Careers in Public Health
The core functions of public health include population health assessment, surveillance, disease and injury prevention, health promotion and health protection. To carry out these functions a core set of competencies are required of all professionals. These are described by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The major professions that make up the workforce in Public Health and build upon these core competencies include but are not limited to the following:
- Public Health Physician
- Public Health Nurse
- A useful resource put out by the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario relates to transitioning to becoming a Public Health Nurse [PDF].
- Public Health Inspector
- Public Health Nutritionist and Dietitian
- Public Health Dentist and Dental Assistant
- Health Promotion Consultant
- Public Health Epidemiologist
For further information, you can also read short articles featuring the role stories of a diverse range of Public Health professionals.