Epidemiologists are public health professionals who study the patterns, causes and effects of diseases in populations. They use data and statistical analysis to investigate the spread and risk factors of diseases as well as design and implement interventions in order to prevent and control them. Moreover, Epidemiologists play a crucial role in protecting public health both in responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases and in addressing chronic diseases that affect large populations.

Some of the key responsibilities of epidemiologists include conducting surveillance and monitoring of diseases, analysing data to identify patterns and trends, designing and implementing studies to investigate the causes along with risk factors of diseases and collaborating with other healthcare professionals to develop interventions to prevent as well as control diseases.

For Bachelor’s

• Students must have completed their 10+2 with at least 50% marks in the Science stream.
• Aspirants can select a bachelor’s degree in the science field.
• To get admission in the UG Program, scholars need to pass entrance exams. 

For Master’s

• Undergraduates can go further for a Master’s degree in science fields.
• Some universities may require entrance exams for PG Program. 

Apart from working as an Epidemiologist, there are several other job profiles that a person with a background in the Epidemiology field can pursue. Some of these job profiles include:

• Specialist Epidemiologist
• Academics
• Statistations & Surveyors
• Community Health Workers
• Supervisory Epidemiologist 

Employment Sector

• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industries
• Government Health Departments
• National & Global Medical Research Centres
• National and Global Diseases Control Centres
• NGOs
• Private or Government Hospitals

There are many recruiters from leading companies who enlist potential medical students. Following are some Recruiters from where students can find an employment opportunity in India: 

• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
• National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE)
• Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI)
• State Health Departments
• Academic institutions

The salary range may vary from company to company, but the salary of an Epidemiologist is very impressive in India.

• Critical thinking skills
• Leadership skills
• Detail-oriented skills
• Statistical skills
• Communication skills

The career scope for epidemiologists is growing rapidly due to the increasing importance of public health and disease prevention. Epidemiologists play a vital role in understanding and managing disease outbreaks, conducting research to identify risk factors, developing strategies to prevent the spread of diseases as well as evaluating the effectiveness of public health programs.

Furthermore, as the global population grows and becomes more mobile, the risk of pandemics and other disease outbreaks increases making the work of epidemiologists increasingly important. Epidemiologists also play a key role in addressing chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease which are major public health challenges in many countries.

• Making a difference in public health
• Job growth
• Varied career paths
• Good salary
• Intellectual challenge

• High level of education
• Long hours
• Data limitations
• Emotional strain
• Heavy reliance on funding