Becoming a Public Health Consultant: How an MPH Prepares You

Seeking a career where you can make a difference by improving access to healthcare and create healthier communities overall? If so, working as a public health consultant may be right for you. These professionals are vital to addressing public health issues by providing guidance to government agencies, nonprofit organizations and healthcare providers.

What exactly does the work of a public health consultant look like — and how do you go about becoming a health consultant?

What Is a Public Health Consultant?

Public health consultants are professionals who collaborate with healthcare facilities, agencies and organizations to provide guidance on health-related policies and programs.

Role of a Public Health Consultant

Public health consultants play a central role in improving healthcare access to communities and populations through the recommendations they make. In addition to guiding organizations toward optimizing care, they may also make recommendations to improve efficiency and maximize resources.

Key Responsibilities

The exact responsibilities and duties of a public health consultant can vary from one project to the next. However, some of the most common tasks these professionals carry out include:

• Evaluating electronic health record (EHR) systems and other systems within a healthcare facility.
• Compiling and presenting reports on operations, budget and more.
• Providing recommendations and guidance to leadership and stakeholders.
• Evaluating and developing public health programs or initiatives.
• Providing education to the public about healthcare options and wellness programs.

 

Areas of Specialization

Many public health consultants are generalists, but there are still some specializations you can explore in this field, depending on where your interests lie. Examples of areas of specialization within public health include:

• Environmental health
• Epidemiology
• Community and urban health
• Social and behavioral sciences
• Health administration
• Occupational safety

 

Importance of Health Consultants

Government agencies, nonprofits, healthcare facilities and even independent research institutions rely on the knowledge and expertise of public health consultants to assist with everything from policy and program development to research and more. With this in mind, these professionals play a pivotal part in improving community health and wellness outcomes while keeping organizations running efficiently.

Skills Needed to Be a Public Health Consultant

Working as a public health consultant requires a number of technical and soft skills, ranging from basic analytical proficiencies to communication, leadership and more.

Analytical Skills

Public health consultants often need to analyze large amounts of information to gain valuable insights and make recommendations. These recommendations can have a major impact on local communities and populations, so possessing strong analytical skills to guide decision-making is critical in this type of role.

Communication Skills

Public health consultants must also have excellent verbal and written communication skills, as they work with a wide variety of people. From presenting recommendations to organizational leaders and stakeholders to educating the general public, solid communication skills help public health consultants do their jobs effectively.

Leadership

In some cases, public health consultants need to take on somewhat of a leadership role as stakeholders look to them for guidance and recommendations. Thus, public health consultants should be prepared to lead teams and make decisions when needed.

Project Management

Public health projects can be sizable and complex, requiring a great deal of planning and foresight from public health consultants. Specifically, these professionals can sharpen their project management skills by gaining experience in setting project timelines, managing budgets and delegating tasks as appropriate.

Collaboration

Though working as a public health consultant does entail a lot of independent work, this isn't to say that these professionals don't need to work with others. The ability to collaborate and work well with a diverse range of people is crucial, particularly when it comes to bringing a project or initiative to fruition.

How an MPH Prepares You for Becoming a Health Consultant

Having the right public health education is important if you want to pursue roles as a public health consultant. While some are able to enter the field with a bachelor's degree alone, holding a Master of Public Health (MPH) can be an ideal way to advance your career and explore new opportunities.

Comprehensive Curriculum

A master's in public health curriculum will cover the key topics necessary for public health consultants to address contemporary challenges in public health and healthcare. This should include areas such as global health, healthcare policy, community health and epidemiology.

Real-World Experience

Ideally, a master’s in public health degree program should include not just credit hours at an advanced level but also practical experience working in the field. By gaining hands-on experience while in school, it's easier to apply what you learn in the classroom to real-world scenarios.

Policy and Advocacy Training

Because public health consultants are often responsible for policy development and advocacy, these are critical components that should be covered in any MPH program. This way, students can lead how to act in the best interest of their communities while creating policies that protect the general public.

 Research and Data Analysis

Additionally, a Master of Public Health program will include specific coursework in research and data analysis. This helps prepare public health professionals for the real work of assessing and analyzing vast volumes of data, extracting insights from data and using those insights to inform public health policy.

Interdisciplinary Approach

A master's in public health program with a multidisciplinary curriculum can help aspiring professionals to effect positive change in diverse healthcare settings, too. In such a program, students should explore a comprehensive approach to areas of public health that include healthcare policy, community health, global health and more.

Steps to Become a Public Health Consultant

If becoming a public health consultant seems aligned with your career goals, here's how you can get the ball rolling.

Earn Your MPH Degree

Start by earning your Master of Public Health degree from a reputable college or university. These programs typically take two to three years to complete (depending on your enrollment status) and can prepare you for many consultant jobs. Aside from a generalized MPH degree, some programs also offer specialized tracks concentrated on areas such as epidemiology or the social and behavioral determinants of population health.

Gain Relevant Work Experience

During your master's in public health degree program, there's a good chance you'll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the field. This relevant work experience (including any internships or volunteer experiences) can help you properly prepare for working in public health.

Build a Network

Being connected in public health is a great way to discover new career opportunities, so be sure to build and grow your professional network. Along with setting up a robust LinkedIn profile online, you can network in-person by attending industry conferences and other events.

Specialize in a Specific Area of Public Health

Continue your professional development by specializing in an area of public health that is most interesting to you. From community health to health administration, there are plenty of potential niches to consider.

Obtain Necessary Certifications

As you advance your career, you may also want to pursue certifications in public health that can help you explore new opportunities. Some potential certifications to consider include:

• Certified Public Health (CPH)
• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
• Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS)

 

Benefits and Challenges of Working in Public Health

Working as a public health consultant can be a highly rewarding job, especially when you're able to see a policy you helped develop make a positive difference in people's lives (or even save lives).

However, certain aspects of working in public health can be challenging — particularly regarding the "red tape" you could run into when proposing new policies or changes to existing programs. This is not to mention the lack of funding, workforce shortages and prevalence of burnout following the COVID-19 pandemic that intensifies these barriers. In part, industry staffing shortages are fueled by skill gaps, making it more meaningful than ever for aspiring public health professionals to gain specialized education and training in subjects like epidemiology, biostatistics, health informatics, data analysis, policy development and executive leadership.

Learn More in an Advanced Degree Program

Although much of the work of a public health consultant might happen "behind the scenes," these professionals can have a significant impact on healthcare access and the general well-being for entire communities.

If you're interested in becoming a public health consultant and already have a bachelor's degree, then it may be time to pursue an advanced degree in public health. At the University of Memphis, we offer multiple MPH degree programs with flexible, online formats to accommodate your schedule. These career-ready and multidisciplinary curricula are specifically designed to prepare graduates for the realities of working in public health and driving positive change.

In addition to the Master of Public Health (Generalist), we’re proud to provide the following concentrations:

• MPH (Epidemiology)
• MPH (Social and Behavioral Sciences)
• MPH (Urban Health)

Want to learn more about any of our public health master’s programs? Get in touch or start your application for admission today!