Epidemiologists study population health and can work in various settings, including hospitals, research centers, and government agencies. They may specialize in specific diseases or areas of the body. A master’s degree in public health is required, and continuing education can lead to more career opportunities. Duties vary depending on the workplace, from managing vaccination schedules to conducting specialized research.
There is a wide range of epidemiologist jobs available in a variety of settings. Epidemiologists may be employed by a university, research center or hospital. Several local, state, and federal agencies also offer epidemiologist jobs. Epidemiologists study the health of the population, not the health of individuals. They are typically classified as research epidemiologists or clinical epidemiologists.
Research epidemiologists are often employed by private research firms, colleges and medical schools. They conduct research with the goal of controlling or eliminating infectious diseases. Some epidemiologists focus their research on specific areas of the body, such as seeking treatment for infections in the brain, while others focus on a specific disease, such as AIDS.
Clinical epidemiologists work in hospitals. They may be practicing physicians who have received specialized training or just work as epidemiologists. A clinical epidemiologist’s job is to train hospital staff to effectively control infectious diseases and provide planning and solutions in the event of an outbreak. Another requirement of this position is the development of official guidelines for dealing with routine care and disease control in the hospital. Epidemiologists working in the hospital environment are generally certified by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and are recognized as infection control professionals.
There are several ways to receive training as an epidemiologist. Epidemiologist jobs require at least a master’s degree in public health. Many epidemiologists continue to earn a Ph.D. or PhD.
Continuing education opens up more career opportunities. For example, many universities require their professors to have a doctorate. Epidemiologists who conduct clinical trials must be physicians licensed to administer drugs. Without such a license, the epidemiologist is required to work under the supervision of a licensed physician.
The duties required in different epidemiologist jobs differ according to the place of work. An epidemiologist employed in a small town or city health department will have a wide range of duties. He or she can provide health education, create programs that target specific populations such as reducing teen pregnancy or helping people stop smoking, develop policies for the health department to ensure public safety, and be ready to take on the responsibility of responsibility in the event of an outbreak. of infectious diseases. Epidemiologists in these positions are responsible for managing annual influenza vaccination schedules and ensuring that children starting school are properly vaccinated.
Epidemiologist jobs in large research facilities are very different. The researcher may spend years, or an entire career, looking for an effective treatment for just one type of disease. This work is highly specialized, and epidemiologists often develop different specialties over years of research and study. It can take years before results are seen in this type of research, but it is a rewarding career.
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