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Epidemiologist (Epidemiologist) DID YOU KNOW? (click for more)
DESCRIPTION OF WORK:
Some medical scientists specialize in epidemiology. This branch of medical science investigates and describes the determinants of disease, disability, and other health outcomes and develops the means for prevention and control. Epidemiologists may study many different diseases, such as tuberculosis, influenza, or cholera, often focusing on epidemics.
Epidemiologists can be separated into two groups - research and clinical. Research epidemiologists conduct research in an effort to eradicate or control infectious diseases that affect the entire body, such as AIDS or typhus. Others may focus only on localized infections of the brain, lungs, or digestive track, for example.
Clinical epidemiologists work primarily in consulting roles at hospitals, informing the medical staff of infectious outbreaks and providing containment solutions. These epidemiologists sometimes are referred to as infection control professionals, and some of them are also physicians. Epidemiologists who are not physicians often collaborate with physicians to find ways to contain diseases and outbreaks. In addition to traditional duties of studying and controlling diseases, clinical epidemiologists also may be required to develop standards and guidelines for the treatment and control of communicable diseases.
Mean annual salary for this position is $56,020.
Median annual earnings of epidemiologists were $54,800 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $45,320 and $67,160. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,130, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $82,310 (reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics).
WHERE EMPLOYED:
Research epidemiologists work at colleges and universities, schools of public health, medical schools, state and local health departments, governmental agencies, and research and development services firms. While some perform consulting services, other research epidemiologists may work as college and university faculty.
Clinicial epidemiologists work primarily in consulting roles at hospitals. Some may work in outpatient settings or at other medical facilities.
Among epidemiologists, 50 percent were employed in government; 23 percent were employed in management, scientific, and technical consulting services; 12 percent were employed in scientific research and development services; and 8 percent were employed in private hospitals.
PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
*Analytical Thinking - job requires analyzing info and using logic to address issues and problems.
*Attention to Detail - job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. Must be able to multi-task with many projects going on at one time.
*Cooperation - job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude - ability to communicate and work well with others in investigations and dealing with the public.
*Dependability - job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
*Initiative - job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
*Achievement/effort - job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
*Independence - job requires developing one own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done - work independently.
*Persistence - job requires persistence in the face of obstacles - such as in an outbreak investigation, questioning the public to track down the source of the disease.
*Stress tolerance - job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Epidemiologists typically require a master`s degree in public health or, in some cases, a Ph.D. or medical degree.
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
*Analytical Thinking - job requires analyzing info and using logic to address issues and problems.
*Attention to Detail - job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. Must be able to multi-task with many projects going on at one time.
*Cooperation - job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude - ability to communicate and work well with others in investigations and dealing with the public.
*Dependability - job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
*Initiative - job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
*Achievement/effort - job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
*Independence - job requires developing one own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done - work independently.
*Persistence - job requires persistence in the face of obstacles - such as in an outbreak investigation, questioning the public to track down the source of the disease.
*Stress tolerance - job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations
LAST UPDATED:
9/9/2007 - Update
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