There are many different epidemiology careers for those who are interested in that field. Epidemiologists study the different health and illness factors that impact populations. When various communicable, as well as noncommunicable, diseases threaten a society, epidemiologists are called upon to identify these threats, research them and make an informed recommendation as to what types of treatments and interventions are needed.
Epidemiology careers are considered a form of evidence-based medicine, also making them health care careers. Epidemiologists are versed in conducting many medical tests and studies. Some tasks of epidemiology jobs include identifying causes behind an outbreak, conducting screenings, study design, collecting data, analyzing statistical models, testing theories, recording data and creating or administering intervention programs. Sometimes epidemiologists submit their recorded data for journal reviews as well.
As health care jobs, epidemiology careers rely on a number of medical backgrounds and disciplines. Some of these include biology, philosophy, social sciences and geographic information science. Most universities do not offer an undergraduate program in epidemiology, therefore people seeking epidemiology careers typically study medicine or other health fields prior to their graduate studies, such as pharmacy or public health.
Most epidemiologists also focus on a main area of expertise. These may include genetic diseases, cancer, reproductive areas, nutrition, infectious diseases, birth defects, cardiovascular studies, and hospital infections.
Professionals seeking epidemiology careers may work at the local, state or federal level. Working in a number of locations, epidemiologists may conduct their jobs in the community as a public health or health protection practitioner. Alternatively, epidemiology jobs can be found in hospitals, schools of public health and universities of health sciences, pharmaceutical companies, non-profit organizations or government agencies, such as The World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If an epidemiologist seeks to further his or her career, he or she may be awarded a number of titles and positions. These could include Medical Epidemiologist, Preventive and Community Dentistry Fellow, Disease Prevention Specialist, Emerging Infections Surveillance Fellow, and many others, depending on the area of expertise and the company he or she has decided to work for.
