In-demand skills for MPH graduates

[AustinTX]

I'm interested to know what folks around the country see as being in-demand skills for working public health, beyond those that a general MPH would provide. I'm primarily talking about other (technical) skills that could help us get jobs post-MPH.

What do you think are some of the best skills to gain while studying?

• GIS
• Database management
• Program evaluation
• Informatics
• Others?

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[Stories]

In research, informatics would go a long way, particularly in genomics.

 

[LAD2013]

Although it kind of overlaps with database mgmt skills... STATA/SAS/SPSS proficiency will go a long way. And translates well into multiple public health areas... i'd argue more so than GIS or just about any other skill you could pick up.

 

[doc mcstuffins]

How can I acquire those database mgmt skills? Is that self learning?I had some difficulties regarding these while being a research volunteer.

Although it kind of overlaps with database mgmt skills... STATA/SAS/SPSS proficiency will go a long way. And translates well into multiple public health areas...

 

[LAD2013]

If you had difficulties self-learning... many schools offer courses in "biostatistic applications" or "statistical packages/applications" or something similar that really focus on using STATA/SAS/SPSS. Some of these courses will include lessons on database management and data cleaning.

I imagine there are programs geared specifically towards these skills over more general MPH competencies but this isn't my area of expertise. However, working in a university's health policy department, I can say that the folks with the quantitative skills rarely have the trouble finding new projects like those without quantitative skills.

Good luck!

 

[deleted462159]

Systems dynamics modeling.

 

[EpiWin]

Getting comfortable with a programming language like R will be very helpful as well, depending on what kind of work you'd like to. I echo everyone above that STATA/SPSS/SAS knowledge will be vital, and as someone who started off with absolutely no knowledge of any statistical package, it was only through hands-on practice with actually doing projects and problem sets in a structured class setting that I could learn them.

 

[GUH]

In my (limited) experience, the following helped/would've helped with employment prospects:

ArcGIS (learned in class, practiced during internship)
SPSS (learned during internship)
Access (did not learn but it came up on some job postings)
R (learned in class, practiced during practicum)
SAS (did not learn but some schools offer workshops and SAS was on some job postings)
Excel formulae (kind of self-taught)

So, yeah. Learn your software. Know your biostats.
Program eval may be a good skill but it's not in my line of work so it's hard for me to say for sure.

 

[Kevin36]

Depending on your focus, leadership skills like team building and management, resource allocation, etc. are useful. Quantitative skills are always nice. Qualitative methods, like focus groups and semi-structured interviewing may be useful too. It really depends on what you want to do.

 

[AustinTX]

This is great feedback you guys.

It seems like public health and epi especially will become very reliant on big data, so gaining skills in programming and the quantitative sciences would be very useful.