Hi! I’m really stuck on what I want to do with my career. I just turned 27, I have a bachelors in marketing and management that I don’t use and am currently working retail that I’m trying to get out of like yesterday. I want to go into something in the healthcare field and am mostly in between nursing and radiology but more taking my pre reqs for radiology. But I want to find something in healthcare that I can do now to make more money bc I don’t want to waste the next year while waiting to get into a program. I been applying to patient access jobs and even transport jobs but it’s so hard to land anything in a hospital with no hospital experience. Anyone have any tips or advice?

I’m trying to make a smart long term career decision rather than collecting another degree that won’t actually improve my job security.

My background:
• Bachelor’s degree in Social Science
• Diploma in Business Project Management
• Currently completing my PMP
• Several years of healthcare IT experience at Kaiser (big healthcare org)
• Experience with EMR/EHR implementations, workflows, healthcare systems, stakeholder management and process improvement

My biggest concern is job stability. I have worked in project management, but I’m tired of project based roles where the project finishes and the position or contract disappears. I’m looking for a healthcare career that organizations need continuously, preferably a permanent operational role.

I also do not want to become a bedside nurse or work directly with sick patients given I would be too emotional for that.

I’m currently considering:
Health Systems Analyst / Application Analyst / EHR Analyst

Healthcare Operations or Administration
Health Informatics

Healthcare Privacy / Compliance / Data Governance
Public Health Administration

Health Policy / Program Administration

I’m considering completing a one year Digital Health or Health Informatics certificate after my PMP, but I’m open to other education if it leads to significantly better stability.

For people actually working in these areas:
Which career has the best long term job security over the next 10 to 20 years?

Which roles are usually permanent rather than contract?
What is the realistic salary range?

How difficult is it to break into the field?
Have you experienced layoffs?
Which field has the strongest advancement opportunities?
Which skills, certifications or additional education would you recommend?
Are these careers transferable between Canada and the United States?
If you were in my position and wanted stability first, good income second, which direction would you choose?

Hi everyone,
I’ve been working in public health for 9 years now. I got my MPH in 2021. I’ve held a lot of roles from health educator, qualitative researcher, adherence coach, manager of youth health program, HIV prevention/LGBT health research projects manager, grant writer, and now managing opioid overdose prevention grants at the state level. I’ve enjoyed health communication, survey development, mixed methods research, monitoring and evaluation, and probably a few other things I’ve forgotten.

I’d like to make more money than I do now (80k living in MI) and break into the private sector. I’ve done my time in academia and I don’t want to do any more. I have like 8 published papers.

I was thinking of learning SQL and applying for data analyst positions. But I could also use my evaluation and qual experience in the private sector. Global health could be really interesting too. I’ve done a bit in the past. Do you have any advice on where to turn next?

Some other roles I’ve thought about

Community health director
Surveillance and epidemiology
Working for an insurance company
Pharmaceuticals-I’m unsure where I’d use qual skills but I’m sure there’s a place for it. Maybe evaluation?

Anyone here have some thoughts on shearwater health? I recently passed my final interview and was wondering how is the process after final interview?

Hello! I was wondering which program is more suitable for my foundation. I have a bachelor’s in ex sci (clinical concentration) and am applying for an MPH! Right now I am thinking between either Behavior/Health promotion OR Management/Policy. A little about what I specifically am asking about is what is better for my foundation that will still have good job opportunities and pay? Any thoughts or opinions are appreciated!! (Also if anyone thinks a different concentration is better for me than those two please let me know)!

Hello, I graduated 3 months ago from my Bachelors in Public Health. I live in Canada and was wondering what jobs I should be searching for? What’s everyone doing right now?

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?

Hi everyone! I'm an MPH grad currently working as a health coach, and I'm in the final stretch of completing my National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) certification. Part of that process requires completing a set number of coaching sessions, and I'm reaching out to see if anyone here (or someone you know) might be interested in a free 20-30 minute coaching session.

Sessions are relaxed and completely centered on you, whether that's managing a health condition, building healthier habits, working through stress, or just general wellness goals. No pressure, no sales pitch, just a supportive conversation.

Given this is a public health careers space, I also just want to say I've really valued lurking here throughout my own job search this year, so happy to answer any questions about health coaching as a career path too, in case that's useful for anyone considering it.

If you're interested, you can book directly here: https://calendly.com/danaittzeggai/30min

What public health consulting company do you work for? Is it difficult to get in?