If you’re motivated to pursue a career managing various populations and helping them to optimize their outcomes in the contemporary healthcare system, perhaps you’re interested in learning more about population medicine careers. This field offers a variety of fascinating career opportunities. Professionals working in population medicine are influential in many aspects of the current healthcare system; they work to create a knowledge base that enriches clinical healthcare, medical education and public health policy. Let’s explore some of the job descriptions that are typically available in the field of population medicine.
Biostatistician
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a biostatistician is a statistician who specializes in working with data relating to medical research, health services research, clinical research or population health interventions. Employers hire them to carry out tasks such as developing new methods for analyzing the human microbiome; classifying disease variations; and developing faster, more efficient methods of conducting clinical trials.
Employers desperately need talented and well-educated biostatisticians. This is one of the fastest growing population medicine careers; analysts at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics are forecasting a significant increase in demand for biostatisticians in the field of scientific research. Overall, BLS staff is predicting an exciting 33 percent increase in the number of available jobs that will become available for statisticians by the year 2026.
Rehab Nurse Care Manager
Providing healthcare is the primary responsibility of a rehab nurse care manager in population medicine. The nurse care manager will typically create and implement a healthcare plan for his or her patients by collaborating with the patient’s physician, other healthcare providers and family members. They are also responsible for monitoring and recording patients’ progress and maintaining electronic health records.
Medical Director
There are numerous physician’s groups and medical practices that focus on providing healthcare to specific populations such as underserved communities, psychiatric patients or AIDS victims. These healthcare practices frequently need experienced directors who have an understanding of population medicine approaches as well as supervisory and clinical experience.
Epidemiologist
An epidemiologist is a life scientist whose work involves investigating the circumstances that cause injury and disease in human populations. Their primary responsibilities are to research methods for improving health outcomes and reducing health risks; to educate the public about their findings; and to influence health policy makers at multiple levels, from academia to local healthcare providers to policy makers in state and federal governments.
Research Scientist
Research scientists frequently work in the academic branches of population medicine. They conduct studies, record results, report on their findings and prepare academic papers for publication in scholarly journals. Their work frequently incorporates biostatistics and epidemiological principles. They may also be active in seeking grants to fund the research they conduct on behalf of the universities or organizations that employ them.
Assistant Professor in Health Services Research
Significant numbers of students are interested in studying population medicine. There’s steady demand for academics who have the skills necessary to both conduct research in the field and educate the next generation of students.
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These are some of the various employment opportunities available in the field of population medicine. Whether you’re interested in working at clinical research, medical administration or actual medical practice, there are population medicine careers that may appeal to you.