Research on Career and Graduate Programs

Research on Career and Graduate Programs

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  Research on Careerand Graduate Programs By: Danielle Matthews
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  Introduction  Major: Bachelor’sof Science in Health Science  Concentration: Health Education and Promotion  Minor: Microbiology  I am interested in careers that involve working with people to help improve their health, whether that be with acute or chronic diseases.  Reasons:  I have had the opportunity to experience the changing healthcare delivery system and learn through the changes in health professional’s education the need for a new type of a health professional.  I enjoy volunteering at retirement and nursing homes, so a career working with a predominantly older population would be ideal.
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  Future Careers  FutureCareer Options:  Health Coach  Health Education Specialist  Population Health Manager  Population Health Specialist  Community Health Worker  The career of most interest to me would be a career as a Health Education Specialist.
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  Historical Overview  Acareer as a Health Education Specialist is a developing and growing career with a relatively recent history.  As the history of health and public health has shifted from an emphasis on infectious diseases, the need to reduce chronic illness, death, and rising healthcare costs by focusing on prevention and health promotion birthed Health Education Specialists. [1]  Health education can be seen from the 1800s, but not until the 1940s did it become its own distinct discipline. [1]  The field developed by drawing from other fields and studies such as public health, education, communication, and other behavioral and social sciences. [1]  The scope of practice has continued to solidify since the 1950s because of improved understanding of other social ecological and behavioral factors that influence health. [1]  In 1978, the Role Delineation Project worked to define the basic roles and responsibilities of a Health Educator/Specialist. As a result, 7 responsibilities and competencies were developed. [2]  Since then, there have been several updates and new credentialing exams such as the CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist) and most recently the MCHES (Master Certified Health Education Specialist). [2]
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  Responsibilities for HealthEducators  1) Assess Individual and Community Needs for Health Education  2) Plan Effective Health Education Programs  3) Implement Health Education Programs  4) Evaluate the Effectiveness of Health Education Programs  5) Coordinate Provision of Health Education Services  6) Act as a Resource in Health Education  7) Communicate Health Needs, Concerns, and Resources [2]
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  Career Description  Asa Health Education Specialist, my job would be to teach people about behaviors that promote better health and wellness.  I would help to assess the needs of the people in my target population and community and develop programs or educational materials to help improve their health.  Other Responsibilities:  Teach the population how to better manage existing chronic health conditions [2,3]  Help people navigate the healthcare system to meet their healthcare needs [2,3]  Collect and analyze data to be able to implement or improve future programs and services [2,3]  Advocate for the population to have improved access to health resources and implementation of policies that help promote health [2,3]
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  Health Education SpecialistStatistics  Since these jobs vary in the types of settings, the annual salary also varies in addition to other factors such as location and work experience.  Median wage: $51,960 [3]  Health Education Specialists make more in government and hospital settings and less in religious, organizational, and social assistance settings.  Salary Range: $30,250-$92,950 [3]  The projected growth is expected to increase by 13% by 2024. [3]  In 2014, there were 61,400 jobs and by 2024 there are projected to be 68,900 jobs.  This growth is faster than the average for all occupations. Growth in this field is due to the rising healthcare costs and the need to reduce these costs and reduce morbidity and mortality from the costly chronic health conditions.
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  Other Information  Requirements:[3]  At least a Bachelor’s degree in Health Education or Health Promotion  Internship is suggested  Additional Beneficial Education and Certifications [3]  Certification through CHES and/or MCHES  Community Health Worker Certification  Post-graduate degrees- Master’s or Doctoral degrees  Common Programs:  Community Health Education  School Health Education  Public Health Education  Health Promotion
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  Reasons for Candidacyfor a Career as a Health Education Specialist  Relevant Coursework:  Determinants of Health Behavior  Health Appraisal Skills  Health Promotion Program Planning  Community Health Promotion  Research and Evaluation Strategies for Public Health  Improving Population Health  Skills and Qualities Applied to O*Net Results  I enjoy helping and working with other people through volunteer opportunities and health outreach.  Highest O*Net score was in “Social” which is characterized by people who like teaching, giving advice, and helping people.  I enjoy working with facts and data to make conclusions and have held two jobs related to data entry.  Second highest O*Net scores was in “investigative’ which is characterized by people who like searching for facts and figuring out problems.  I work best by making plans for projects and then following through and helping those in the group follow through and meet deadlines.  Tied third highest scores were ‘Enterprising and Conventional’ which combines a desire to lead and make decisions, as well as follow and work with clear rules.
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  Graduate Programs  Iam primarily interested in graduate programs that are completely online or mostly online to allow me to pursue a career while earning my master’s degree.  Graduate Program Options:  University of Southern California  Master’s in Public Health  Master’s in Health Education  Concentrations of Interest: Biostatistics and Epidemiology  University of South Carolina  Master’s in Public Health  Concentration: Health, Education, and Behavior  George Washington University  Master’s in Public Health  Concentrations: Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Science and Policy, and Health Promotion
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  Preparedness for GraduatePrograms  Relevant Coursework:  Introduction to Public Health  Determinants of Health Behavior  Health Appraisal Skills  Health Promotion Program Planning  Community Health Promotion  Research and Evaluation Strategies for Public Health  Improving Population Health  Epidemiology  Biochemistry  All of the courses I have taken at Clemson over the past 3 years have prepared me for any of the listed graduate programs.  I have not yet decided which graduate program is right for me, but I do know that I want to get a Masters in Public Health.  I also have not yet decided which concentration or track to pursue, but the top 2 are: Biostatistics and Epidemiology or Health, Education, and Behavior.
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  Conclusion  In orderto successfully reduce the cost of healthcare and improve the health of communities and population, a new type of health professional will be needed to address the central needs of clients in a transformed healthcare delivery system.  A Health Education Specialist can help achieve this goal.  In order for me to be successful in this career, I need to continue my education for my Master’s and other helpful certifications such as CHES, MCHES, and Community Health Worker Certifications.
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  Citations  1) Auld,Elaine, and Stephen F. Gambescia. "Health Education." Oxford Bibliographies. Oxford University Press, 15 June 2015. Web. 18 May 2016. <http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo- 9780199756797/obo-9780199756797-0044.xml>.  2) Siminerio, Linda M. "Defining the Role of the Health Education Specialist in the United States." Diabetes Spectrum. American Diabetes Association, Aug. 1999. Web. 18 May 2016. <http://journal.diabetes.org/diabetesspectrum/99v12n3/Pg152.htm>.  3) United States Department of Labor. "Summary." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 Dec. 2015. Web. 18 May 2016. <http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health- educators.htm#tab-4>.