What are the differences between a life in public health versus allied health?
| Attributes | Public Health | Allied Health |
| Definition | The fulfillment of society’s interest in assuring the conditions in which people (as small as a handful of people or as large as all the inhabitants of several continents ) can be healthy. Organized community efforts aimed at the prevention of disease and the promotion of health. |
Health care practitioners with formal education and clinical training who are credentialed through certification, registration and/or licensure. |
| Goal | The goal of public health is to improve lives through the prevention and screening of disease. | The goal of allied health professionals is to collaborate with physicians and other members of the health care team to deliver high-quality patient care services. |
| Focus | The focus of public health intervention is to prevent rather than treat a disease through surveillance of cases and the promotion of healthy behaviors. | Allied health professionals are involved with the delivery of health or related services pertaining to the identification, evaluation and prevention of diseases and disorders, dietary and nutrition services, and rehabilitation and health systems management, among others. |
| Core Functions | The assessment and monitoring of the health of communities and populations at risk to identify health problems and priorities; The formulation of public policies designed to solve identified local and national health problems and priorities; The assurance that all populations have access to appropriate and cost-effective care, including health promotion and disease prevention services, and evaluation of the effectiveness of that care. |
Allied health professionals collaborate with physicians and other members of the health care team to deliver high-quality patient care services for the identification, prevention and treatment of diseases, disabilities and disorders. |
| General Characteristics | There are three distinct characteristics of public health:
Public health experts examine such questions as, who gets certain diseases and why? Can a common element be changed to prevent an illness among an entire population? Does that element require a change in behavior; technology, policy, or the health care delivery system? How can we motivate individuals to change their behavior? Can the new technology be developed? How should the healthcare delivery system be changed to improve access and treatment? |
The allied health professions fall into two broad categories:
Individuals in allied health are involved (directly or indirectly) with patient health and are regarded as an expert in the field. Some allied health professionals practice independently; others work as part of a healthcare team, providing continual evaluation and assessment of patient needs. They also play a major role in informing the attending clinician of the patient's progress and response to treatment. |
| Required Coursework for Major Required Coursework for Health Promotion and Practice |
Health Science Courses: HSC 275 Social and BHehavioral Science HSC 340 Qualitative Research Methods HSC 355 Research Methods in Health Education and Promotion HSC 380 Materials and Methods in Health Education and Health Promotion HSC 446 Public Health Systems HSC 447 Public Health Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response HSC 490 Internship in Public Health |
Exercise Science Courses: ESC 270 Prevention/Care of Sports Injuries ESC 330 Motor Development/Skill Acquisition ESC 340 Applied Kinesiology ESC 380 Exercise Testing and Prescription ESC 460 Physiology of Exercise Health Science Courses: HSC 100 Health Science HSC 200 Introduction to Allied Health HSC 130 Medical Terminology HSC 150 Emergency Response HSC 203 Nutrition HSC 230 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (1) HSC 234 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (1) Lab HSC 231 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (2) HSC 235 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (2) HSC 350 Biostatistics HSC 360 Principles of Epidemiology in Exercise and Public Health HSC 491 Seminar in Allied Health Social Science Courses: PSY 200 General Psychology PSY 211 Statistics and Experimental Methods I (1) PSY 220 Fundamentals of Biopsychology/ Learning PSY 250 Health Psychology Natural Science Courses: CHE 152/153 General Chemistry I (1) w/lab Other Courses: ECO 204 Principles of Microeconomics OR ECO 205 Principles of Macroeconomics |
| Internship Requirement | 6 Credit Hours | Optional |
| Graduate Schools | Epidemiology Biostatistics and/or Bioinformatics Maternal and Child Health Health Services Research Health Promotion Health Education Community and Family Health Environmental Health and Risk Assessment Occupational Health International Health Social and Behavioral Sciences Clinical Research Methods Effectiveness and Outcomes Research Health Policy Public Health Nutrition Public Health Communication and Marketing Public Health Management Immunology and Infectious Diseases |
Physical Therapy Medical Physical Therapy Assistant Physician Assistant Chiropractic Dental Occupational Therapy Certifications/Programs for other allied health careers (i.e. radiation therapist, etc.) |
| Careers | Research Analyst Health Promotion Specialist Epidemiologist Health Educator Biostatistician Health Services Administrator Health Project/Program Coordinator (nutrition, physical activity, condom use, alcohol/drug abuse, tobacco use, intentional/unintentional injury prevention, cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, childhood obesity, elderly, maternal and child, adolescent health, health disparities, etc.) Healthcare Quality Infectious Disease Specialist Health/Social Policy Analyst Environmental/Occupational Health Social Marketing Media Advocacy Health Department (county, state, regional, federal) Health Strategy and Development Global Health Reproductive/Sexual Health Clinical Research Community Health Coordinator Corporate Wellness Director Emergency Management Specialist |
Occupational Therapy Chiropractic Physical Therapy Physician Assistant Respiratory Therapy Surgical Vision Care Biometrics Medical Laboratory Radiology Health Information Management Dietary Service Biomedical Engineering |