How do I Become a Community Health Educator?

A community health educator is a person who works to improve health within a community. To become a community health educator, a person usually needs to graduate from high school or earn a credential that is equivalent to a high school diploma. After high school, a person interested in this position usually has to go on to college and earn a bachelor's degree in a related field, such as public health. Some employers do prefer job applicants who have earned master's degrees in a related field, however.

An individual who becomes a health educator has the job of promoting health in the community to which he is assigned. This may involve researching the health needs and challenges within a community and creating plans and programs for addressing them. Once a community health educator has created plans, he may then be responsible for not only implementing them, but also monitoring them to ensure that they proceed as expected. He may also have the job of analyzing the programs he creates to identify strengths and weaknesses.

A person who wants to become a community health educator typically starts his educational preparation with high school or by earning a general educational development (GED) diploma. While in a high school, an individual who wants to become a community health educator may do well to take advanced science and health courses that provide a good foundation of knowledge for this career. He may also taking writing and public-speaking courses that help him build communication skills that can be important for someone pursuing this career.

In college, a person who wants to become a community health educator typically earns a bachelor's degree, which is often the minimum credential an employer will accept for an entry-level job in this field. Some colleges offer a major in community health services or education, which is a good choice of majors for someone who wants to pursue a career in this field. If a student attends a school that does not offer this degree, however, he may pursue a health education major or a similar course of study.

After college, an individual who is interested in this career may go on to pursue a master's degree in a major such as public health. Earning this degree may translate into more work opportunities or even chance for advancement. Additionally, some employers prefer to hire applicants with a significant history of related volunteer work. Many prefer those who have completed related internships as well.