Career Opportunities for Master of Public Health Graduates in India

Abstract

In India, in spite of obvious need, there is a lack of clearly defined career plans for non-medical public health graduates. This study was undertaken to identify potential career options, opportunities and challenges for Master of Public Health (MPH) graduates to work in both public and private health sectors in India. Information was collected by undertaking a literature search, six focus group discussions, 50 in-depth interviews of public health professionals and a national consultation on MPH program development in India. Twenty three institutions in India offer MPH programs and three quarters of MPH graduates are from a nonmedical background. MPH graduates have opportunities in the health system and academic institutions and jobs in academic and research institutions are likely to increase in the near future. Non-academic jobs are in healthcare delivery, monitoring and evaluation, health and financing. There are significant challenges for entry into the public and private health sector, which are due to limited awareness of opportunities, lack of requisite skills for searching and applying for jobs, uncertain recruitment processes, poor working conditions, poor living conditions in rural areas, frequent transfers, lack of competitive salaries, unclear expectations of work roles and feedback. Institutionalising public health service at central, state and district levels, with clearly defined career pathways is required.