If you want to educate people about how to prevent medical conditions and live a healthy lifestyle consider becoming a health educator. Sharing knowledge about eating healthier, how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and keeping physically fit can have a profound impact on people’s lives.
Develop your communication skills. Health educators should be able to connect with people from different backgrounds. Learn how to connect with individuals. You should also be able to create pamphlets to spread awareness. Work on your design skills to craft easy to read documents for interested individuals.
Follow these 5 steps to become a health educator:
Get Your BS in Health Education
Health teachers must attain their bachelors in health education as a minimum requirement before landing a teaching position. Choose from universities with strong programs. Do online research to narrow down your options. Visit schools that make the final cut in person to select the right college for your needs. Be prepared to study human development, health education theory and psychology to ready yourself for your career.
Receive Your Graduate Degree
Choose from graduate degrees such as community health education, school health education or health promotion. Many employers will require you to receive your graduate degree before you can teach at the institution. General education and elective classes can be skipped if you so choose. Speak to college professors from your university to build a watch list of reputable health education graduate schools. Focus your energies on acing your classes to graduate with flying colors and land a coveted job. Put yourself ahead of the competition with a graduate degree.
Gain Valuable Experience
Unless you have health education experience landing jobs will be difficult. Most employers demand some work experience before hiring you. Complete an internship to stand out from the crowd. Some universities require you to complete an internship before you can receive your bachelor’s degree. Consider volunteer work to complement your internship. Non profits, medical care organizations and businesses need health educators. Volunteer your time to gain invaluable experience in your field.
Attain Your Certified Health Education Specialist
The Certified Health Education Specialist title is offered by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing Inc. Before taking this exam get your bachelor’s degree or be within 3 months of your graduation. Filling these requirements gives you the right to sit for the exam. Become well-versed in a variety of topic such as the responsibilities of a health educator and other health education subjects to score well on the exam.
Gain Employment as a Health Educator
Network with people in your field to become gainfully employed as a health educator. Patiently connect with professionals to find open positions. Building your friend network takes time. Be persistent. By meeting people, asking around and leaving no stone unturned you can land your dream job.
Use the internet to augment your search. Visit niche specific job boards and related groups on social media sites to find open positions.
About the Author: Ryan Biddulph shares tips to help you find a job as a health educator.