r/publichealthcareers

Hi everyone. I am 27M and have a bachelor's in public health as well as an MPH (W/healthcare admin certificate) and a MBA.

I have been struggling to find a decent entry level job (I do not have much experience besides my practicum in maternal health). I am not expecting to start high level position simply because I lack the experience. I do not mind starting from the bottom so I can learn and fully grasp everything.

I have been looking to get into the hospital scene and majority of positions would prefer for me to have a nursing background along side my current education. I am wondering would it be worth it to go back to school for nursing? I would be lying if I said I wasn't burnt out on school but the job market is brutal right now and disheartening.

Hi! I’ll be taking BS Bio in a local state university here or in UP, though I’m not sure what doctor I wanna be kasi I’m still torn between being a general pediatrician or a devped kasi so pa help po if worth it po ang devped huhu, I need your thoughts po.

Hello, I am looking to get a master in Public Health or Health Admin, I was wondering If it's better to go in person or if online is fine. I do not need to work full time during my masters which is why I am leaning towards in person but I'm not sure. I also have heard that in person programs allow for more 1 on 1 and networking abilities which seem very beneficial for this line of work. Any thoughts?

I have just registered for a graduate certificate in health coaching in the hopes of boosting my application for graduate school as an RDN. I'm a career changer and want to apply to UNE. I'm currently unemployed and am looking for an entry-level position in health care, hopefully somewhere that employs health coaches and might provide an opportunity in the hopes that I pass the NBHWC exam next year.

I've applied to HealthCare Support and Medix, as well as some other support positions I've found. Most of these positions ask for at least a year of call center or customer service experience. I worked in retail in high school and college, which is not on my resume, but I don't have call center experience. I worked in film and television for 20 years. Does anyone have any ideas on how I might secure entry-level work in a relevant environment? My goal for next year, if I pass the board, is to pursue a position at the VA in their Whole Health program.

Thank you for any leads/resources.

I’m about to enter my second year of college, and I’m still undecided on what I want to major in. I originally had a different major in mind, but I’ve been looking into other options and recently came across Health Information Management.

I don’t know much about the field yet, but it seems interesting to me because it’s healthcare-related (I’ve been leaning towards healthcare for some reason) without being as hands-on with patients as something like nursing. I’m also looking for a major that can lead to a decent-paying, stable job without requiring grad school, and ideally a job that isn’t extremely stressful or demanding.

Is it worth it? What are the job opportunities and pay actually like after graduating? Do you regret choosing it, or would you recommend it?

Still wondering if being in healthcare was the best option for me 🤔 10years in

Looking into mph but have only worked in education and in admissions for a mental health therapy non profit. Also living in the Los Angeles area and am unsure how to job market is here. Any advice?

I’m contemplating applying for an executive MHA, I have three years of experience in hospital administration as an individual contributor and a further half decade of healthcare corporate/investment banking. I’m located in the Carolinas, so I feel that UNC offers the better network, but UAB is a big name. If anybody has any knowledge of either program, I would appreciate it since there’s relatively little information available online. Also, are there any other executive that are worth applying to?

I have been in the health and fitness coaching industry for a while now. I’m in my early 30s and I have long felt I need to go back to school. I am considering a masters in public health. I’m not totally sure what the longterm goal is yet, but I wonder if anyone else has a similar background or experience? Any thoughts on this path? What could I even be eligible to do?

I'm so scared that I can't find a job within the 90-day limit. I recently received my card and have no luck in getting a job past initial interviews. I don't even know if there's an org that is willing to take an international graduate in for less than a year (not a STEM opt). I'm in Houston, TX. I was told to apply to the master's program for next intake but I'm unsure about my current situation...

Any advice on the job hunting skills? Where should I look into for public health jobs as an entry level applicant?

Hi everyone,
I’m from India and I have completed a BSc in Psychology (56%, CGPA 5.88). I’m considering doing a Master’s in Public Health / MSc Public Health in Europe, and Finland is currently one of my main options.
I’m particularly interested in Finland because there are English-taught programmes that accept students with a Psychology background. For example, the University of Eastern Finland offers a 2-year MSc in Public Health and lists Psychology as an eligible background.
However, I’m not sure whether Finland is the best choice for career opportunities after graduation.
I would really appreciate advice from people who have studied or worked in Europe, especially international students.
My main questions are:
Is an MSc/MPH in Public Health from Finland worth it for an international student?
Would you recommend Finland over Sweden, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, or other European countries for Public Health?
Which country has better job opportunities after an MPH/MSc Public Health for non-EU graduates?
How important is learning the local language for getting a Public Health job?
What are the realistic career options after graduation — epidemiology, health promotion, healthcare management, research, NGOs, health policy, etc.?
Is it difficult to get a job in Public Health in Finland without a Finnish-language background?
Considering tuition fees and living costs, which European country gives the best overall value for money?

I’m mainly looking for honest experiences and realistic career advice, rather than just university rankings.
Thank you!

Hi everyone, I am a 36 year old woman who is currently working on my MPH and before I can do my capstone and graduate I need an internship. What I would like to do is Industrial Production Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry such as medical devices or medications. The issue is that I can't find anyone who can point me in the right direction with connecting with a company. I have a backup plan just in case I cannot get into this industry but I would really like to get into it. My school does not place you, you have to find it yourself. My goal is to find something niche and something that I can make my career. I've worked as a pharmacy technician for over 8 years so I would like to be on the other side of the pharmaceutical coin. I have one semester left before my internship has to be done or I risk delaying my graduation. So I am kind of desperate for help. If anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

*Side note: this is my first post on Reddit so forgive me if I did this wrong*

I feel like I’m at my wits end right now and I really could use any advice.

I graduated with a Psych degree a couple years ago, wanting to pursue a career in health admin working in therapy centers or in mental health treatment facilities. Eventually, I would like to work in a consulting capacity with local state agencies or hospitals. I was able to find a general administrative and logistical position after college, but right as I was about to make a career change, I was laid off.

Fast forward to now and I’m still struggling to find full time employment. I’ve never felt so discouraged and miserable and while I know we are in a recession, it dosent change the fact that I am stuck unable to develop my career. I’ve been applying for 2 years now with no success.

Now, I’m both being partly pressured by family as well as believing myself that I need to go back to school to even consider getting my foot in the door. I still am not sure if this is the right move but I genuinely feel I have no choice at this time. l’m exhausted and on the verge of giving up on the job search. Not to mention my confidence and mental health being completely fucked right now.

With the SOPHAS app now open, I need to make a determinate decision soon. I have people on my radar to reach out to for reccs, and I have most of the info ready to seriously start my apps. I just could use a second opinion from you all. Thank You.

I just graduated with a BS in public health. I’m currently working a sales job and hate it. I do want to do some type of medicine job but I don’t know what. I’ve thought of PT/OT but I’m not a huge fan of having to touch people. Doctor just seems too hard for me.

Any advice on fields I can go in to? Or jobs to look at???

I’m planning several years ahead and would appreciate a reality check from people who’ve actually been through the federal hiring process.
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My background:

I previously worked as a teacher, but I’m changing careers into Medical Laboratory Science (MLS/CLS). My long-term goal is a federal 0644 Medical Technologist/Medical Laboratory Scientist position. I’m willing to relocate anywhere in the U.S. for my first federal job because my ultimate goal is simply to get onto the federal career ladder. Long-term, I’d like to end up in Minnesota, but I’m not limiting my initial search geographically.
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Current plan:

• Graduate from an NAACLS-accredited MLS program.
• Work about 9–12 months in a private hospital lab to build experience and rebuild my emergency fund.
• Then begin applying broadly to federal MLS positions nationwide while continuing to work privately until I receive an offer.
• I may also be eligible for Schedule A hiring authority due to documented disabilities.
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My questions:
• Is waiting 9–12 months for private experience before applying a reasonable strategy, or would you recommend applying immediately after graduation?
• For someone willing to relocate anywhere in the country, how realistic is it to land some federal MLS position within about a year of actively applying?
• Does Schedule A make a meaningful difference in practice, or is it mostly just another hiring path that may or may not help?
• Once you’re in a federal MLS position, how much easier is it to transfer internally to another location later?
• Are there agencies (VA, DoD, IHS, etc.) that tend to hire new or relatively new MLS graduates more readily than others?
• I’d appreciate candid answers, especially from current or former federal laboratory employees.

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Hi everyone! I graduated in May with an MPH in Epidemiology (minor Biostatistics), and I also have a background in clinical dentistry.

I’ve been looking for jobs since around March and have been applying, networking on LinkedIn, reaching out to recruiters, and trying different approaches. I’m open to clinical research, epidemiology, healthcare/data, and other roles where I can use my background honestly, I’m just trying to find a place to get my foot in the door.

It’s been pretty frustrating, especially when you have bills to pay ;-;. I’ve had some advice from career services and have been trying to learn as I go, but I’m wondering if I’m missing something.

If anyone working in public health, clinical research, healthcare, or related fields has advice for someone trying to get started or would be willing to take a quick look at my resume I’d really appreciate it!

Thanks! 🙏

Hi! I'm an IMG and have done my bachelors in science and surgery. I want to take a break from giving my steps ATM and want to get into a job in the health care sector ( I'm very flexible, more inclined towards clinical, but anything works). I would love to hear similar experiences on what landed you a job with 0 US medical experience ( I've worked with doctors in treating patients out of the US). Would I need to work on any certifications? Any advices are appreciated! Thank you!

PS - I don't require a visa

Is anyone else applying anywhere in southern california to entry level to associate public health positions and getting notice the position has been outright cancelled? Is this the new way of letting people down easy, or is healthcare going through an extra tough patch right now? Feeling so discouraged tbh just looking for anyone going through the same thing.

Edit: I understand it might just be my unfortunate luck, but this isn’t the last time I’ve job searched in the last three years and Ive never witnessed this to this level.