A career in public health may include influencing public policy,
working to address inequalities, improving living conditions and
ensuring the good health of the next generation.
Graduates of the NZCPHM Training Programme usually
work in the following roles:
Medical Officer of Health
The Medical Officer of Health works as part of a team alongside
other public health professionals to protect and promote the health
of that community. This role includes regulatory functions
and is based in a Public Health Unit within a District Health
Board.
Other Public Health Unit roles
These roles may include working in areas such as information and
analysis, 'health in all policies' and health promotion.
Funding and Planning
These roles are based within District Health Boards and are
focussed on needs assessment, population health input to DHB plans
and processes, prioritisation and allocative decision making.
Advisory
Public Health Medicine Specialists work in a variety of advisory
roles, including providing advice on regulatory and health
policies, service development and planning of programmes.
Leadership and Management
These are roles within the health sector that focus on
population-based services and personal health treatment
services. Public Health Medicine Specialists lead Ministry of
Health programmes, provide advice to communities on ways to improve
health outcomes, protect populations from environmental and
biological hazards, and assess populations' needs for health
services.
Academic Public Health
These research and teaching roles require a high level of
academic expertise, and training for them usually includes a
doctorate.
The graduate outcomes for the Public Health Medicine Training
Programme are available here.