A public health doctor takes the perspective of health from a population level rather than individual cases and Sam from Mt Maunganui College is keen to learn more about this role from Dr Neil De Wet.
Neil is concerned with managing infectious diseases and promoting strategies to try and prevent the spread of infectious diseases throughout the population. One aspect of this is planning and funding and Sam and Neil get along to a meeting regarding a potential H1N1 pandemic. Neil explains a new swine flu pandemic would be carried by a small first wave of infected people followed by a bigger second wave and finally a smaller third wave and it is the big second wave that must be planned for.
Part of that involves the creation of a community based assessment centre, where those infected can be kept separated from the rest of the population. Sam visits a large community sports centre typical of what would be used if this occurred.
With the public health doctor's role involved in trying to stamp out disease in the community, the confirmation that Dave does have H1N1 means information must be collected regarding who he has been in contact with. Sam finds out from public health researcher Michael Baker that going into the field to collect information is an important aspect of his role so they visit Dave to do just that. They must then get in touch with all those people and offer them information about immunisation if appropriate, or treatment.
Find out more about this, and a huge variety of other careers, at http://www.justthejob.co.nz
