Working in Michigan in public health presents a unique set of problems and opportunities. One way to fast-track a career in public health in the state is to earn a public health degree from a Michigan school. You’ll likely find that public health problems specific to Michigan are reflected in the curriculum of their public health degrees, giving graduates of Michigan public health degrees a significant advantage over applicants educated in other states or countries. Some of the public health issues facing Michigan include:
- Tobacco use
- Chronic Illness
- HIV
- Lack of public funding
- Lack of insurance and/or access to care
- Obesity
- And the degradation of public resources, most famously exhibited in the ongoing Flint water crisis.
On the last example, you’ll find that Michigan public health degrees commonly touch on or focus on environmental health, giving you tangible information and practical skills that can be applied to help fight against the government and business-manufactured water crisis, and other related or upcoming problems connected to Michigan’s environment.
At Online Master’s of Public Health, we’ve ranked the top public health degrees in Michigan on a number of criteria, including their costs of attendance, graduation rates, retention rates, and the grades given by students that attended the school. When you find a program that suits your needs and career goals, you can reach out to them directly to request more information.
Where you work in Michigan after earning your public health degree will be up to you, but the state is plagued by income inequality. Its public health needs are largest in its poorest areas, so if you’re looking to make the biggest impact on the people that need help the most, that would be a great place to start.
The Flint water crisis has been going on for nearly 4 and a half years. The crisis began after the Flints water source was changed from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the Flint River, which officials claimed would save money, despite having to construct a new pipeline in order to make the switch. Poor water treatment through the new pipeline led to lead contamination that 100,000 residents were exposed to. Governor Rick Snyder and other officials repeatedly lied about the contamination. As of today, the lead pipes used to transport water to Flint aren’t expected to be completely replaced until 2020 at the earliest. As a public health professional, you can do important research, partner with the community, educate and train residents and others, and advocate for change, among other desperately needed actions to reverse this crisis and prevent future calamities like it from ever happening to begin with.
Public health professionals are in high demand throughout Michigan and the country at large, so you’ll likely have a lot of options in where you ply your trade after earning a public health degree from a Michigan university or college. Check out our public health degrees in Michigan ranking to get started today, and reach out to any school you like to request more information directly from the schools themselves.
