Public Health

A career in Public health is improving the overall health and well-being of the people. Professionals in this field can work on Disease Prevention, Health Promotion, Healthcare Policy, and Research to tackle the regular health challenges in diverse communities. They focus on areas such as Epidemiology, Health Education, Healthcare management, and policy development to create effective interventions and strategies for a healthier lifestyle.

What is Public Health: Public health, is a field of study and as a course, mainly focuses on improving the health and well-being of individuals. It encompasses a wide range of disciplines and approaches aimed at preventing diseases, promoting healthy lifestyles, and addressing health disparities at the community, regional, and global levels. Public health professionals can work to identify health risks, design and implement interventions, and shape policies that contribute to better overall health outcomes.

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health promotion and education, Health Policy and Management, Environmental health, Global health, Social and behavioral sciences, Health economics, Research methods, and Public health ethics are the specializations of the public health sector and these Public health courses are offered at various academic levels at Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral level. Let us know about the complete course details...

Types of Courses: Certificate, Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctoral level.

Courses availability:

❖ Bachelor of Public Health Administration (BPHA)

❖ Bachelor of Public Health (BPH)

❖ Master of Public Health Administration (MPHA)

❖ Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health (PGDPH)

❖ Certificate in Medical Transcription and more.

Eligibility criteria: 

UG: For a Bachelor's degree in public health or related fields such as Health sciences, Nutrition, or Social sciences, A candidate needs to complete of 10+2 or equivalent from a recognized board/ university. This course duration is 3 years.

PG: For a Master's Level of Public Health (MPH), A candidate needs a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field from a recognized university or institution. Relevant fields may include, Medicine/ Dentistry/ Nursing/ Pharmacy/ Social sciences/ Life sciences/ or other health-related disciplines. This course duration is 2 years.

Ph.D: To pursue a Ph.D. in Public health or a related field, a candidate needs to pass in Master's degree in public health or a related field. This course duration is 3 - 5 years. 

Research experience may be necessary for Ph.D. admissions.

Entrance Examination: NEET/ AIIMS or other specific entrance exams etc,

Fee: The Bachelor of Public Health Administration course fee is INR. 1 lakh to 8 lakhs per entire program.

How to get into that career? Ensure your eligibility of which course you want to pursue is, at least a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as life sciences, social sciences, medicine, nursing, or allied health sciences. Later on, to specialize in public health, a Master's degree is typically required. For this, some institutes also offer Master's programs in specific public health disciplines like Epidemiology, Health Administration, Health Policy, etc, You need to appear for entrance examinations like AIIMS/ NEET and some institutes may require you to attend an interview or group discussion as a part of Admission. Some Internships and Projects will gain hands-on experience in the field. 

Build a network within the public health community through conferences, seminars, workshops, and professional organizations. After that, you may consider pursuing higher studies will improve your job opportunities in several work areas with good compensation. So, stay up-to-date with the latest information about the Public health sector. This will ensure growth in a particular career in India.

Skills Required:

❖ Excellent communication skills

❖ Active listening skills

❖ Patience and precision

❖ Good eyesight & hand-eye coordination

❖ Work under stress

❖ Empathy skills

❖ Time management skills

❖ Marketing knowledge

❖ Social skills

❖ Coordination skills

❖ Leadership skills

❖ Interpersonal skills

❖ Attention to detail and more.

Top Institutions: 

❖ Acharya Nagarjuna University - Master of Public Health (MPH)

❖ Andhra Medical College - Master of Public Health (MPH)

❖ Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad (IIPH- H) - Master of Public Health (MPH)

❖ Osmania University

❖ National Institute of Nutrition - offers courses in Nutrition and Public Health and more.

Top Sectors/ Fields:

❖ Government agencies

❖ Hospitals

❖ NGOs

❖ Community health centers

❖ Health insurance companies

❖ Health policies

❖ Healthcare facilities

❖ Consulting organizations

❖ Biotechnology firms

❖ Pharmaceutical companies

❖ Colleges

❖ Research institutions and more.

Job roles/ Designations with their salaries:

❖ Health promotion manager - up to INR. 30 Lakhs per annum

❖ Policy specialist - ranges from INR. 12 Lakhs per year

❖ Health information specialist - Average of INR. 4.9 Lakhs per year

❖ Public health administrator - Approx. INR. 3.9 Lakhs per annum

❖ Public health advisor/ analyst - Starting from INR. 2.4 Lakhs per annum

❖ Health education specialist

❖ Research analyst

❖ Public health nurse

❖ Public health physician

❖ Wellness officer

❖ Health educator

❖ Food safety inspector

❖ Epidemiologist

❖ Program manager

❖ Professor and more.

How was your career? A career in Public health will be rewarding and impactful. It involves addressing various health challenges faced by individuals such as infectious diseases, maternal and child health, sanitation and nutrition, etc, These experts can work in government agencies, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and healthcare sectors. While the field offers opportunities to make a positive difference in community health and policy, it may also involve navigating bureaucratic hurdles, resource constraints, and diverse cultural contexts. Finally, a career in Public health in India allows individuals to contribute to improving the health and well-being of the population while tackling unique and complex public health issues.

Top Hiring Companies:

❖ Indian Public Health Association (IPHA)

❖ Indian Society of Health Administration (ISHA)

❖ Centres for Disease Control (CDC)

❖ WHO

❖ National Institute of Health (NIH)

❖ UNESCO

❖ International Union for Health Education, etc,

Conclusion: In conclusion, A career in Public health in India offers opportunities to contribute to the well-being of the population through disease prevention, health promotion, research, and policy development. This career will be beneficial for further pursuing Public health opportunities.