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Epidemiologist |
Career OverviewEpidemiologists are scientists whose task is to identify a disease in a population and then track it as it moves through the population. They research the cause and the frequency of the disease by using statistics and demographics. They look at factors such as ethnicity, race, age, lifestyle, economics and sexual orientation. Epidemiologists attempt to stop the spread of a disease and prevent the disease from reaching epidemic proportions again.
Epidemiology examines epidemic diseases, in which cases of the disease are excessive, and endemic diseases, in which cases of the disease might not reach epidemic proportions but are nonetheless always present. Epidemiology is based on the observation that most diseases do not occur by chance. Rather, they are related to environmental and personal characteristics that vary by time, place and subgroups in a population. The epidemiologist tries to determine who is at risk to a particular disease, where the disease is most likely to occur and its trends over periods of time, what sort of exposures its victims have in common, and how to eliminate the causes of exposure.
The epidemiological approach to disease has helped to explain the spread of such communicable diseases as cholera and measles. Modern epidemiologists have contributed to an understanding of the factors that influence the risk factors of chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases and cancer, two of the greatest causes of death in developed countries today. Epidemiology has established the association of smoking with heart disease and lung cancer, shown that acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is linked to certain sexual practices, and linked menopausal estrogen use to increased risk of endometrial cancer. It has demonstrated the value of mammography in reducing breast cancer fatalities.
Epidemiologists who work in descriptive studies provide information about the occurrence of disease in a population in its subgroups as well as trends in the frequency of the disease over a period of time. They work with death certificates, disease registries, population censuses and surveys. They look at the mortality rate (the number of deaths per 1000 of the population at risk); incidence (number of new cases yearly per 100,000 of population at risk_; and prevalence (numbers of existing cases at a given time per 100 of population at risk).
Epidemiologists who work on analytic studies try to identify specific factors that increase or decrease the risk of disease and to quantify the potential risk. The researcher observes subjects to learn whether those exposed to different factors differ in disease rates. He or she also determines why some people develop the disease and others do not, and why some people survive the disease and others do not.
The epidemiologist is, in many ways, a medical detective. He or she might investigate why people in a small community have suddenly become ill after eating a certain food or drinking local water, or might be part of the fight against a global disease like cancer or AIDS.
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Career RequirementsAn epidemiologist must have college or university training. A four-year bachelor’s degree can be followed by a master’s degree. Many employers require a doctoral (PhD) degree.
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Job OutlookEpidemiologists are employed by universities, government agencies, health departments, research institutions and large medical companies. The rate of employment opportunities for epidemiologists is expected to grow through 2008.
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Career TrackEpidemiologists can specialize in a variety of areas. Besides general diseases there are: clinical epidemiology, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, occupational and environmental diseases, and school health.
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CompensationThat salary for an epidemiologist varies depending upon the employer and geographic location, but in general an epidemiologist can expect an annual income of $53,000 or higher.
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