthcare management, public health, or a related field. You can take additional courses or earn a master's degree to enhance career opportunities or specialise in a subset of healthcare. 

Healthcare consultants are specialised management consultants or business analysts hired by healthcare organisations to examine a medical or pharmaceutical company to improve production, supply chain, and other Lean management methods. Using data analysis, you’ll work with the company to prescribe ways to make it more efficient. You’ll often be a contracted employee or independent contractor.

4. Public health nurse

Average annual salary in India (Ambition Box): ₹4.1 Lakhs [5]

Education requirements: In many cases, you must earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing and gain experience as a student nurse before becoming a public health nurse. For some public health nurses, you must also register as a nurse or midwife. 

Public health nurses provide direct patient care in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, schools, and community health centres. In this role, you can also offer education opportunities for the populations you serve and manage administrative tasks associated with public health programs. As a public health nurse, you will play an essential role in India’s healthcare system and help bridge the challenges that prevent many Indians from accessing healthcare. 

5. Occupational health and safety specialist

Average annual salary in India (Ambition Box): ₹17 Lakhs [6]

Education requirements: To become a safety officer, you may need to earn a degree in occupational health and safety or any degree with certification, such as those offered by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH). 

As an occupational health and safety specialist, you’ll collect data and analyse different workplace environments to ensure they follow health and safety regulations correctly. You will inspect workplace environments and equipment, write reports, and educate workers with training programs. It can be an excellent opportunity if you are organised and enjoy routines, rule enforcement, and interacting with others.

6. Social worker

Average annual salary in India (Ambition Box): ₹2.9 Lakhs [7]

Education requirements: To start a career as a social worker, you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree in social work. 

As a social worker, you will lead programs that aid underserved or vulnerable populations. In this role, you will collaborate with government agencies and other organisations to provide support and education outreach to individuals affected by poverty, discrimination, or disability. You may work in a role that requires researching the populations you can serve, or you may work to provide direct action, such as emergency care, to members of your community. 

7. Health education specialist

Average annual salary in India (Ambition Box): ₹2 Lakhs [8]

Education requirements: To become a health educator in India, you will need a bachelor’s degree, often in public health or healthcare studies. In some cases, medical professionals become health educators after gaining experience in their speciality. 

Health education specialists teach people about wellness and how to be healthy. In this job, you devise strategies to improve well-being by assessing the needs of individuals and communities, educating them about health, and advocating for public health reform. You might work in healthcare facilities, non-profits, and public health departments to advance society’s knowledge of good health practices.

Where public health professionals work

You can explore several work environments that employ public health workers. Some common workplaces include:

• Global health organisations

• Federal, state, and local government agencies

• Community organisations

• Colleges and universities

• Primary or community health centres

• Hospitals and traditional medical facilities

• Nonprofit organisations

• Private companies

Explore public health with Coursera

You can explore many different careers in public health in India. Consider building your public health knowledge with a CourseraPlus subscription. When you enroll in either the monthly or annual option, you’ll get access to over 10,000 courses. If you're interested in earning a master’s degree in public health, explore the Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan or the Global Master of Public Health from Imperial College London.

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