Health Policy & Law Careers.

Overview

A career in Health Policy & Law can help to shape policies and laws that govern the healthcare system and health initiatives – improving lives and health outcomes across the globe. Major challenges for someone in this field include implementing and updating the Affordable Care Act, designing and financing innovative health systems, forestalling climate change, addressing mental health and substance use, distributing scarce resources, reducing health disparities, advocating policy changes, and allocating the roles of the public and private sectors.

Career Pathways For Health Policy & Law Students

Common Job Titles

  • Policy / Research Analyst
  • Health Policy Advisor / Analyst / Consultant
  • Policy & Advocacy Specialist
  • Patient / Policy Advocate
  • Public Health Analyst
  • Government Affairs Specialist
  • Government Relations Specialist
  • Regulatory Affairs Analyst/Officer
  • Public Policy and Advocacy Coordinator/Manager
  • Legislative Aide
  • Campaign Coordinator / Manager
  • Program Manager / Associate / Coordinator
  • Community Health Advocate
  • Advocacy Manager
  • Health Communications Specialist
  • Regulatory / Medical Affairs Specialist
  • Patient Advocacy
  • Client Success Manager
  • Patient Support Specialist

Core Competencies & Skills Needed

  • Knowledge of state and federal policies
  • Understanding of legislative and political processes
  • Understanding of relevant health care issues
  • Legal and policy analysis
  • Data management – advanced Excel
  • Data analysis skills – SAS
  • Qualitative and quantitative research skills
  • Ability to creatively problem solve and make recommendations for action steps
  • Can take complicated issues and distill into short briefs
  • Tact and a knack for persuasion
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Personal interest in organizational goals
  • Experience with advocacy or grassroots organizing (for Advocacy-oriented roles)
  • Excellent critical thinking skills
  • Ability to understand health issues from every angle, where there is no “right” answer
  • Passionate about issues, can “frame” an issue, and understand balance between policy and advocacy (for Advocacy roles)
  • Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to work with multiple stakeholder groups

Where These Positions Can Be Found

  • Government (local, state, federal)
    • Be sure to submit applications within the first 15 days of the job being posted and follow the instructions
    • If considering the Boston Public Health Commission, you must be a Boston resident to be considered
  • Research Firms / Academic Institutions
  • Hospitals
  • Nonprofits and NGO’s (including advocacy groups, think tanks, community organizations)
  • Pharmaceutical/Biotech/Life Sciences Companies
  • Clinical Research Organizations (CRO’s)
  • Insurance Companies
  • Select Law Firms

Salary Expectations

Experience plays a major role in determining salary for most positions. Other factors such as sector, location, and internal equity also play a big role. For example, salary ranges for industries like Pharma, Consulting, and Biotech are often significantly higher than the same level positions in state legislatures or academic institutions (hospitals, universities) and nonprofits.

If you are interested in policy work at the state government level, these too, can have varying ranges. Positions in the state legislature tend to be the lowest paying. However, they are amazing springboards into higher level and paid positions after a couple of years. For those who want to gain that experience, we hear year after year from our alumni that those low paying jobs post-graduation opened many doors in their careers down the road. As for positions in the Executive Branch, such as MassHealth, Mass Department of Public Health and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the salary ranges are posted and where an offer will fall within the range is often unclear, but depending on your level of experience, do not expect the high end of the range.

You can view the BUSPH graduate employment data here. Salary information is housed under Health Policy & Law.

Experience plays a major role in determining salary for these positions. It is also based on sector, location, and internal equity. For example, salary ranges for industries like Pharma and Biotech are often quite different from legislature or academic institutions (hospitals, universities) and nonprofits.
If you are interested in policy work at the state government level, these roles are low paying, however, they are amazing springboards into higher level and paid positions after a couple of years.

You can view the BUSPH graduate employment data here. Salary information is housed under Health Policy & Law

Sample Resume

Check out our resume and cover letter section of the website. Specifically review the sample Health Policy & Law resume to help you craft your resume.

Specific Considerations for Applications

  • Data analysis and quantitative skills are becoming increasingly important in health policy roles. SAS, R, Advanced Excel can only strengthen your candidacy.
  • Networking is particularly important for those interested in health policy work.
  • If you’re applying to issue specific advocacy and policy roles be sure to mention your interest, especially if you have little experience.

Job Outlook & Descriptions

Job Boards

Associations & Organizations

  • American Public Health Association
  • Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
  • Centers for Law and the Public’s Health
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
  • European Association of Health Law
  • Health Action International
  • Human Rights Campaign
  • Human Rights First
  • Human Rights Watch
  • National Association for Healthcare Quality
  • National Health Law Program
  • Public Health Foundation
  • Youth for Human Rights