Epidemiologists
Human Advantage 74%
Significant human skills needed
AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.2 / 10
This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.
Investigate and describe the determinants and distribution of disease, disability, or health outcomes. May develop the means for prevention and control.
Also Known As: Chronic Disease Epidemiologist, Clinical Epidemiologist, Clinical Lab Scientist (Clinical Laboratory Scientist), Clinical Researcher, Communicable Diseases Specialist, Environmental Epidemiologist, Epidemiologist, Epidemiologist Researcher +20 more
Core Tasks
- Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.
- Oversee public health programs, including statistical analysis, health care planning, surveillance systems, and public health improvement.
- Investigate diseases or parasites to determine cause and risk factors, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission.
- Educate healthcare workers, patients, and the public about infectious and communicable diseases, including disease transmission and prevention.
- 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.
- Provide expertise in the design, management and evaluation of study protocols and health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis.
- Write articles for publication in professional journals.
- Identify and analyze public health issues related to foodborne parasitic diseases and their impact on public policies, scientific studies, or surveys.
- Write grant applications to fund epidemiologic research.
- Plan, administer and evaluate health safety standards and programs to improve public health, conferring with health department, industry personnel, physicians, and others.
- Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings.
- Consult with and advise physicians, educators, researchers, government health officials and others regarding medical applications of sciences, such as physics, biology, and chemistry.
- Supervise professional, technical, and clerical personnel.
Supplemental Tasks (2)
- Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
- Prepare and analyze samples to study effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, or microorganisms on cell structure and tissue.
Emerging Tasks
New and evolving responsibilities for this role:
- Teach epidemiology to students in public health programs.
Education & Training
Job Zone 5 Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
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).
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.
On-the-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.
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.
Technology & Tools
Hot Technologies
Software (44)
Tools & Equipment (3)
Where This Career Leads
Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.
Local, State, & Federal Services Advanced Manufacturing
Zone 2
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents 77% match
Zone 3
Detectives and Criminal Investigators 78% match
Zone 5
Epidemiologists You are here
Resume Builder
Select key tasks to generate action-oriented resume bullets for Epidemiologists positions.
Your Resume Bullets
Related Occupations
Show all 20 related occupations
Real Talk
Hear from real Epidemiologistss about their work: