Health Education Providers and Teachers

If you think about the idea of training for a career in health care, you also have to consider the skilled, experienced and educated professors and teachers who will be sharing their expertise with you, whether that is in the classroom setting, hospitals or in a practical work experience capacity. Not only that, but health education providers in the community work to provide education to the general public, which allows the public to make more informed health and lifestyle choices.

For some people, a career that involves teaching and educating others is rewarding and enjoyable. If you are one of those people who likes to share your knowledge with others and gains satisfaction from the idea that your work helps others to learn and make better decisions about their health, then you should consider a career as a health educator or teacher.

There are many different areas of health education, such as public health promotion in the community, hospital work experience and also university teaching. The options are vast and you will have to think about your own personality, traits and preferences when contemplating which teaching environment is best for your chosen health c

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Working as a University Educator

If you are keen about research and like the idea of working with adults and colleagues in the field, then a university teaching career might be a good fit for you. University educators have a strong academic and research focus. They will supervise research carried out by students as well as work with colleagues to produce new, innovative research within a chosen health field. University teachers and professors will teach in class, where they share the information and foundation skills necessary to guide students into a successful health care career.

For university teaching, the absolute minimum is a bachelor's degree and the vast majority have a graduate degree – usually a doctorate for most positions. Many people prefer this kind of teaching role because it doesn't bring with it the disciplinary challenges of teaching school-aged children and teenagers. Salaries are also superior to teaching in schools although these salaries do reflect the additional expertise and education of a university teacher or professor.

Teaching Health in Schools

There is a range of teaching opportunities for being an educator in schools. You might teach sexual education classes or you could also work as a nurse educator, where you provide education and outreach. Some people work in non-profit organisations where they do school outreach on subjects such as sexually transmitted diseases, nutrition, fitness and drug abuse. The opportunities are numerous and the education needed for teaching school-aged children is usually a bachelor's degree when the position involves regular, salaried work each year. Those who work for non-profit organisations may actually receive all of their training at the agency, which can last for months to a year, with much of the training being ongoing, continuing education. Good skills include a positive attitude, energetic disposition and excellent communication skills. If you can quickly and easily build a rapport with children and teenagers, many of whom are from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, then you may fare well in an educator role in schools.

Health education providers and teachers have some of the greatest responsibility of any health profession because they must share their knowledge and expertise with students, colleagues and the general public. If you have a love for sharing information and you want to work in the health care field where you can help people to learn, then consider a career as a health education provider or teacher.