AmeriCorps Joins in Celebration: Five Careers You Can Train for in Public Health AmeriCorps

Public health is at the root of many serious community issues, such as pollution, disease, nutrition, gun violence, disaster preparedness, access to health care, and more, all of which affect community health. Hundreds of thousands of Americans work in public health in a variety of interesting and exciting jobs. If you’re curious about a career in public health, it can be difficult to know where to start. serve up Public Health AmeriCorps it will help you narrow down your interests, develop your skills and decide on the right career path for you.

Serve with Public Health AmeriCorps for a year full-time or part-time in nonprofit, government, and community organizations. AmeriCorps members receive hands-on experience, expert training, living assistance, student loan deferment or forbearance, and an educational award that can be used toward school or existing student loans.

Not convinced yet? Here are five careers for which Public Health AmeriCorps service can prepare you:

1. Community Health worker

On the front line, community health workers are closely connected to the communities they serve. They are trusted links between health/social services and the community to improve service access, service quality and cultural competence. They carry out activities such as outreach, community education, social support and advocacy.

The following organizations are actively recruiting AmeriCorps members to train as community health workers:

2. Health Communication and Public Relations

Effective communication can help keep people healthy. Health communication professionals help people understand health-related information, risks, and actions and help inform community decisions about public health initiatives.

The following organizations are hiring AmeriCorps members to support health communication:

3. Behavioral scientist

Have you ever wondered the answers to the big public health questions? Perhaps you’ve wondered how social media affects mental health, or whether playing video games is linked to an increased risk of violence? Behavioral scientists answer these tough questions by studying how people’s behaviors affect their health. Ultimately, their research may inform how to have a healthier future.

The following organizations now have behavioral health-related AmeriCorps positions available:

4. Environmental health specialist

Environmental health specialists help prevent the spread of disease by performing critical tasks such as restaurant inspections, water testing, and day care center evaluations. They also support emergency preparedness for natural disasters or disease outbreaks, as we have recently seen in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following organizations are recruiting AmeriCorps members to help prevent and limit the spread of infectious diseases:

• ​OCHIN, Inc. (Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Wisconsin)
• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (California)
• Arizona State University (Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas)

5. Community Health Center case manager

Community Health Centers are the hubs of all essential health services. They are community-based organizations that serve populations with limited access to health care. Case managers help them navigate the health care system, connecting them to resources and services.

The following Community Health Centers are recruiting AmeriCorps members:

Be a change agent in your community now. Don’t wait until the next public health crisis. Whether you’re looking for a way to take a gap year, gain graduate experience, or navigate a career transition, you can help meet our country’s public health needs by serving with Public Health AmeriCorps. Apply today to build your resume and start your career in public health. Don’t miss it!