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Pursuing a degree in Epidemiology - Is this possible?

Hello! I am currently a fourth year student studying Nutritional Sciences. After interning this past summer in a dietitians office, I am having second thoughts on my field of study and would appreciate some guidance or any help you may have to offer.

A little bit of background info about me.. I first decided to study nutrition because I was interested in eating disorders. However, I feel that if I continue down this path on becoming a registered dietitian, I will be too limited in my role with helping disordered eating patients. I believe a psychology degree would have been more fitting with the line of work I was hoping to do. I want to do more than educate others in the field of nutrition and plan out patient's diets.

I was doing some research as to what I can do with my nutritional science degree and something interesting that came up was epidemiology. I read that your degree must be in a related public health field, so my first question is if a degree in nutritional sciences qualifies as such?

I was originally planning on doing a dietetic internship after completing my four years but now I plan on looking for masters programs that offer epidemiology. What kind of classes would this entail? I have several science and math classes under my belt but I fear I may lack the knowledge that I would of otherwise had if I had pursued a degree that is more in-line with epidemiology. Can any students who have completed or are currently working on a masters degree chime in, please? Are there any schools or programs you would recommend taking a look at in particular?

Finally, if you are or have every studied epidemiology, what is it that you find interesting about the field? Are you happy with your decision? What kind of work have you studied? Personally, the thought of disease and outbreak control is what captured my attention. I would love to study eating disorders, nutrition related disorders such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and more. Studying populations in other countries is something else that I am interested in.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I appreciate all feedback!

#nutrition #masters-degree #epidemiology #nutritional-epidemiology

masters-degree nutrition epidemiology nutritional-epidemiology
Thank you comment icon Consider that you have many more opportunities available to you with this degree. You can become a nutrition fitness coach for young adults. You can teach nutrition to younger kids or even teach nutrition and health as well as becoming a dietician. There are many doors and if you want, you can always go back to school to pursue your psychology degree. Anum
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Ta/MBA’s Answer

I think your major choice of study nutrition does relate to public health. They are related. Check brooklyn college in brooklyn New York website. That's where I found this out.
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Mikio’s Answer

I use to work for the US CDC and this is a truly desired degree. Yes it is possible and income is awesome. Check out: http://www.cdc.gov/careerpaths/k12teacherroadmap/epidemiology.html.
-Get into US CDC ASAP.
-See jobs and pay at US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at http://www.cdc.gov/employment/menu_topjobs.html#epidemiologists. See current salaries in federal government: https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/? Keyword=epidemiology&Location=&homeRadPublic=public&search=Search&AutoCompleteSelected=False&CanSeekStatusJobs=False.


Good Luck to you.

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