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Public Health Career Outlook

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data as of April 2024 indicates a projected increase of 1.8 million jobs in health care. Also, responses from a 2021 survey by the National Library of Medicine show since the COVID-19 pandemic, applications for public health degrees have increased by 20%.

The Labor Bureau notes there are five public health career paths expected to see the largest growth between now and 2032:

1 | Biostatistician Projected Growth: 30%

Biostatisticians design studies to test whether drugs treat diseases or medical conditions successfully, and help identify outbreak sources.

2 | Epidemiologist Projected Growth: 27%

An epidemiologist collects and analyzes data to investigate health issues within communities.

3 | Community Health Worker Projected Growth: 14%

Community health workers are mediators between patients and health care or social service providers to find appropriate care for patients.

4 | Health Education Specialist Projected Growth: 7 %

Most specialists are tasked with assessing health demands for communities and developing programs to address those needs.

5 | Environmental Scientist/ Specialists Projected Growth: 6%

Many scientists or specialists study ways environmental factors impact human health by collecting data for research projects, investigations and surveys.

Assessing Rural Health Needs

In the rural communities of Crane and Pecos, Texas, health care data is often in short supply or nonexistent. Deborah Birx, MD, a presidential advisor and adjunct instructor at the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health, hopes to remedy the situation. She will lead a team of TTUHSC employees this summer to conduct grassroots health assessments with residents in those communities.

During her meetings with community leaders in the spring, Birx discovered a concerning fact — most of the health data about the region was not being reported or was underreported. This oversight could result in the communities missing out on state and federal support for health care services.

However, with the grassroots health assessments, community leaders will gain valuable knowledge about where to direct resources, potentially improving the health care situation in the region. The community health assessment is one of five projects launching this summer through the new TTUHSC Division of Rural Affairs (see Page 2 for details).

illustration of two men looking at a sign
chiara vercesi/ rapp art
Unreported data can impact health care.
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