Master of Public Health: Leading Change from Clinics to Communities

India’s healthcare sector is expanding day by day, but beneath the expansion of this sector lies a critical challenge: the substantial shortage of healthcare staff across India.

According to the National Skill Development Corporation, the country faces a staggering shortage of 29 million skilled professionals, with a demand-to-supply ratio of 103:75 million. This gap is especially in public health, where trained professionals are needed to manage disease outbreaks, shape health policies and improve community health.

So, to fill this gap, universities have come up with many academic courses, one of which is the Master of Public Health. This course is an entry point into one of India’s most vital and underserved sectors. The MPH course equips you with the knowledge of tools to lead change in hospitals, NGOs, government bodies and international health organisations, whether you are a medical student, a life science graduate or someone passionate about contributing their part to the betterment of the healthcare sector. So, today, let's dive into the MPH course and explore how you can pursue this course and what the MPH Course fee is.

Why Should You Study a Master of Public Health Course

A dramatic transformation in India's healthcare landscape is happening at the technology and demographic levels. The rise of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and hypertension, consequently, exerts heavy strain on the healthcare system; this further augments the need for public health professionals. This is where a Master of Public Health course steps in. This 2-year Master's programme prepares students to address the health issues, evaluate the effectiveness of public health programmes and influence health policy. The MPH course fee ranges from INR 3.6- 6 Lakhs.

Who Can Join the MPH Revolution?

Here are some of the MPH Course eligibility criteria, which define whether you can pursue the course:

To be eligible for the course, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in health science or life science or social science with at least 50 per cent marks from a recognised university.

Why Public Health is the Career of the Future

India’s healthcare revolution is not stopping anytime soon; the industry is poised to witness explosive growth and is projected to generate over four crore jobs in the coming years. With the rising awareness, increased government investment and urgent need for resilient healthcare systems, there has been unprecedented demand for skilled public health professionals, opening multiple opportunities for MPH graduates. So, here are some of the most in-demand roles that are impactful as well as rewarding for MPH graduates:

• Health Programme Manager

• Public Health Analyst

• Epidemiologist

• Health Promotion Coordinator

• Healthcare Consultant

• Global Health Program Officer

• Research Associate

• Policy Analyst

• Biostatistician

• Environmental Health Specialist

Bottom Line

So, the Master's in Public Health is a meaningful career choice – one that can improve lives, address a health-related issue or shape policy in a country where the healthcare system is perhaps in flux, but buckling under a significant lack of skilled workers. Going down this path means that you will not just be joining a career, you will be becoming a part of the solution India urgently needs.