Health educator

 Duties and Responsibilities; According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), healthcare is one of the country’s fastest-growing industries, with a wide range of career opportunities. Among those occupations is health educator. These professionals focus on teaching patients and the public how to get and stay well. Patient education can be an effective way to control ever-increasing healthcare costs, so the demand for health educators is growing. Heath educators create programs that encourage health and wellness, and prevent disease. They teach people how to make good health decisions, incorporate healthy activities into their lives and avoid harmful behaviors. Health educators may work in public health clinics, schools and colleges, hospitals or community centers; they are often employed by private health services providers, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Health educators are often responsible for creating and implementing health education programs for the general public, as well as targeting at-risk populations, such as diabetes patients, expectant mothers and heart patients. Preparing presentations, conducting health screenings and patient outreach, and serving as point of contact for patients are typical duties.

Salary; Health educators earned a median annual wage of $47,490 in 2011, an increase of more than $1,500 over the previous year, the BLS reported

Education; Most health educator jobs require a bachelor’s degree at minimum and some employers may prefer candidates who also are Certified Health Education Specialists, the BLS reports. Undergraduate fields of study include health promotion or health education, and often include an internship. In some cases, health educators may require a master’s degree, particularly for employment with state or federal public health agencies. In order to be effective, health educators must be able to evaluate information and data, build rapport with a diverse group of people and express themselves clearly, both verbally and in writing.

 

Reflection; well I would not like to be a health doctor because I don’t want to.