Health Educator

A Health Educator teaches people how to become healthy and stay healthy, and keeps them inspired as they begin to make lifestyle changes. As a Health Educator, you can work in a school, for a government agency, in a hospital, or for a private business. Your job is to create and lead educational programs that motivate people to practice what they’ve learned.

The health problems a you tackle can cover a broad spectrum. You might work with a specific disease, like breast cancer or diabetes, or unhealthy behaviors, like unprotected sex. You might even handle things that aren’t exactly problems but still pose difficulties, like early childhood development or learning disabilities.

The types of programs you put together will depend on the age of the people you want to work with and the type of organization that employs you. Some groups only fight one issue, while others handle many. For example, the American Heart Association won’t have you fighting breast cancer whereas a college health clinic would have you working on everything from eating disorders to binge drinking.

When creating a program, you first need to think of the group you’re trying to reach. Different ages, ethnic backgrounds, and sexes all have different preferences, and you use those to get your message out to the biggest number of people. You might run TV advertisements, put together a health fair, or organize an event complete with celebrities giving their support. You’re in charge of the fundraising efforts for these events too, so you should be comfortable writing grants and asking people for donations.

If teaching the practice of healthy behaviors to diverse groups of people (and practicing what you preach) sounds like a dream job, then pursuing a career as a Health Educator is a smart move for you. So get moving and start motivating.