Career Overview
Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.
Also Known As
- Epidemiologist
- Infection Control Practitioner (ICP)
- Nurse Epidemiologist
- Research Epidemiologist
Alternate Job Titles
- Chronic Disease Epidemiologist
- Clinical Epidemiologist
- Clinical Lab Scientist (Clinical Laboratory Scientist)
- Clinical Researcher
- Communicable Diseases Specialist
- Environmental Epidemiologist
- Epidemiologist
- Epidemiologist Researcher
- Epidemiology Analyst
- Epidemiology Investigator
- Epidemiology Research Doctor
- Histopathologist
- Infection Control Coordinator
- Infection Control Manager
- Infection Control Nurse (ICN)
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.
- Oversee public health programs, including statistical analysis, health care planning, surveillance systems, and public health improvement.
- Investigate diseases or parasites to determine cause and risk factors, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission.
- Educate healthcare workers, patients, and the public about infectious and communicable diseases, including disease transmission and prevention.
- Monitor and report incidents of infectious diseases to local and state health agencies.
- Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
- Provide expertise in the design, management and evaluation of study protocols and health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Teach epidemiology to students in public health programs.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Science
- Active Learning
- Systems Analysis
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Category Flexibility
- Speech Clarity
- Fluency of Ideas
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Independence
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Master's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Python
Tools & Equipment
- Desktop computers
- Laptop computers
- Personal computers
Work Environment
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $56,950 |
| Median | $83,980 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $134,860 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 11,460
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Preventive Medicine Physicians
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $100,590
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
Geneticists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: $93,330
Physicians, Pathologists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.