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Alaska School of Public Health – AK

By Jennifer Williams, allied health world contributing writer
Published:  February 2nd, 2010

What is Public Health?

This is a career that is genuinely concerned with the protection and improvement of the health of the community; furthermore, it is a profession that takes a proactive role in accomplishing that goal.

Some of the most common careers in public health include:

• Environmental Health
• Biostatistics
• Behavioral Science
• Health Education
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Administration and Management
• Mother and Child Health
• Nutrition

There are a variety of options for working in the field of public health, and all of these types of careers are dedicated to the betterment of the community as a whole.

Education and Public Health Degrees

Most careers in this field require the educational level of a bachelor’s degree, and this type of degree usually takes 3 or 4 years to finish. Because the field of public health is so comprehensive and wide, it would be difficult to cover all that you would need to learn in a shorter period of time.

If you are interested in advancement at some point in your career, you may want to consider earning a master’s degree early on.  In Alaska public health schools are few and far between making online programs the most viable option. It is highly unlikely that you would be able to move up through the ranks to a supervisory-type of position without a master’s degree; therefore, it is something that you should think about as you are beginning your education in public health.

Public health can be one of the most rewarding careers of all because of the service that you provide to the public. If you are truly interested in this job but are lacking time for school, you may want to check into some online schools. There are many different public-health schools online to choose from. Just make sure to choose one that is accredited by the CEPH.

How Much Will You Earn in Public Health?

Most public health professionals in Alaska make around $52,000 each year.

 References:

www.indeed.com
The Council on Education for Public Health, www.ceph.org
The National Board of Public Health Examiners, www.nbphe.org
Alaska Division of Public Health, www.hss.state.ak.us

Through campus based and online programs, aspiring Public Health Professionals in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Sitka, Alaska may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including Providence Alaska Medical Center, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Alaska Regional Hospital, and Central Peninsula Regional Hospital.