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Epidemiologists

Also called: Epidemiologist, Nurse Epidemiologist, Infection Control Practitioner (ICP), Epidemiology Investigator

What they do:
Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.
On the job, you would:
  • Monitor and report incidents of infectious diseases to local and state health agencies.
  • Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
  • Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.

Knowledge

Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Math and Science
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
  • biology
Health
  • medicine and dentistry
Engineering and Technology
  • computers and electronics

Skills

Basic Skills
  • using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems
  • reading work related information
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Math
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
Attention
  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Initiative
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Cooperation

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software
  • Epicenter Software Epilog
  • HiroSoft EPICURE
Data base user interface and query software
  • Microsoft Access
  • Structured query language SQL
Map creation software
  • ESRI ArcInfo
  • ESRI ArcView

Education

Education: (rated 5 of 5)
master's degree or
doctoral/professional degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Average Outlook
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
Salary
$64,220
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about epidemiologists.