What Do Epidemiologists Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Epidemiologists investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control. They also oversee public health programs, including statistical analysis, health care planning, surveillance systems, and public health improvement.

Other tasks include:

• Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
• Provide expertise in the design, management and evaluation of study protocols and health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis.
• Monitor and report incidents of infectious diseases to local and state health agencies.
• Investigate diseases or parasites to determine cause and risk factors, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission.
• Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.
• Plan, administer and evaluate health safety standards and programs to improve public health, conferring with health department, industry personnel, physicians, and others.

We asked Epidemiologists how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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77% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 91% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Epidemiologists supervise professional, technical, and clerical personnel. They plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.

A typical day for an Epidemiologist will also include:

• Oversee public health programs, including statistical analysis, health care planning, surveillance systems, and public health improvement.
• Monitor and report incidents of infectious diseases to local and state health agencies.
• Investigate diseases or parasites to determine cause and risk factors, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission.
• Plan, administer and evaluate health safety standards and programs to improve public health, conferring with health department, industry personnel, physicians, and others.
• Provide expertise in the design, management and evaluation of study protocols and health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis.

We asked some Epidemiologists a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	63% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	53% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	63% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	20% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	10% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Epidemiologists also provide expertise in the design, management and evaluation of study protocols and health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis. They may also prepare and analyze samples to study effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, or microorganisms on cell structure and tissue.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Epidemiologists Plan, administer and evaluate health safety standards and programs to improve public health, conferring with health department, industry personnel, physicians, and others. They might also Educate healthcare workers, patients, and the public about infectious and communicable diseases, including disease transmission and prevention.

In addition, they Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.

To some Epidemiologists, it is also their responsibility to Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Epidemiologist, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..

They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/life-physical-and-social-science/epidemiologists.htm

http://www.cste.org/

http://www.shea-online.org/

http://www.nih.gov/