Influencing public health without authority

Public Health Job Opportunities in India

Public health (PH) as a discipline comprises professionals from multidisciplinary backgrounds. Apart from the traditional approach of PH, which limited its scope to medical graduates, today professionals from non-medical field readily accept PH as a career. PH aspirants look for skills upgradation through masters and postgraduate degree/diploma programmes in PH. With the changing trends in PH aspirants, the employers’ focus has shifted from quantity to quality-based resources with requisite competencies and skill sets. This study was conducted by the placement cell of Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), which contacted the employers, who have been recruiting PH graduates for various positions in their organizations. The study focuses on the various job opportunities for PH postgraduates in India. It also analyzes the changing trends in recruitment of various PH profiles and desired competencies employers look for in the applicants. Some major findings of the study were that there is a high demand for competent PH workforce. Data management, statistical analysis, project planning were found to be essential skills in a PH profile. The shift in employment pattern also establishes the need for a competency- and technology-driven curriculum focusing on practice-based knowledge.