Epidemiologists are health care scientists who study disease patterns within large groups. That is, they study disease outbreaks and developments in order to treat current public health problems and prevent future outbreaks. Read more to learn how and why epidemiologists are so important to public health and well-being.
What Exactly is Epidemiology?
Epidemiology is the scientific study of collective disease patterns. That is, the goal of epidemiology is to research, analyzing and understand diseases that affect populations. Epidemiology is considered to be the foundation of the field of public health. Epidemiology data and research is used by scientists, health care professionals and government officials to protect and prevent diseases. Epidemiology can actually be broken down into different branches, such as disease screening, transmission and surveillance.
What Do Epidemiologists Do?
Epidemiologists study past and current public health problems in order to …show more content…
Epidemiologists must have excellent critical and creative thinking skills because they must often respond to critical situations or public health emergencies. Because of this, epidemiologist must also have strong oral and written skills. Keep in mind that while epidemiologist typically work in the background, they will be the center of media attention during a disease outbreak. Therefore, they must have solid PR and diplomacy skills. Finally, epidemiologists must be comfortable with technology, especially databases and software programs.
Overall, an epidemiologist is a health care professional that focuses on disease patterns and causes. These disease detectives play a critical role in keeping the public safe. Work as an epidemiologist is a rewarding career that combines investigative skills, statistical analysis and a passion for public