An expansive and rewarding career awaits health students in the field of public health, according to Professor Connie Evashwick, academic at San Diego State University School of Public Health. Professor Evashwick spoke on SCU Buzz podcast about the opportunities for students in the public health sector.
Public health is a broad field that encompasses five major sectors including epidemiology, biostatistics, health behaviour, health administration and environmental health. Examples of public health campaigns include sunscreen promotion, quit smoking campaigns and immunisation programs.
"Some of the activities you might do if you had an emphasis on public health as part of your career would be anything from working with a community agency doing health outreach, to health education, or you might end up in management," Professor Evashwick said.
"Most of the people working in public health are there because they really care and want to make a difference, and they choose to do it at a population level in addition to or other than working with individuals."
One of Professor Evashwick's current focuses is evaluating the delivery of care for older Australians.
"One in four people in Australia will be over the age of 65 by 2060. So, we need to have a good system and we need to do it at the population level as well as at the individual level," she said.
For those considering a career in public health, Professor Evashwick advises to give it a go: "Try any public health activities that appeal to you and see if it resonates. What you want is to have a job that is your passion because then it is not going to work every day but going to do something you believe in every day."
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