Epidemiologists
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $49K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $59K
Median Salary: $74K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $97K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $126K
Demand
Core Tasks
Oversee public health programs, including statistical analysis, health care planning, surveillance systems, and public health improvement.
Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
Provide expertise in the design, management and evaluation of study protocols and health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis.
Monitor and report incidents of infectious diseases to local and state health agencies.
Investigate diseases or parasites to determine cause and risk factors, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission.
Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.
Plan, administer and evaluate health safety standards and programs to improve public health, conferring with health department, industry personnel, physicians, and others.
Educate healthcare workers, patients, and the public about infectious and communicable diseases, including disease transmission and prevention.
Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings.
Identify and analyze public health issues related to foodborne parasitic diseases and their impact on public policies, scientific studies, or surveys.
Supervise professional, technical, and clerical personnel.
Standardize drug dosages, methods of immunization, and procedures for manufacture of drugs and medicinal compounds.
Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
Consult with and advise physicians, educators, researchers, government health officials and others regarding medical applications of sciences, such as physics, biology, and chemistry.
Prepare and analyze samples to study effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, or microorganisms on cell structure and tissue.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
English Language
87%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Mathematics
82%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Medicine and Dentistry
74%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Biology
70%
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Computers and Electronics
69%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Sociology and Anthropology
66%
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Administration and Management
65%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Education and Training
62%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Communications and Media
58%
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Law and Government
58%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Top 10 Skills
Science
88%
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Critical Thinking
85%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
85%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Learning
83%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making
83%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking
83%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving
80%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Writing
80%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Systems Analysis
78%
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Top 10 Abilities
Problem Sensitivity
88%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning
85%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
85%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Comprehension
85%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension
85%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Category Flexibility
78%
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Near Vision
78%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Recognition
78%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Top 10 Work Activities
Analyzing Data or Information
97%
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Getting Information
97%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Interacting With Computers
94%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Processing Information
94%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
91%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
90%
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
87%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
86%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
86%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
84%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Detailed Work Activities
Communicate with government agencies.
Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
Train personnel in technical or scientific procedures.
Direct medical science or healthcare programs.
Research diseases or parasites.
Plan biological research.
Establish standards for products, processes, or procedures.
Develop methods of social or economic research.
Advise others on healthcare matters.
Supervise scientific or technical personnel.
Instruct college students in physical or life sciences.
Establish standards for medical care.
Analyze biological samples.
Work Context
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Education
Majors
Major
Interests
Investigative
100%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social
58%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic
53%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
48%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising
43%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic
24%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Top 10 Work Styles
Analytical Thinking
95%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Integrity
94%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail
90%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability
86%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative
86%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Achievement/Effort
82%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Persistence
82%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Cooperation
80%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Leadership
80%
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Independence
78%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Work Values
Achievement
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Relationships
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Working Conditions
65%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Support
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
