The pandemic has shown cracks in healthcare systems in both developed and developing countries and demonstrated the critical role healthcare professionals play in society. Healthcare systems around the world were caught off guard when COVID-19 struck and ill-equipped to handle a pandemic. Public health professionals are currently under intense strain; long hours are putting them at risk of burnout. While public health careers are highly rewarding, the embattled healthcare system needs professionals able to solve real-world challenges and offer ideas that can help create positive change.
The US Bureau of Labour Statistics projects that employment in public health careers is projected to grow 15% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 2.4 million new jobs. “Healthcare occupations are projected to add more jobs than any of the other occupational groups. This projected growth is mainly due to an aging population, leading to greater demand for healthcare services,” it said. This spells opportunity for those aspiring to carve public health careers for themselves.
The focus of a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) is population health rather than individuals. Some MPH are multidisciplinary, exposing students to topics such as epidemiology, health services management, health policy and biostatistics, while others offer concentrations. Depending on the institution, some programmes provide students the option to develop specialist expertise, a skill advantageous for specific public health careers.
Public health careers for MPH graduates
As its name suggests, public health programmes focus on population health rather than individuals. Source: Pool/Getty Images North America/ Getty Images via AFP
An MPH prepares graduates for a variety of public health careers, be it in research, non-governmental organisations, as well as with the private sector or governments. Graduates can consider public health careers in policy, epidemiology and disaster preparedness, to name a few. Within the academic sector, an MPH can serve as a solid foundation for students to pursue their PhD and carve a career in research and teaching, while private sectors offer a plethora of opportunities, be it in consulting or for healthcare facilities.
Imperial College London notes that students of their programme “may develop into roles ranging from public health analysts, health services researchers, communicable disease control consultants, environmental epidemiologists, health policy advisors or directors of public health”. The University of Manchester said many of their students are GPs, hospital doctors, health promotion staff, managers and researchers who apply their newfound public health skills within their own professions or settings. “Intercalating medical students from Manchester and elsewhere take the MPH if they are interested in public health careers or general practice, or want to work in low and middle-income countries,” it said.
Many universities offer scholarships for future students but there are also organisations that offer other forms financial help. Wellcome, a health research foundation, offers a scheme that offers nationals of low- and middle-income countries the opportunity to receive training at master’s level. The foundation provides 120,000 pounds, which includes salary, studentship stipend, fees and research expenses. If you’re from a Commonwealth country, you could apply for the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships Scheme, which funds two-year master’s programmes. If you want to study in the UK, the Chevening Scholarship — the UK government’s international awards programme — helps international students obtain a master’s degree for selected programmes, including public health.
Hear from students with public health careers
Francis Ayomoh
University: University of Oxford
What drove Francis Ayomoh to pursue a master’s degree in the public health field was because of the problems he saw within the healthcare system in his hometown of Nigeria.
Many questions arise. How can he prioritise limited resources? How can he plan a health sector that is not just for the short/medium term but also the long term? How can he make policies work for people? A master’s degree answers these questions, which led him to work in the government sector.
“So after my master’s, which I was lucky to finish with a distinction at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), I came back to Nigeria and did some work with the government,” he says. “I worked until I was Deputy Country Lead for health financing at the Ministry of Health.”
Victory Ekpin goes to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in pursuit of obtaining public health careers. Source: Victory Ekpin
Victory Ekpin
University: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London
Victory Ekpin‘s master’s degree stems from her passion for conducting research to advance decision-making in the public health field. Her mission to contribute to scalable, evidence-based public health programmes is proven in her research during her time at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).
“Research for my thesis was about how community health workers in Nigeria can be supported and supervised to bring about impact,” she says. “So I was looking at different models that have been used around sub-Saharan Africa to try to identify which combination works.”
Ekpin gathered about 59 studies of different interventions, determining what worked best and which worked best, and then putting them together to create a broader framework for supporting community health workers in carrying out their jobs in sub-Saharan Africa.
With over seven years of experience, Ekpin has done her fair share of public health research work, progressing from assistant to team lead. Now, she is an associate at ACE Strategy and Consult Limited, a leading consulting firm in Nigeria.
Daga pictured at her work with Australian Red Cross. Source: Ayushi Daga
Ayushi Daga
University: Monash University
Ayushi Daga, on the other hand, is now a health promotion officer. Studying public health at Monash University, she has come a long way since nabbing her dream role, and it all started with an internship at Dental Health Services Victoria. There, she carried out consumer testing and provided feedback to improve the health literacy of families in the region
“My internship experience here has given me insights about how public health in Victoria functions,” she says. “This experience has bridged my knowledge as a student while also preparing me to become a working professional in the field of public health.”
Although she just started, her current job as a health promotion officer is just the beginning of pursuing more impactful public health careers. “My role as a public health professional is not limited by boundaries,” she says. “I can work in any region of the world, and that is exactly my goal: I want to work in Global Public Health for the World Health Organisation.”
Disclaimer: This article was last updated on June 10, 2025.
