U.S. Epidemiologist Epidemiologist: According to the Health

U.S. Epidemiologist Epidemiologist: According to the Health Care Career information website at thinkquest.org: Epidemiologists study the frequency and distribution of diseases within human populations and environments. Specifically, they measure the incidence of disease occurrence and relate it to different characteristics of populations and environments. Epidemiologists perform research, education, and public health practice in universities, government agencies, international organizations, and private corporations. Epidemiologists often: Work on developing or refining methods of measuring and evaluating disease occurrences. Develop and recommend public health policy.

Study or research chronic diseases, infectious diseases, disease outbreaks, injuries, occupations, and environments. (thinkquest.org 2004) In general the position is a public health position associated government bodies who are charged with the responsibilities of public health. Though there are also epidemiologists who work for large organizations who study the effects of single diseases, such as AIDS, and there are some epidemiologists who work for large research/university hospitals. There are also many epidemiologists on a national and international level. In the U.S.

they are often associated with the Center For Disease Control or the CDC who is charged with monitoring the information associated with disease and disease risk factors in the whole of the U.S. And in an international sense the risk factors posed to the U.S. By other populations of interest. The CDC is a clearing house for international information on disease and is internationally recognized as a place for other countries to glean important information about diseases and how they effect the human population.

Either way individual epidemiologists are usually the regional experts on disease and disease risk behavior within populations of people. They study and report on the statistical occurrences of disease and disease risk behavior, to assist local and regional health officials with solving the associated problems of disease and disease risk behavior, recommending allocations for teaching and also for treating the physical outgrowths of disease.

When there is cause for fear of a certain type of disease and especially when it is associated with a certain type of avoidable behavior an epidemiologist may be a first resource for other public health officials in their quest to warn/teach the public about the dangers of the disease and the types of behavior to avoid in order to avoid the disease. Epidemiologists study many different diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. They often study epidemics, which are unusual outbreaks of diseases.

For example, these researchers helped determine that bacteria in undercooked hamburgers made more than 500 people sick in Washington state in 1993. (biorap 2001) They are and integral part of the public health campaigns combating existing problems like smoking related illness and AIDS and also newsworthy when charged with helping the public avoid new diseases and epidemics.

It is the epidemiologists at the CDC who help determine the risk protocol for such things as the flu season, informing the public and health care providers on the recommended plans for flu vaccination disbursements and other such things. They determine firstly what strain of vaccination will be most effective for the season, work with the pharmaceutical companies to develop the amount needed and then finally make recommendations about who should have it the shot and when. Epidemiologists also study death trends, and age associated with mortality.

They help determine proper protocol for a region to deal with injuries, especially those associated with industry and/or accidents. An epidemiologist can work in many different places. Some work in laboratories where they may look for viruses or bacteria in blood samples. Others work in the cities or towns where there are illnesses. They interview many people who are sick and then try to figure out how and why they got sick.

(biorap 2001) Another place where one might find an epidemiologist would be in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and organization that polices work places and helps guide the standards of practice employed for the avoidance of accidents, injuries and occupational disease risk. Epidemiologist are highly skilled professionals with at least a minimum of a Master's degree in their chosen field. They are required to continuously update their educational attainment both formally and informally through their particular job tasks. Epidemiologists have, as a minimum, master's degrees in public health.

Undergraduate requirements for admissions into public health graduate programs vary by schools but usually include strong backgrounds in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and/or statistics. (thinkquest 2004) Additionally, the importance of technology and especially database technology cannot be ignored as the system change and are updated with new software and hardware the epidemiologist will be required to formalize his or her experience with the new data forms.

Also the relatively new database systems associated with GIS or Global Information Systems are a dream come true for man y data driven and relativity/population researchers, including epidemiologists. According to thinkquest.org the Average Salary for an epidemiologist is: $30,000 - $50,000. As it is a public health position, the potential for salary growth may be small but with continued education, say the achievement of a PhD, an individual epidemiologist might be more likely to see a salary in the six figures.

Also, small and local governmental entities that employ epidemiologists would generally be paying less, so rural vs. urban living can be a consideration. In general wherever wages are higher the health officials will be paid more, as the compensation of the public health officials is based upon population, taxation and demand for services. If an individual is willing to be mobile and achieve higher standards of education, and publish independently the rewards can be plentiful. According to the web presence called Bio Rap: Epidemiologists solve disease mysteries.

They are scientists who figure out what causes a certain disease and why some people get the disease and why some people don't. Then they can tell people how to.