Primarily, health educators are providers of healthcare education to organizations, communities, or specific populations. They perform assessments and surveys to determine the health education needs of their target area. They work with health specialists and stakeholders to define goals and achieve results. Similarly, they create plans and policies to aid in achieving and monitoring the progress of set objectives. Furthermore, they create and distribute health education materials and aids like pamphlets, notices, video and audio clips, images, and posters. Additionally, they organize health education events, workshops, conferences, and presentations and also promote health education initiatives through various platforms.
Ideally, you need at least a bachelor's degree in public health or a related field. You must have a minimum of three years in healthcare education. Employers prefer candidates with professional certification. You need presentation, customer service, computer, communication, and networking skills for this role. Your salary will vary between $35,000 and $66,000, with an annual average of $47,822.
Health educators teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. They develop and implement strategies to improve the health of individuals and communities. Community health workers provide a link between the community, health educators, and other healthcare and social service professionals. They develop and implement strategies to improve the health of individuals and communities. They collect data and discuss health concerns with members of specific populations or communities. Although the two occupations often work together, responsibilities of health educators and community health workers are distinct.
Health educators need a bachelor’s degree. Some employers may require the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential. Community health workers typically have at least a high school diploma and must complete a brief period of on-the-job training. Some states have certification programs for community health workers.
EducationHealth educators need at least a bachelor’s degree in health education or health promotion. Students learn theories and methods of health behavior and health education and gain the knowledge and skills they will need to develop health education materials and programs. Most programs include an internship.
Some health educator positions require a master’s or doctoral degree. Graduate programs are commonly in community health education, school health education, public health education, or health promotion. A variety of undergraduate majors may be acceptable for entry to a master’s degree program.
Community health workers typically have a high school diploma, although some jobs may require postsecondary education. Education programs may lead to a 1-year certificate or a 2-year associate’s degree and cover topics such as wellness, ethics, and cultural awareness, among others.
TrainingCommunity health workers typically complete a brief period of on-the-job training. Training often covers core competencies, such as communication or outreach skills, and information about the specific health topics that they will be focusing on. For example, community health workers who work with Alzheimer’s patients may learn about how to communicate effectively with patients dealing with dementia.
Other ExperienceCommunity health workers usually have some knowledge of a specific community, population, medical condition, or disability. The ability to speak a foreign language may be helpful.
Licenses, Certifications, and RegistrationsSome employers require health educators to obtain the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential, which is offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. To obtain certification, candidates must pass an exam that is aimed at entry-level health educators who have completed at least a bachelor’s degree. To maintain their certification, they must complete 75 hours of continuing education every 5 years. There is also the Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) credential for health educators with advanced education and experience.
Most states do not require community health workers to become certified, however voluntary certification exists or is being considered or developed in a number of states. Requirements vary but may include completing an approved training program. For more information, contact your state’s board of health, nursing, or human services.
Important QualitiesAnalytical skills. Health educators collect and analyze data in order to evaluate programs and to determine the needs of the people they serve.
Instructional skills. Health educators and community health workers should be comfortable with public speaking so that they can lead programs, teach classes, and facilitate discussion with clients and families.
Interpersonal skills. Health educators and community health workers interact with many people from a variety of backgrounds. They must be good listeners and be culturally sensitive to respond to the needs of the people they serve.
Problem-solving skills. Health educators and community health workers must think creatively about how to improve the health of the community through health education programs. In addition, they may need to solve problems that arise in planning programs, such as changes to their budget or resistance from the community they are serving.
Writing skills. Health educators and community health workers develop written materials to convey health-related information. Health educators also write proposals to develop programs and apply for funding.
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At Zippia, we went through countless Health Educator resumes and compiled some information about how to optimize them. Here are some suggestions based on what we found, divided by the individual sections of the resume itself.
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The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 9.9% of Health Educators listed Public Health on their resume, but soft skills such as Analytical skills and Instructional skills are important as well.
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a Health Educator. The best states for people in this position are Maryland, Connecticut, West Virginia, and New Hampshire. Health Educators make the most in Maryland with an average salary of $64,261. Whereas in Connecticut and West Virginia, they would average $60,471 and $58,475, respectively. While Health Educators would only make an average of $58,015 in New Hampshire, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Maryland
$64,261
Avg. Salary
2. New Hampshire
$58,015
Avg. Salary
3. West Virginia
$58,475
Avg. Salary
5.0
5.0
It takes an average of five years to be a health educator. First, one must obtain a bachelor's degree, which most people complete in four years. This time will usually include an internship or two as well.
Yes, being a health educator is a good career. Many people find it very fulfilling to help and teach others, and health educators can often play crucial roles in the well-being of their communities. Health educators can also expect compensation above the national average and normal working hours.
To be a health educator, you need good analytical and communication skills. Health educators are required to assess data and evaluate programs, and they must also effectively transmit health-related information both verbally and in writing.