Explore a Career in Public Health!
Discover the power of public health, a meaningful and rewarding career that makes a direct and lasting impact on your community.
What is Public Health?
"Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities." - CDC Foundation
Think of public health as the "big picture" of health care.
Unlike hospitals and clinics that focus on treating individuals, public health focuses on entire populations.
Whether it's your neighborhood or a global region, public health works to:
• Promote healthy lifestyles.
• Prevent the spread of diseases.
• Address health disparities.
• Respond to health emergencies.
It's about keeping everyone safe and thriving, leaving no one behind.
Why Public Health Matters
Everyday life is shaped by public health initiatives, often in ways we don't even notice. Clean drinking water, safe food, vaccinations, and anti-smoking campaigns are just a few examples.
Public health:
• Tackles environmental issues like air and water quality.
• Promotes mental wellness and healthy habits.
• Ensures access to care for everyone.
By supporting public health, you're investing in your family, your community, and yourself.
How Public Health Differs from Health Care
Public health and health care share common goals, but each plays a unique and vital role.
• Health Care: Treats illnesses and injuries on an individual level.
• Public Health: Prevents illness and improves the health of entire populations.
Public health focuses on prevention-addressing the root causes of health issues before they arise. Together with health care, it creates a holistic approach to wellness.
Making a Real Difference
Every step forward in public health is a step closer to a world where everyone has the same chance to be healthy.
Public health professionals work behind the scenes to create healthier, safer communities. They save millions of lives each year and address health gaps-those unfair differences in health outcomes between groups.
Their mission is to ensure everyone has equal access to quality health care, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, age, or income.
Here's what public health experts do every day:
• Track disease outbreaks and vaccinate communities to prevent illnesses.
• Set safety rules to protect workers on the job.
• Create school meal programs so kids have healthy food.
• Push for laws like smoke-free indoor spaces and mandatory seatbelts.
• Address how climate change impacts our health.
• Recognize racism as a public health crisis and work to reduce its impact.
They do all of this to help create healthier, safer communities for everyone.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU START
Free Public Health Courses:
cdc.gov/training/publichealth101
WA State Public Health Overview:
doh.wa.gov/PHWA
Public Health is Essential Podcast by
WA State Public Health Association:
rss.com/podcasts/wspha
WA PHALCO Resource Hub:
waportal.org/resourcehub
※This opportunity is proudly supported by the Washington State Department of Health's Workforce Pathways Program, funded through the CDC's Public Health Workforce Development Grant (CDC-RFA-TP18-1802). The material does not necessarily represent the official position of or endorsement by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Washington State Department of Health.
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