# Explore a Public Health Career

Part of the Public Health Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/public-health/guide/index.md)

*8. Careers in Public Health*

> **8.** Pick a profession in the public health sector that interests you. Find out the education, training, and experience required to work in this profession. Discuss what you learn with your counselor.

Public health is not one job. It is a team made up of many kinds of professionals who solve different parts of the same problem. Some work in labs. Some inspect restaurants or water systems. Some study disease patterns with data. Some lead emergency response. Some teach communities how to lower risk.

## Public health careers you might explore

Here are a few strong choices:

- **Epidemiologist** — studies patterns of disease and helps track outbreaks
- **Environmental health specialist** — investigates water, waste, housing, lead, and sanitation risks
- **Public health nurse** — connects medical care with prevention and community programs
- **Health educator** — helps communities understand risks and make healthier choices
- **Food inspector or sanitarian** — checks facilities for food-safety problems
- **Emergency preparedness coordinator** — plans for disasters and recovery

## What to research

No matter which profession you choose, answer the same core questions.

### Education

What degree is typical? Some roles start with a bachelor's degree in biology, public health, environmental science, nursing, or a related field. Others may require graduate study, certifications, or professional licensure.

### Training

What job-specific training is needed? This might include field investigation methods, lab methods, inspection training, emergency management courses, or data analysis skills.

### Experience

How do people get started? Internships, volunteer work, local health-department opportunities, research assistant roles, and college field experiences can all build a path into the field.

**What to bring to your counselor discussion** — Show that you researched the profession like a real possibility

- [ ] **What the job does each day**
- [ ] **What education is required**
- [ ] **What training or certifications matter**
- [ ] **What experience helps someone get hired**
- [ ] **Why the career interests you**

> **Tip**
>
> Pick a career that connects to the part of the badge you liked most. If you liked outbreaks, choose epidemiology. If you liked safe water and waste systems, look at environmental health. If you liked outreach and prevention, consider health education or public health nursing.

![Four-panel illustration showing an epidemiologist with a disease map, an environmental health inspector testing water, a public health nurse at a clinic, and an emergency planner at a response board](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/public-health/guide/public-health-careers-collage?v=11f4affb)

Video: [Public Health Careers: Epidemiologist, Part 1 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYx-fO5hMA4)

[Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/): The best starting point for researching job duties, education, pay, and outlook for many public health careers.

[Bureau of Labor Statistics — Epidemiologists](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/epidemiologists.htm): A detailed example of how to research one public health profession using official career data.

You have completed the badge requirements. The Extended Learning page goes beyond the minimum and shows where public health can lead next.

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