Day in the Life of a Public Health Educator

Have you ever thought about giving back to the community, or contributing in its welfare? You might have thought about it, but probably you have no idea where to start. Well, you can start as a public health educator. Public health educators teach people how to live in a healthy manner. A day in the life of a public health educator starts with collecting data about the health hazards of a particular community, contacting the community members and discussing health concerns with the members of that community.

Most public health educators follow a pattern in their work. First they will look into the problems specifically related to health issues affecting a community. Based on their research, and after a discussion with community members, they will develop events and programs to teach people. They will also investigate existing health conditions in the community and suggest ways of to improve public health. They are the advocates of good health and they will ensure that people are well acquainted with all the health programs which are developed for betterment of public health and hygiene.

A public health educator should have a degree in public health, health education, community health, human services, sociology, fitness, health communications or another subject essentially related to health and wellness. Public health professionals focus on promoting healthy lifestyles. They will ensure that global health issues are addressed and improve life expectancy as a whole. To improve public health, they will research the causes of global epidemics like AIDS, and work toward controlling or eradicating the disease. Often natural disaster causes serious damage to communities and creates major public health problems. In this scenario, government officials, environmentalists, and public health professionals join hands and respond to this emergency. A public health educator tries to erase the health disparities that result from differences in race, socioeconomic background and ethnicity.

Want to learn more about becoming a public health educator? Visit our Careers page to learn more about salary, necessary education, and opportunities for growth.