The process of choosing your career is actually good for you. It may not seem that way all the time, however. There is research to be done, important decisions to be made. You may look at the stellar possibilities offered by some careers but be put off by the amount of hard work required to get to that advanced level. Other careers may not look so hard, but may not provide the big bang you're looking for later in life. Making decisions is complicated, but you'll learn much about yourself in the process, and that's always worthwhile. .

Of course, only you can determine what you want later to do with your life, and what you're willing to do to achieve it. What are your interests now? What are you happy to do for hours on end? And what, for you, would constitute a big payoff later in life? Is it wealth? Fame? Power? Or is it something more subtle than that; the satisfying feeling that comes with knowing you've helped people, made the world a better place. Maybe for you, that's what matters most. .

Careers in public health are not easy, and they don't come with big paychecks or fame unless you become US Surgeon General. To be sure, public health careers come with reasonable earnings, but they also come with a great deal of hardship. And a warm and satisfied feeling that your efforts are making a positive difference.

Public health professionals are at the forefront of disease prevention in the United States. From the United States Public Health Service, one of the country's seven uniformed services, to the local public health inspectors who are best known for keeping an eye on restaurants and grocery stores within their jurisdictions, dedicated public health professionals do their best to halt the spread of disease. They also work to make your environment, like your school or workplace, safer. .

Public health professionals also work to keep people informed of good health practices, such as by sponsoring health fairs and handing out brochures on good eating habits, tips to help quit smoking and how to care for the elderly. Public health personnel lead fitness classes, visit ill and psychologically troubled people in their homes and advise elected leaders on how to best serve the public's need to stay healthy. In fact, public health efforts to enhance workplace safety and motor-vehicle safety, along with more obvious successes in controlling infectious diseases and spreading the word about the dangers of smoking and unhealthy eating habits, have been credited with adding 25 years to human life expectancy in the US! .

The fact that you've chosen to pick up this report is an encouraging sign. It means you're serious about meeting your future head-on. As you read, take special note of the factors that you think you may like or not like about a career in public health and then pursue those questions until you have the answer you're looking for. You can start with the organizations listed at the end of this report. Most of them are dedicated to the field of public health and offer websites and print format publications that can be very helpful to an aspiring careerist. If you want really precise information, seek out a public health professional and make arrangements to sit down and ask a few questions. You might be surprised at the responses you get.