What Can You Do With A Major In Community Health?

Community Health is the process of implementing initiatives designed in response to needs and assets that can demonstrate improvement in the overall health and well-being of specific communities. Central to this process is the effective and efficient use of resources such that the overall cost of health care is reduced while improving quality of life. Community health professionals promote, maintain and improve individual and community health by assisting individuals and encouraging communities to adopt healthy behaviors. These professionals have skills in assessing individual and community needs, designing, planning, implementing and evaluating health and health related programs, coordinating health and health related services, acting as a health and health related information and service resource person and health communication.

Community Health combines a broad spectrum of liberal arts, basic sciences, social sciences and health science core and contextual courses to prepare undergraduate students in the field of health education/health promotion. Students gain experience and skills in promoting health behaviors and preventing both chronic and infectious diseases and injury, while learning the theories and research methods necessary for the development of this field. Students may take courses related to nutrition, sexuality education, substance abuse and violence prevention, exercise science, fitness and aging.

Some Related Career Paths

• Department of Public Health/Community Health 
• Public or Community Health - organizing community coalition to solve public health problems
• School and College Health - teaching school and behavioral health and providing health coaching/counseling for students
• Patient Health - working with other health care professionals in hospitals, long term care facilities, and other healthcare agencies in providing health related information
• Wellness and Health Promotions - planning and managing health promotion programs for employees in a variety of work settings, such as health fitness centers, hospitals, social service agencies, volunteer health organizations, and others

Some Related Career Titles

(To research these titles and more go to: (Occupational Outlook Handbook) and see the related print resources in the Career Services Library.

• Health Advocate
• Health Officer
• Medical Claims Representative
• Smoking Cessation Contractor
• Case Manager
• Director of Volunteers
• Health and Wellness Educator
• Outreach Claims Representative  
 

• Medical Records Representative
• Health Administrator
• Community Service Agency Director
• Health Information Specialist
• Hospital Personnel Director
• Community Services Specialist
• Health Teachers

Typical Employers/Work Settings  

• Disease Centers
• Hospitals/Clinics
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Government Agencies
• Corporations
• Public Health Department
• Private Health Organizations
• Healthcare Recruiting Companies
• Insurance Companies
• Rehabilitation Clinics

Jacksonville Employers Hiring Community Health Majors 

Duval County Health Dept.
Baker County Health Dept.
Clay County Health Dept.
St. Johns County Health Dept.
Nassau County Health Dept.
JEA (Jacksonville Electric Authority
Baptist Hospital
Baptist Medical Center
St. Luke's Hospital
St. Vincent's Hospital
MAYO Clinic-Jacksonville
Shand's Healthcare
American Cancer Society
American Heart Disease
American Lung Association
Centers for Disease Control and    Prevention
State Health Department
March of Dimes
Florida Times Union
Brooks Rehabilitation
Lifemasters
Nemours
University of Florida/JAX
    Healthcare
Maxim Healthcare
Renaissance Behavioral Health     Systems
Private and Parochial Schools
Spina Bifida Association
Career Coaches
Professional Placement
    Resources
Health Planning Council
AHEC
Family Nurturing Center

Beginning Salary Range

Entry level with a Bachelor’s Degree: $45,370  (All information from the Spring 2008 NACE Salary Survey (National Association of Colleges and Employers)

For more information on salaries click here

Links To Professional Assocations

Professional Associations are important to explore because many offer student memberships and can give you access to other professionals and their experiences, research, convention or workshop opportunities, professional development and most importantly job databases.

Job Search Information

Department of Public Health/Community Health
http://www.publichealthjobs.net/
http://www.jobspublichealth.com/
http://www.usphs.gov/
http://cfusion.sph.emory.edu/PHEC/phec.cfm?section_id=
http://www.epa.gov/epahrist/
http://naccho.org/careers/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/jobs/
http://astho.org/  

http://www.DrugWatch.com

Graduate Schools

Department of Public Health/Community Health
University of Florida
Barry University
Florida International University
Nova Southeastern University
University of West Florida
University of South Florida
Florida A&M  

Link To UNF Program

The  College of Health  at the University of North Florida offers a Bachelor of Science in  Community Health   

Holland Codes

Community Health- Social; Enterprising; Investigative (SEI)