Are Public Health Professions and Healthcare Careers the Same?

Last year, I wrote a very personal blog about my journey to find the path of public health. I often advise undergraduate and graduate students as they try to navigate degree paths to help others. During advising appointments, my goal is to set students up on an educational track that will use their passions and gifts as they serve the world around them. Some students have a heart for one-on-one care for the sick and others prefer population health and disease prevention. Recently, the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) shared an insightful post highlighting the distinction between public health and healthcare careers within different categories. I thought it would be helpful to share on my blog as another resource for students trying to determine their degree paths. It is also informative for anyone interested in learning how to define public health and healthcare professions. The list below is from ASPPH and helps distinguish between jobs in public health and healthcare.