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Thomas considered studying medicine and becoming a doctor. He also considered becoming a chiropractor, but then he came across public health science which was offered at the university and this really caught his attention. “I think it’s really interesting to look at health as a more wide-ranging subject instead of narrowing it down to a matter of a single disease – the fact that you unfold the subject and look at other reasons. When studying Public Health you look at groups of patients and you learn how to design health campaigns like anti-smoking campaigns, among other things,” says Thomas. He also highlights the good balance between the scientific and the social studies. |
| ”“I think it's very interesting to look at health as something more than just a disease.” |
The combination of theory and practice is great
The subjects offered at Public Health haven’t disapointed and Thomas is still amazed by the wide-ranging opportunities that this education offers him even though he has been studying for almost five years now, which is the duration of this study. In fact Thomas only needs to pass one more course and write his thesis.
“Our different subjects at the study range from anathomy and psychology to statistics and communication. The method of instruction is a combination of lectures and exercises, where we try to do the things as realistic as possible in terms of how they would be handled in reality outside the walls of the university”, says Thomas.
| “Public Health Science is a wide-ranging education where you always have the oppotunity to engage in profesional discussions with the other students. |
Good job opportunities
Thomas is looking forward to enter the labour marked and he is very optimistic about the future job opportunities within a fields like Public Health, because it gets so much attention.
“For me it is always interesting to watch the news because of the constant focus on health issues. This focus on health also serves like an ambassador for the study, because the attention and then the interest will keep on growing,” says Thomas, and explains, that with the good background knowledgde that Public Health Science gives you it is up to oneself to find out where you are needed out there. That could for instance be working for a municipalty, where there is a huge need for new ideas in terms of preventing and creating better health in society, or it could be as Health Chief, or as a local government worker for one of the health centers.
The municipalties have a call for more focus on preventing people from getting sick and have to go to hospital. Also they focus on taking good care of people and ensure that they stay well and healthy, if they have been to hospital. When I look at job advertisements, I always find a job that I can apply for. Also, there is many consultancies like COWI, that employ people who was a background in Public Health Science,” says Thomas.
According to Thomas, Public Health Science has more female students than male students. This is not neccesarily a matter of course if you look at the subjects, but it probably has something to do with the fact that this education has a health focus.