Public Health Careers

For hundreds of years, people have been working to protect the public’s health. In its earliest form, public health included activities like teaching people about plants that are safe to eat, helping new mothers learn to care for their babies, and limiting the spread of disease by isolating sick people. Modern public health began in the early 20th century and included activities such as immunizations, investigating disease outbreaks, protecting food sources, and maintaining birth and death records. Today, careers in public health range from nurses and health care providers to environmental health specialists, emergency preparedness coordinators, and much more.

In Shelby, health department employees carry out critical public health functions and improve health across the Shelby community. Positions in the Shelby City Health Department include, but are not limited to, Director of Environmental Health, Registered Sanitarian, Director of Community Health/Nurse, and Vital Statistics Registrar.

Two of the most common public health positions include public health nurse and registered sanitarian.

A public health nurse is a licensed registered nurse (RN)  who work to improve community health by providing vaccinations, documenting and investigating disease outbreaks, and educating the public on health and wellness. At SCHD, the Director of Community Health is considered a public health nurse.

A Registered Sanitarian (RS) is licensed in Ohio as a Registered Sanitarian (RS) or Sanitarian in Training (SIT), holds a Bachelor’s degree, and has a background in science. The role of a Sanitarian is to protect the community from environmental threats and hazards. Sanitarians enforce regulations and codes for restaurants and food service establishments, public swimming pools, campgrounds, body art and tattoo facilities, and more. At SCHD, the Director of Environmental Health is a Registered Sanitarian.

For more information on public health careers, visit https://www.publichealthonline.org/careers/ or https://www.publichealth.org/careers/

Are you interested in a public health career?

Shelby City Health Department offers several opportunities to explore careers in public health. From class presentations to internships and work experiences, SCHD staff can provide students or potential students with insight into the field of public health. Contact our office today to discuss specific opportunities or schedule a session.

The city of Shelby is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No personnel decisions concerning any term or condition of employment shall be unlawfully based upon an individual’s race, color, religion, gender, military status, national origin, ancestry, age, or disability.