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Public health internship vs environmental health specialist

The differences between public health interns and environmental health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a public health internship and an environmental health specialist. Additionally, an environmental health specialist has an average salary of $54,789, which is higher than the $37,987 average annual salary of a public health internship.

The top three skills for a public health internship include environmental health, EHS and patients. The most important skills for an environmental health specialist are environmental health, EHS, and OSHA.

Public health internship vs environmental health specialist overview

Public Health InternshipEnvironmental Health Specialist
Yearly salary$37,987$54,789
Hourly rate$18.26$26.34
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs102,17869,497
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4545
Years of experience66

What does a public health internship do?

A public health internship provides students with a great learning opportunity to put into practice those educational principles and skills learned in the classroom. They will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the duties and responsibilities of full-time professionals in public health. This exposure will provide students with leadership skills and professional development learning opportunities. In addition, students have an opportunity to contribute to various health-related agencies and organizations. The internship location should be at a primary public health agency whose work reflects the best in the industry.

What does an environmental health specialist do?

An Environmental Health Specialist is responsible for determining the existence of possible health hazards and taking measures to prevent or corect them. They monitor health and safety conditions in resedential, industrial, commercial, and recreational settings.

Public health internship vs environmental health specialist salary

Public health interns and environmental health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Public Health InternshipEnvironmental Health Specialist
Average salary$37,987$54,789
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $55,000Between $38,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City-Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state-Alaska
Best paying company-ICU Medical
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between public health internship and environmental health specialist education

There are a few differences between a public health internship and an environmental health specialist in terms of educational background:

Public Health InternshipEnvironmental Health Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorPublic HealthPublic Health
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of California, Berkeley

Public health internship vs environmental health specialist demographics

Here are the differences between public health interns' and environmental health specialists' demographics:

Public Health InternshipEnvironmental Health Specialist
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 32.1% Female, 67.9%Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.6% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between public health internship and environmental health specialist duties and responsibilities

Public health internship example responsibilities.

  • Manage busy immunization clinics overseeing the administration of thousands of immunizations per day.
  • Assist in employee training for LOTO, fork truck operation and behavioral base safety program.
  • Provide assistance during internal safety audits, asbestos abatement management, OSHA respirator fitting.
  • Train and educate large groups on job safety awareness and CPR.
  • Familiarize with ISO 14001 and the control systems that support certification standards.
  • Assist in the development of strategies to improve education of TB contacts.
  • Show more

Environmental health specialist example responsibilities.

  • Help in managing the implementation of management systems meeting OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001 standards.
  • Manage organization's injury/illness recordkeeping and handle worker's compensation claims.
  • Provide strategic leadership and work with management on identify EHS issues/recommendations/opportunities to foster continuous improvement of EHS programs and culture.
  • Maintain SDS and GHS programs.
  • Serve as an in-house expert for GHS - SDS and labeling issues.
  • Help integrate EHSMS internal audits with QMS internal audits for ISO 13485 and reviewing QSR.
  • Show more

Public health internship vs environmental health specialist skills

Common public health internship skills
  • Environmental Health, 14%
  • EHS, 11%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Public Health, 7%
  • OSHA, 6%
  • PowerPoint, 5%
Common environmental health specialist skills
  • Environmental Health, 15%
  • EHS, 8%
  • OSHA, 7%
  • Hazardous Waste, 4%
  • Public Health, 3%
  • Risk Assessments, 3%

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