Field Epidemiology?

[Taylor1956]

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I'm a mid-career changer looking to transition into infectious disease epidemiology. I'm in nursing right now (LPN, not RN) but want to get out sooner rather than later - much sooner

Would a MPH be the best way to go? I notice University of North Carolina has a 12 credit all online certificate in Field Epi. Would getting one in conjunction with a biology/microbiology BA narrow my options too much?

Thanks in advance to all who reply!

 

[Stories]

A certificate is more useful for someone who is already in the field of public health (not a clinical practice such as yours). It's more useful to augment a career rather than a career changer.

You'd want another degree to do a full-on career change. A biology/micro degree will aid your transition into a lab career. It won't do much for an epidemiology career except help out your application for a graduate epidemiology degree.

 

[jkmph]

I’m a mid-career changer looking to transition into infectious disease epidemiology. I’m in nursing right now (LPN, not RN) but want to get out sooner rather than later - much sooner

Would a MPH be the best way to go? I notice University of North Carolina has a 12 credit all online certificate in Field Epi. Would getting one in conjunction with a biology/microbiology BA narrow my options too much?

Thanks in advance to all who reply!

If you want to do field epi, i.e. case and outbreak investigation for say a state public health department, then you should go MPH. I'm interning at a state CDC DID with an RN/MPH who did just that and she loves her job. A bachelor's in microbiology would be more suited if you wanted to do laboratory/benchwork, in which case an MS would be more practical.

Stories is right though - go for the degree, not the certificate.

 

[Hoody]

A certificate is more useful for someone who is already in the field of public health (not a clinical practice such as yours). It's more useful to augment a career rather than a career changer.

You'd want another degree to do a full-on career change. A biology/micro degree will aid your transition into a lab career. It won't do much for an epidemiology career except help out your application for a graduate epidemiology degree.

Avs for the win! Nice. 👍

 

[Stories]

Avs for the win! Nice. 👍

Right on, friend 🙂

 

[Cristinaa]

I am interested in infectious diseases epidemiology/ field epidemiology/ global epidemiology/ outbreaks investigation too. I am a Master in Biology. I was thinking about doing a Clinical Laboratory Science program to acquire clinical experience and, after that, study an MPH (focus epidemiology).

But I don't know if Clinical Laboratory Scientist play a role in this type of work. Would it be a PhD in Microbiology a better option? Jkmph said: A bachelor's in microbiology would be more suited if you wanted to do laboratory/benchwork, in which case an MS would be more practical." I like laboratory work but I would like to travel and work in the field more than doing research in a laboratory. Are, for example, microbiologist a part in the outbreak investigation team? and, if they are, do they need to be licensed clinical laboratory scientist?

On the other hand, I could study an accelerated nursing degree and an MPH (epidemiology), like jkmph. Reading about field epidemiology on internet it looks like most people working on that are physicians and nurses. Will I have more opportunities with the nursing degree than with the microbiology/ clinical laboratory scientist degree?

I would really appreciate any advice. Thank you very much.