101 Careers in Public Health

397 Pages·2010·1.95 MB·English

by  Beth Seltzer MD MPH

101 Careers in
Public Health
Beth Seltzer, MD, MPH, is a physician whose recent work has focused
on using media as a tool for health education and behavior change. Dr.
Seltzer is board-certified in public health and general preventive medi-
cine. She attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University
and completed her preventive medicine residency at Stony Brook
University, with an MPH degree from Columbia University. Prior to her
medical career, Dr. Seltzer was a documentary film producer, earning
multiple awards for her work. More recently, she has been a writer and
consultant for the Discovery Health and Discovery Channel television
networks, developing content for educational television shows and inter-
active media directed at both physicians and general audiences.
101 Careers in
Public Health
Beth Seltzer, MD, MPh
Copyright © 2011 Beth Seltzer
All rights reserved.
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ISBN: 978-0-8261-1768-7
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Seltzer, Beth.
101 careers in public health / Beth Seltzer.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN: 978-0-8261-1768-7
1. Public health—Vocational guidance. I. Title. II. Title: One hundred and one careers in
public health.
RA440.9.S45 2010
362.1023—dc22 2010022058
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Printed in the United States of America by Hamilton Printing Company.
This book is dedicated to my parents,
Lynn and Robert Seltzer,
who have been right there with me
through my own 101 careers.

Contents
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
PART I: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH 1
1 What Is Public Health? 3
■  History of Public Health 3
■  The Role of Public Health Today 4
2 Education in Public Health 9
■ Bachelor’s Degrees in Public Health 9
■ Master’s of Public Health Degrees 10
■ Doctor’s of Public Health Degrees 10
■ Combined Degree Programs 11
■ Other Master’s Degrees 11
■  Engineering Degrees 11
■ Certifications and Other Training 11
■ Finding a School of Public Health 12
3 Finding Jobs in Public Health 13
■  Traditional Pathways 13
■  Getting in the Back Door 15
■  Combining Public Health with Another Career 16
■  Professional Associations 16
■  Federal Government Agencies 16
■  State and Local Agencies 18
viii Contents
PART II: PUBLIC HEALTH CAREERS 19
4 Infectious Disease 21
■  Epidemiologist 22
 Public Health Profile: Orion McCotter, MPH, Border
Infectious Disease Surveillance Epidemiologist, Arizona Department
of Health Services 24
■  Medical Officer 26
Public Health Profile: George Pourakis, MD, MPH, Medical
Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 28
■  Public Health Nurse 30
Public Health Profile: Donna Westawski, MSN, Tuberculosis
Nurse Consultant, Pennsylvania Department of Health 33
■  Public Health Veterinarian 35
■  Public Health Advisor 37
■  Vaccine Researcher 39
 Public Health Profile: Mario Roederer, PhD, Senior Investigator,
ImmunoTechnology Section, Vaccine Research Center, National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes
of Health 41
■  Disease Ecologist 44
■  Infection Preventionist 46
5 Chronic Disease and Cancer 49
■  Health Educator 50
■  Health Promotion Program Coordinator 52
 Public Health Profile: John Wedeles, MPH, Program Coordinator,
Manhattan Tobacco Cessation Program 54
■  Medical Epidemiologist/Chronic Disease 56
 Public Health Profile: Sarah Schillie, Medical Epidemiologist,
U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention 58
■  Public Health Dentist 60
 Public Health Profile: James Lalumandier, DDS, MPH, Professor
and Chair of Community Dentistry, Case Western Reserve University
School of Dental Medicine 62
Contents ix
■  Tobacco Quitline Advisor 64
 Public Health Profile: Shelley Anderson, Counselor, California
Smokers’ Helpline 66
■  Behavioral Scientist 68
■  Study Coordinator 70
6 Public Safety 73
■  Injury Prevention Specialist 74
■  Director of Emergency Medical Services 76
 Public Health Profile: Virginia Hastings, Executive Director,
Inland Counties EMS Agency 78
■  Specialist in Poison Information 80
 Public Health Profile: Jean Lubbert, RN, CSPI, Nebraska
Regional Poison Center 83
■  Forensic Pathologist 85
7 Maternal and Child Health 89
■  Deputy Director/Family Health Services 90
 Public Health Profile: Chris Haag, MPH, Deputy Director,
Bureau of Family Health Services, Alabama Department
of Public Health 92
■  Home Visit Nurse 94
■  Community Health Worker 96
■  WIC Nutritionist 98
 Public Health Profile: Rosemary Flynn, MS, RD, Public Health
Nutritionist, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, Nassau
County Health Department 100
8 Pharmaceuticals and Drug Safety 105
■  Pharmacist 106
 Public Health Profile: Lt. Brian Parker, PharmD, Pharmacist,
San Xavier Indian Health Center 108
■  Medical Officer/Drug Evaluation and Safety 110
 Public Health Profile: Sandra Kweder, MD, Deputy Director,
Office of New Drugs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration 111
■  Biostatistician 114
■  Director, State Board of Pharmacy 116
■  Regulatory Affairs Specialist 118