Master in Public Health: Gateway to an Exciting Career in the Health Sector

For any country, Public Health remains a priority since the population has to grapple with many forms of latent and manifest diseases. For instance, the mayhem created by Covid-19 pandemic caught the entire world off guard. The best of the best healthcare systems caved in with the sudden onslaught of the pandemic in early 2020. That laid bare the public healthcare system of every country and exposed its vulnerability. And it also raised serious questions about the existing systems, and informed the acute shortage of skilled healthcare personnel to deal with such emergencies.

To tackle such humongous healthcare challenges, populations across the world need trained professionals who are adept in working actively with the communities in times of epidemics or pandemics. But the question is how people can be trained to become skilled healthcare professionals who are capable of confronting such challenges? A Master in Public Health (MPH) degree is targeted at training students or professionals with primary healthcare skills to work at the community level and improve the health of a nation.

What is Public Health?

Charles-Edward Amory Winslow, an American Bacteriologist and Public Health expert, has given a classic definition of public health which is the “science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting physical and mental health and well-being.” Evidently, MPH is designed to train students and professionals to promote the physical and mental well-being of communities, and educate them to adopt the best health care practices.

How does an MPH degree benefit?

In essence, an MPH program is data-intensive and inculcates a scientific attitude among the learners. It equips you with the ability to analyse data, study and observe the threats to community health, and influence public policy backed by credible quantitative data. With this course professionals will be able to lead efforts in:

• Protecting the health of communities and workers
• Spearheading disaster relief efforts
• Organising immunisation drives
• Conducting public health check-ups
• Setting up medical camps for general masses.

In toto, an MPH degree holder becomes a Public Health Practitioner.

Program Focus

Master in Public Health focuses on various aspects which, directly or indirectly, impact Public Health. The focus mainly concerns what is to be done and how? Therefore, equipping professionals with specialisations such as Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health is one focus area while arming them with skills in Operations and Project Management, Personnel Management and Leadership, Public Health Administration and Financial Management is another.

Core Competencies

After finishing the course, the learners will develop the following core competencies:

• Problem-solving approach - from general to complex health issues;
• Ability to think critically to generate new ideas and approaches;
• Ideate and disseminate data-backed knowledge to influence public health policy;
• Demonstrate leadership traits and mentorship ability
• Ability to work in synergy with a multidisciplinary team

Career Prospects

The Master in Public Health degree promises a high flying career in various domains. With up to date skills in tune with the latest demands in the field, they will be well-prepared for senior roles in Global Health Management, Public Health Education, Medical Practice, Public Policy, Environmental Health, Behavioural Science, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health Data Science, Public Health Nutrition, and Public Health Practice. This course will prepare the learners for the following positions:

• Health Engagement Marketing Manager
• Health Educator
• Healthcare Administrator
• Clinical Dietician
• Public Policy Coordinator
• Research Coordinator
• Community Outreach Coordinator
• Environmental Health Scientist
• Epidemiologist
• Substance Abuse Counsellor

With domain-specific curriculum focused on training and skills, a Master in Public Health offers exciting career opportunities in public health management, public health administration and various other domains discussed above. Working professionals and students can pursue this course at UniAthena, a renowned online learning and upskilling platform shaping the careers of thousands of learners all over the world. UniAthena offers a dynamic learning platform where the learners can upskill themselves in a flexible, self-paced manner with Byte-sized course delivery. With an easy pay-per-module payment option, the learners are never under undue financial burden.