What can one say is a master of public health or MPH exactly? When it comes to administration in public health, the most widely recognized credential is probably the MPH degree. Professionals in public health employ knowledge and skills from various disciplines to assess, define and solve public health problems.
A person's health is extremely important. It is hardly possible to have a fulfilling life if you are not healthy. If this is true for a person, it holds true for a society; but maintaining public health is no simple task.
Clean water, clean air, access to health care, disease prevention, provision of sufficient food and shelter, health education and a safe working environment are only a few of the things indispensable for a healthy society. With so many complicated issues that arise in the public health service, maintaining public health is not an easy task. It is here that a master of public health comes in.
Valuable attributes for successful MPH degree candidates include passion, a dedication to motivation, diversity, creativity and a true willingness to continue working until the issue is resolved. Anyone wishing to enter public health must genuinely be driven and motivated to improve the health of not just local, but also international communities. Specific issues will need to be addressed and therefore there must be a passion for this.
The work involved in public health is not easy. Public health professionals need to actively commit seek to commit to finding effective solutions to the challenges in this sector today. Be sure, by way of introspection, that you will be naturally motivated to address the challenges associated with this profession.
Experiencing the Master of Public Health internship is vital. This gives students a chance to use their knowledge and skills that they learned from their academic experiences. Often, an internship helps validate what they have learned in the classroom.
Measuring just how much the student absorbed while on the actual MPH course can be challenging. Applying their theory in practice, once they enter an internship, students are often taken aback by just how well-prepared they are for the public health service. A variety of settings are covered in MPH internships including government agencies, non-profit organizations and nursing homes.
Before tackling a public health degree students often take a year or so off in order to get some work experience. Some students will however enter a program as soon as they have completed an undergraduate program. Some get involved in public health initiatives even while completing their undergraduate degree.
Master of public health programs are therefore entered with clear direction. It does give students a great head start when they do work in the public health service before actually starting with the MPH program. Schools like to accept students with an academic background in a health-related field.
By getting actively involved in the field, these students rake up hours of experience. Students in public health masters programs already have considerable experience by this time though. They are already clear on the direction they want their careers to take.
