People usually find it confusing when it comes to public health and medicine degrees as both the degrees sound similar and people don’t find any difference between both. 

The difference between public health and medicine is very vast, one deals with the overall health care, while the second one focuses on an individual’s health condition alone. Both degrees concentrate on different course work and their duties are also outlined accordingly.

Here is a list regarding the difference of opinion about public health and medicine degrees.

The medical field is more focused on individual treatments, whereas Public Health care is more globalized and deals with overall wellbeing and health issues of masses.  Medicine degrees put their expertise to diagnose various diseases and find a diagnosis for it. Public health also covers social domains and suggests ideas for reducing differences in health care. Society plays an equal part in maintaining equality in the public health sector. The medical field is more clinical and helps patients who are in distress and pain.

Public health can work effectively when there is strong collaboration and advocacy between authorities and society. Medicine degree provides trained physicians who have all the knowledge and medication to treat infections, diseases, and viruses. The main goal of health care is to provide quick, effective and protected services to the whole population. The various health emergencies and environmental hazards also fall under the important domain of public health care. This sector is responsible for mutual prevention and health improvement. Medicine degree has its own importance as it helps to use the latest technology and combines it with medication.

The courses offered for both degrees are different and both courses expose students to the different level of challenges. You can gain a Bachelor’s degree and later opt for a Master’s degree in Public Health. Doctoral level studies are also available in this field, it needs research and the right amount of time spent in the field. The Medicine degree has a longer time frame as compared to Public Health and it is more focused on the human body, its function, and anatomy. Medical students are taught to perform different surgeries over the years of a clinical study and are groomed emotionally to deal with patients. The interest of Public Health Degree and Medicine degree may vary but at some point, both need each other to perform effectively. Medicine degree provides countless options if you want to pursue a specialization degree. There are online courses for Public Health degrees and students study politics. Studying politics and demographics enable students to perceive the problem through a different method. Students take an empirical approach while studying politics and other subjects as part of a Public Health degree.

Over the years both the Medicine and Public Health sector has seen an increase in job opportunities. Traditionally doctors are seen practicing in hospitals, but doctors also spend their time in the field and visit different regions where there is no proper medical facility available. Students with a public health degree can be a health educator, a health informatics officer, healthcare administrator or work as an epidemiologist. These are just a few names mentioned here, Public Health has expanded and so has the number of career options. 

One career option is public relations specialist; this post holds a great responsibility during the times of an epidemic outbreak. The Public Health sector has improved the lifestyle of people and has always been in an effort to improve the wellbeing of communities. The government and NGOs in different countries are investing their time and money on Public Health to stop the possibilities of an epidemic outbreak. These funds are very crucial for the global community in particular and the locals in particular.

The Public Health sector workers educate children about hygiene and also hold sessions for communities. The main goal of these workers is to eliminate the root cause of diseases. Medicine Degree provides solutions to the medical conditions of people. Medicine, knowledge, and technology play their role in reducing these problems. It is the responsibility of the Public Health sector to provide vaccines and hand washes to people who are affected by infections and viruses. Their perspective is based on the concept of helping and reaching everyone in need of medical help. For a medical student, the only concern is his or her patient, they are not responsible for the condition of other people. The inequality of health services is a fact. Public Health Professionals are playing their role in building a safe world for everyone.

Scientific research is the backbone of the Public Health sector; the professionals make use of the latest technology. The disease surveillance system is installed in communities to diagnose public health problems. Public Health professionals calculate the ratio of sick people by using disease prevalence and disease incidence as their tools. The medicine degree professionals, on the other hand, are not accountable for measuring or finding out the disease. The technology that medicine degree professionals use is user-friendly and empowers them to work with ease. 

The WHO is working and teaming up with Public Health providers in different countries to address health issues. Public Health also includes basic human rights as its subjects. The fresh graduates work in different countries, gain experience and write their research papers. The published papers reach a larger audience and make it possible to address the health conditions in those areas.

Public Health sector and Medicine have equally played their role in maintaining a healthy society. The difference starts with the course of study and their area of interest. Medicine degree focuses on an individual’s disease, diagnosis, and treatment. Public Health focuses on the overall health situation of communities, it involves the whole population. Public Health uses scientific research to reach to the root cause of diseases and provides vaccines to communities with environmental hazards. A medical degree does not hold the professional answerable for the research phase. The career opportunities for both degrees are diverse.