Health Educators

Health educators typically work in comfortable offices, and have access to computer and office technology. At a health care facility, they may meet one-on-one with patients or also with their families to educate them about care issues, explain insurance policies, and direct them to health social service agencies that can provide additional assistance. Other health educators travel to local communities to give presentations to large groups or disseminate information via other methods.

Health educators work a standard 9-to-5 week, but they may meet with the public at night and on weekends to make presentations and gather information.

At times, this career can be stressful when members of the public are unreceptive or even hostile (e.g., refusing to believe vaccines are effective against fighting infectious diseases, not believing there is a link between smoking and cancer) to the valuable information that they convey. Overall, most health educators love their jobs because the information that they provide educates the public and improves overall health outcomes for individuals and communities.