Introduction
Public health is a widely discussed topic, and even with awareness, the ground report tells a far more grim picture and reveals the need for more than what is being delivered yet. This glaring distinction can be bridged with deliberate action and research-led resolutions made by the public health department. The Master of Public Health programme equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to drive meaningful improvements across the healthcare system.
Master of Public Health (MPH): Shaping the Future of Global Healthcare
The subject of Public Health has a significant impact on the society in which we live. This is why persons with a strong ethical sense and an interest in improving the system are the perfect candidates to apply for the programme. The matter of Public Health is that it has the potential to shape the global healthcare system for the betterment gradually.
The public health course is a master’s programme, and aspirants are required to have an undergraduate degree to apply for this course. There are no specifications required for the graduation programme, and graduates from any stream are eligible to apply for the Master of Public Health programme. The master’s degree provides the much-needed qualifications to fill government or private positions in the Public Health departments.
Importance Of Public Health In The Improvement Of Healthcare Systems
Public health systems are designed with the noble purpose of providing basic healthcare to a large chunk of the population. In the modern world, these systems are broken down into several active departments with a central reporting body, which in most cases is the Government. The functions of the Public Health department are inherently important in improving the policies regarding the improvement of healthcare systems.
- To promote healthy living and prevent outbreaks, the healthcare system needs effective public health policies to make the necessary difference.
- The ultimate goal of public health policies is to deliver equal opportunities for entire communities to access healthcare facilities, such as diagnosis, tests, and treatments, despite their backgrounds.
- Rehabilitation services are important for every society to house the less fortunate individuals with the hope of reintegrating them into society. Similarly, palliative care and adult care services are important for patients in pain and elderly citizens.
- Public Health officers have the duty to oversee the implementation of policies and allocation of funds in the right manner, ensuring the development of healthcare in their locality.
The central body of authority, or the Government, assigns local representatives to conduct surveys in their area and find out issues that are affecting the community. Based on the ground report, the public department is tasked with chalking out plans that not only address the issue but also take effective measures and resolve to fix it.
Public Health & Healthcare: What Are The Differences & Similarities
The healthcare system consists of many departments working in tandem to deliver support and care to patients in a specific area or community. Government and private players are all involved in managing the healthcare systems based on public health policies designed by authorities with a vision of fairness and care for all. In a way, it may seem, public health and healthcare have similar goals; however, they also have significant differences. So, let us discuss the similarities and differences to better understand the matter.
Similarities:
- Both institutions are initially established with the vision and mission to provide healthcare services, promote healthy living, and strive towards a better outcome.
- As mentioned, they share a common goal that focuses on improving the overall well-being, enhancing the quality and value of life, and reducing the rate of diseases.
- It has been proven multiple times that effective collaboration between healthcare systems and public health sectors is inherently essential for any developed society or community to progress.
Differences:
| Public Health | Healthcare | |
| 1. | Public health focuses on the overall health and well-being of a community or a population. | The healthcare system is directed to care for individual patients and deal with each case with equal seriousness. |
| 2. | The approach that public health sectors assume is a proactive one that prepares and plans for healthy initiatives and emphasizes prevention. | Whereas the healthcare system takes a reactive approach toward its subjects and offers diagnosis and treatment based on currently affecting individual problems. |
| 3. | The set-up of the public health sector differs from department to department, and it mostly fosters a corporate environment. | The healthcare system operates in a clinical setting, where patients are treated either on a first-come-first-serve basis, or based on their emergency. |
The Master of Public Health is a step forward in the right direction of working in an authoritative position to improve the healthcare system from within. It can be a noble yet challenging field where critical thinking and problem-solving abilities are appreciated.
Key Components of Public Health
There are a few components in Public Health that are well-recognised, and many resources are invested in these departments in the hope of a better outcome. These components or areas of public health are listed below.
- After the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of Epidemiology has been brought to the spotlight, and this field is all about gathering relevant health data on a population and delivering solutions.
- Public health is responsible for administering the healthcare system by recruiting qualified healthcare workers in adequate numbers.
- Environmental health is a factor that often gets missed on other occasions, but in the case of Public Health, it must be raised as a primary issue.
This is only a glimpse of the subjects emphasised in the Master of Public Health programme. There are other factors like ethics, social and behavioural sciences, and other internal and external factors that play a significant role in decision-making.
Career Options In Master’s Of Public Health
The master’s programme in Public Health offers an interdisciplinary academic knowledge. Beyond the academic programmes, institutes often take the opportunity to train students under a professional set-up or encourage them to apply for internships to help them gather experience. The following are a few career options you can look into with a master’s degree in Public Health.
- Biostatistician
- Environmental Health Officer
- Clinical Trial Administrator
- Health Services Administrator
- Health Care Specialist
- Nutritionist
- Medical Writer
- Public Health Nurse
- Regulatory Specialist
- Occupational Health and Safety Manager
The Master of Public Health curriculum is barely complete without the professional exposure and experience needed to make a meaningful transition in life. If you are interested in this field, visit the institution to learn about the programmes they have in a similar line.
