Epidemiologists

Employment of epidemiologists is projected to grow by 19 percent through 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Job prospects for epidemiologists are promising because there will always be a need to understand, control, and prevent the spread of disease. The DOL notes that many jobs for epidemiologists will be in state and local government agencies, where help is needed for public health services and to respond to health emergencies. Employment opportunities may be affected, however, by budget cuts by governments.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have only been in existence since 1946, and the World Health Organization since 1948. Less-developed countries still have high rates of tuberculosis, syphilis, malaria, and other diseases. Even developed countries experience periodic recurrences of infectious diseases; organisms that cause illness sometimes become resistant to existing vaccines. In addition, new strains of diseases are discovered all the time, such as Lyme disease in 1975, the Hanta virus in 1976, and Legionnaires' disease in 1977.

In 1993 the Cryptosporidium parasite tainted the water supply in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and infected more than 400,000 people. Not long after, a strain of E. coli in undercooked meat made 300 people ill in the Northwest. In March 2014, the Ebola virus, which causes massive hemorrhaging and terrible suffering in its victims, re-emerged in West Africa, causing more than 11,300 deaths until its end in June 2016. It was the largest outbreak of Ebola in history. Since its onset in late 2019, the coronavirus, a disease that causes various respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological diseases, has infected millions as well as caused the deaths of millions around the world. Other diseases that have caused great public concern include bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE ("mad cow" disease), Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or CJD (foot and-mouth disease), SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), necrotizing fasciitis ("flesh-eating" disease), avian influenza ("bird flu"), the H1N1 influenza virus ("swine flu"), and the Zika virus. In addition, interest in preventing bioterrorism is of great importance.

Developments in technology will drive epidemiological research to improve the understanding and prevention of disease. Biomedical techniques such as genetic recombination and imaging are revolutionizing the field. The use of new information systems will make global communication more comprehensive and efficient between nations.

The need to understand the social context of disease transmission will also create opportunities for epidemiologists. Medical professionals may know what causes a disease and work to prevent its spread, but it is the epidemiologist's job to identify and change negative social behaviors to keep outbreaks from ever starting.