Community Health Program Coordinators

Volunteering at a social service agency or a local medical office while you are still in high school is a good way to begin exploring the field of community health. This will introduce you to the challenges faced by underserved communities (e.g., poverty, lack of quality medical care, lack of access to healthy food) and allow you to meet and observe community health educators and coordinators. In college, continue this exploration by participating in internships and/or co-op experiences at community health employers.

The Association for Schools and Programs of Public Health offers a Web site, This is Public Health (https://aspph.org/student-journey), that provides information on education and careers in public health.

Talk to CHPCs about their work to discover the pros and cons of the field, typical educational paths, key skills for success, and other information that will help you to decide if this career is a good fit for your interests and abilities. You should also try to job-shadow a coordinator. Ask your health teacher and school counselor for help setting up these career exploration opportunities.