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Health Education Salary
By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: March 8th, 2010
What are the pay and benefits like in this field?
The salary in this field can also vary greatly depending on the type of employment setting, region of the country, years of experience, tenure and rank, and the availability of the skilled individual. Even within the college setting the pay will be different based on if the person is full or part time, and works at a private, state or online university. Clinicians who also work in the healthcare field can make greater salaries than those who educate at a college or university. For instance, nurse educators in a hospital healthcare setting can earn $25- 35,000 more than those employed in academic institutions.Learn more about health education degrees.
What are the rewards of a job in this field?
For college or university instructors, influencing young individuals who are entering the field, and sharing your joy of the profession
with them is rewarding. According to Tom Hayden, assistant professor of athletic training for a private university, "If you love what you do and enjoy helping people, which by virtue- if you're in health care- you do, you'll enjoy health education." Hayden goes on to say that health education is not for everyone. There are practitioners who prefer to just practice in their field and not teach or train others.Clinical educators enjoy the rewards of incorporating clinical practice and experience along with being a clinical educator. This allows these professionals to practice in a field they enjoy and also mentor other professionals in that area.
Regardless of the specific employment setting, health education is ever changing. It is a profession that allows you to make a change directly or indirectly, which can be both exciting and empowering. That change may be immediate, or one with longer lasting results such as health practices, choices, changes, etc. Plus, depending on your specialty, it can open up many doors and offer a variety of opportunities and avenues in which to practice. If you are a literature or math educator there may be advances and new ideas within your field, but these changes are slow to take effect. Health care is a dynamic field that changes at a rapid rate. Techniques that were used as best practices a few years ago are likely no longer being used because there are constant advances in health care. Textbooks in health care are quickly out dated.
Learn more about health education job steps.
What steps should someone take to advance in health education?
The steps needed to advance in health education vary based on the specific employment setting. In either a traditional or non-traditional educational setting, earning extra certifications or expertise in your field can be helpful if your goal is to advance. Gaining any type of additional experience is also useful. For a traditional healthcare professional, coursework in adult education, distance learner education or curriculum development are also very helpful when looking to advance.Within a traditional education setting oftentimes professionals are hired in as instructors and can then advance to assistant professor, professor, chair of the department, director, and dean. In order to advance beyond assistant professor, a PhD or terminal degree is typically required, which oftentimes puts the professor on a tenure track. Many of these positions in traditional settings require educators to research and publish findings to contribute to their field of study.
What are the challenges of a job in this field?
The challenges also vary based on employment setting. In a university setting there are certain stresses centered on promotion and tenure and meeting the necessary academic requirements. It can also be challenging to educate, practice, and keep up to date with the most recent advances in your field. For instance, Tom Hayden, who was previously mentioned, teaches classes in his field, is a clinician practicing in that field, has administrative duties; and must attend conferences, gain continuing education units, read journals, and keep up with pertinent research in his field. This field can put heavy demands on your time.Learn more about health education career.
Another challenge at the university setting is keeping materials up to date. Because healthcare is such a dynamic field, ever changing and evolving, textbooks and course lectures become dated quickly. It is not the type of field where you can keep reusing lectures from year to year. Professors in healthcare are constantly changing and updating their materials to keep up with the current trends.