What Data Tools Matter for Your Public Health Career👀

Let’s be real—if you’re in public health and not using the right data tools, you’re leaving opportunities on the table. In our recent Data & Epidemiology Panel, we brought together top experts to share the tools that are shaping the future of public health. Trust me, these insights can change your career. And guess what? You can catch the full replay of this session in the Public Health Club today!

Key Takeaways:

1. SAS and R Lead the Pack:

   • SAS is the gold standard for federal work, with its reliability and advanced analytics capabilities. It’s favored by agencies like the CDC for handling large, complex datasets.

   • R, on the other hand, is a free, open-source tool that’s perfect for academia and nonprofit work due to its flexibility and strong community support.

   • Action Step: Choose one tool to master based on your career goals. If you’re targeting federal roles, start with SAS. For academic or nonprofit positions, dive into R. Both tools offer free or low-cost online training options to get you started.

2. GIS for Geographic Insights:

   • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools like ArcGIS are game-changers for visualizing health disparities and planning interventions. Whether mapping disease outbreaks or resource distribution, GIS helps make data actionable.

   • Action Step: Explore free GIS resources and tutorials online. Start with projects like mapping health facilities in your area or analyzing environmental health data.

3. Tableau and Power BI for Visual Storytelling:

   • Data visualization tools are critical for communicating findings to stakeholders. Tableau offers drag-and-drop functionality for creating interactive dashboards, while Power BI excels at integrating with other Microsoft tools.

   • Action Step: Build a sample dashboard using public health data from sources like the CDC or WHO. Practice presenting your visualizations to colleagues or mentors to refine your storytelling skills.

4. Excel: The Unsung Hero:

   • Even in an era of advanced tools, Excel remains indispensable for quick data cleaning and analysis. Pivot tables, conditional formatting, and basic statistical functions make it versatile.

   • Action Step: Brush up on Excel skills by practicing with real-world datasets. Focus on learning shortcuts and advanced features like Power Query for efficiency.

Want to learn how to apply these tools and elevate your public health career? Watch the full replay on-demand in the Public Health Club. Click here to join now.