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Massachusetts School of Public Health – MA

By allied health world contributing writer
Published:  February 11th, 2010

Public Health Education in Massachusetts

Massachusetts’ public health system enters the 21st century’s second decade facing a crowded agenda.  Bioterrorism, stem cell research, and refugee and immigrant health programs are just a few of the issues that public health professionals must deal with to assure residents can continue to live healthy and stay safe.  And Massachusetts always strives to fulfill the Center for Disease Control’s (CDCs) tenet to assure a competent workforce.

Education through online programs or Massachusetts public health schools is key to developing qualified personnel.  Well educated individuals are best equipped to successfully meet the complex challenges confronting today’s public health professional.   No matter what your interest runs to, specializations such as nursing or pharmacy, or public health in general, there’s a degree or certificate for it.  Undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees and certificates are available through colleges and universities offering online learning, as well as the usual on-campus settings.  Mindful of students’ busy lives, both Internet and traditional classes are flexible enough to fit even the busiest schedules.  To determine which school is the best fit for you, research program curriculum, costs, and duration. As soon as you graduate, be sure to take any required competency examinations.  Test results indicate that candidates do better when taking the exams promptly rather than putting them off.

Because of the public health field’s scope and reach, life long learning for people who choose to make it a career is a given.  Formal degree programs are popular options to continue one’s education.  The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (mass.gov) and the Local Public Health Institute of Massachusetts (masslocalinstitute.org) jointly offer 12 standardized training programs annually.  These classes cover a variety of topics important to public health practice on the local level.

Through campus based and online programs, aspiring Public Health Professionals in Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge and Lowell, Massachusetts may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the Massachusetts General Hospital, Winchester Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Marlborough Hospital.