Navigating Health Careers: The Difference Between Health Science and Public Health

While health sciences and public health are both vocations geared towards keeping people healthy, the approach of each is different. As noted above, public health is at a more macro level, looking at the health of the population. Health science takes place at the clinical (or patient) level. While different, both fields are interrelated and add to our knowledge of human health and wellness.

Health science is heavily geared towards understanding the biomechanical mechanisms of disease and managing clinical research findings¹. Health science professionals can expect to work closely with medical professionals and patients to diagnose, treat, and research diseases of interest². Many health sciences professionals can operate as autonomous researchers in medical settings, leading study management and interacting with patients.  Because of the nature of the work, many health science professionals are also medical professionals, allowing them to progress their careers into research.  

While public health professionals can work in clinical settings, the general focus of a public health career is not on individual patients' treatment. Rather, public health professionals develop programs and monitor the disease burden in their population, often translating those findings into data-informed health policy³.

Ultimately, both fields are interdisciplinary by nature, meaning that translating experience in one career to the other is possible. While the approaches to health preservation might differ, public health practitioners need the research findings from health scientists to inform their health policy and planning. Conversely, health scientists contribute to academic knowledge with the hope of preventing additional diseases that are only achievable at scale through excellent public health intervention.

There are undoubtedly differences in the two fields, but some sub-specialties of each overlap nicely. For instance, both fields have a health promotion focus: While a public health practitioner might facilitate health promotion for the population, health scientists communicate findings and recommendations to their patients regularly. Additionally, both fields  emphasize healthcare administration and management, a specialty with a whopping 29% projected growth rate over the next decade⁴.

Regardless of which path you choose, both have a diverse array of degree program options.  Both fields offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs, giving students the chance to decide how far they would like to advance in their field.

Health science degrees typically follow a pre-medicine pathway, combining classes in human anatomy, physiology, and healthcare management to prepare students for research in clinical settings. Pace University, for instance, offers a Bachelor of Science in Health Science that requires health policy and leadership courses as well as core sciences like biology and chemistry⁵. In addition, their program offers concentrations in Global Health or Health Policy and Advocacy⁶. Graduates can move into positions in clinical research while also having completed prerequisite courses for medical education.

For more advanced degree options, students can also seek a master’s or doctoral degree.  These degrees offer more in-depth education on biostatistics and managing clinical research. If you’re considering an advanced degree in health sciences, be aware of program admission requirements. The MHS at Yale University, for instance, is specifically geared toward medical professionals⁷; students must have existing clinical training for admission.   

Those interested in public health can also pursue degrees at all levels. Unlike health sciences, a public health degree focuses more on health policy and research. Students can expect courses in epidemiology, social determinants of health, and disease prevention with specialty options like health policy and administration or global health. Universities like Montclair State University and UC Berkeley offer undergraduate programs in public health for interested students.

At the graduate level, students can also pursue an MPH degree that delves deeper into public health topics like program planning, biostatistics, and health policy and administration. For even further specialization, students can also pursue doctoral studies at universities throughout the country.

Once you’ve completed either degree, you can expect to enter a dynamic field with the potential for extensive career growth. While health sciences and public health have differing approaches to health preservation, professionals in both fields have a wide range of options for their careers.

Given their functional expertise, health sciences professionals are equipped for roles in clinical research, biotechnology research, and health education. Using their clinical and policy backgrounds, some common job titles can include community health worker, health services manager, and healthcare social worker⁸. With additional medical training, graduates can also become independent researchers in healthcare settings, which is an interesting career option that adds to collective health knowledge.

Public health graduates can also effectively fill these roles but have more training in health policy. In addition to clinical research roles, public health graduates can find meaningful employment as epidemiologists, biostatisticians, public health administrators or even policy analysts.  

Regardless of which degree you have, it’s important to realize that both health sciences and public health are closely related. The core education in both fields will give you a grasp on how we deliver healthcare to the population and keep people healthy.  With enough experience, you can translate whichever degree you have into the career that you want.

Now that we’ve gone over the specifics of each career, the question remains: How do you choose?  

Here are a few things to consider as you move through the process of deciding which degree path is right for you:

In this article, we discussed some of the similarities and differences between the health science and public health professions. While public health is about preserving the health of a population, health science is more clinically focused. Both pathways offer excellent pathways into the health field, just with slightly different emphases.

Regardless of which pathway you pursue, there are boundless opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the health and wellness world. Ultimately, deciding what you enjoy most, and can see yourself doing for years to come, is the key to success in the field.

As always, be sure to do your research before committing to any degree program. Ask your advisors for guidance, read about the curriculum, and ask current professionals for their advice. Public health and health sciences offer engaging curriculums with even more interesting options for fulfilling careers. Best of luck on your academic and professional journey!