How to Stay Current in Public Health

Public health professionals work to ensure communities are safe and healthy. They help prevent disease and injury and they promote healthy lifestyles. By choosing a public health career, you can work toward making the world a healthier place.

After earning your public health degree, it’s important to stay current in the field. You’ll be more effective in serving communities when you understand new regulations, apply current research, or complete additional training. Discover five ways to stay current in public health.

1. Read, watch, listen. Stay informed about news, research, and trends that impact public health. You can read articles, watch the news, or listen to podcasts to learn about public health trends, regulations, and research. The American Journal of Public Health has podcasts on topics from vaping to police brutality, and you also can find podcasts that focus on theory, informatics, or scientific research. Additionally, you can follow public health innovators on your social media platform of choice.
2. Network. Talk with your peers, in person or online. You may find it cathartic and educational to speak with your fellow public health professionals. You can learn about the issues they face and how they handle them—while also sharing your own experiences. You may want to organize a monthly get-together with your coworkers or look for a group on sites like Facebook, Meetup, or LinkedIn. If you’re working for a local health department, consider joining the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). NACCHO connects public health leaders, promotes local health education, and organizes conferences.
3. Join an association. By becoming a member of an organization such as the American Public Health Association, whose 25,000 members share a mission of improving the health of the public and achieving equity in health status, you’ll gain access to news, publications, networking, and career opportunities, all in one spot. Your state or region may also have a public health association that you could join to make local connections.
4. Get certified in health education or public health. In order to be Certified in Public Health (CPH) or to become a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) or Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES), you’ll need to meet academic preparation qualifications and pass an exam. You’ll also need to complete continuing education in order to maintain your certification. Recertification can be accomplished through activities that will help you stay current in public health, such as attending professional development opportunities, continuing your education, or volunteering.
5. Continue your education. Expand your knowledge by pursuing an advanced public health degree. You’ll learn about the latest issues in public health while also earning a degree that could help you advance in your profession.

If you’re wondering how to become a public health professional or if you want to advance your public health career, education is the first step. Walden University offers multiple online public health degree programs: the BS in Public Health, Master of Public Health (MPH), MS in Health Education and Promotion, Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), PhD in Health Education and Promotion, and PhD in Public Health. 

Walden’s MPH and DrPH online degree programs are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), and Walden itself is an accredited university. CEPH accreditation is key because it ensures that these public health degree programs meet specific criteria and standards for quality.

Walden’s online public health degree programs are excellent choices for busy adults looking to start a new career, switch jobs, or move up in their field. Walden’s online learning platform allows you to learn from any place that’s convenient for you, as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection, and at any time of day that suits your schedule. You won’t have to hassle with a commute, parking, or rigid class schedules. You can start your public health education right away and prepare for a career helping to make the world a healthier place.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering public health degree programs online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.