Learn what training and certification is required to become a certified public health inspector by following this step-by-step guide.
Public health inspectors play a large role in keeping the public healthy. They ensure that businesses that serve the public operate under health and safety regulations.
To become a certified public health inspector, you'll need to meet certain education and experience requirements. We've broken down all you need to know below.
What is a Public Health Inspector?
Public health inspectors typically work for the government. They monitor businesses, such as restaurants, to ensure those businesses are operating under the necessary safety and sanitization requirements.
While restaurants are a common type of business for public health inspectors to visit, there are many other places they monitor. These may include:
- food trucks
- health care facilities
- hotels
- housing complexes
- recreational areas
- schools
The primary job of a health inspector is to ensure public health by monitoring business practices. Job duties may include:
- inspecting businesses for health, safety, and sanitation violations
- taking samples and sending them to labs for testing
- issuing fines to businesses that fail to maintain standards
- suspending business licenses of businesses that fail to maintain standards
- doing follow-up inspections
- staying up-to-date on health and safety laws and information
- creating and implementing public health education programs
Becoming a health inspector requires education and experience. Below, we've broken down the basic steps you'll need to take to make this your career.
<h2 id="section---Step1EarnADegree">Step 1: Earn a Degree</h2><p>To become a public health inspector, you'll need at a minimum an associate degree. However, many employers prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree.
</p><p>Bachelor's degree programs usually require around 120 credits and take about four years to complete.
</p><p>There is no specific degree for public health inspection. <b>Instead, you can choose a degree with a major such as:</b>
</p><ul><li>food safety
</li><li>health science
</li><li>natural science
</li><li>public health
</li></ul><p>Whatever major you pick, you should choose something that offers a good foundation in biology, chemistry, and health sciences.
</p><p>While a <a href="https://learn.org/article_directory/Masters_Degree_FAQs.html">master's degree</a> is not a requirement to start your career, it may be necessary to advance to certain levels of public health inspection.
</p><p>If you want to become certified, some certifications require that you graduate from a program that's been accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
</p><p>The CEPH accredits bachelor's and master's programs in public health. You can find a full list of all their accredited programs at ceph.org.
</p><h2 id="section---Step2GainExperience">Step 2: Gain Experience</h2><p>Many types of certification require that you have some experience in the field before you can become certified.
</p><p>One great way to gain experience is through an internship. Internships allow you to get experience while you're still in school.
</p><p>Entry-level jobs through public health programs can also give you the experience you need to become certified.
</p><p>Most public health inspector jobs don't expect you to know the ins and outs of health inspection right away.
</p><p>They offer on-the-job training so you can get hands-on experience under the supervision of an experienced health inspector.
</p><h2 id="section---Step3ObtainCertification">Step 3: Obtain Certification</h2><p>Public health inspectors have a few different options for certification. Each option has different requirements, so it's important to check that you meet the specific requirements of the certification you choose.
</p><h3 id="section---NationalBoardOfPublicHealthExaminers">National Board of Public Health Examiners</h3><p>The National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) offers a Certified in Public Health (CPH) certification. It's one of the most common certifications for public health inspectors.
</p><p>To become certified, you must meet certain requirements and pass the CPH exam. There are a few different pathways that provide eligibility for the exam. <b>These are:</b>
</p><ul><li>be a student of a school or program of public health accredited by the CEPH
</li><li>be a graduate of a school or program of public health accredited by the CEPH
</li><li>be a public health faculty member with a graduate-level degree and at least three years of experience in public health
</li><li>have a bachelor's degree in any field and at least five years of public health work experience
</li><li>have a relevant graduate-level degree and at least three years of public health work experience
</li><li>have a graduate-level certificate from a school or program of public health accredited by the CEPH and at least three years of public health work experience
</li></ul><p>Once you qualify, you can take the certification exam. <b>The exam covers 10 domain areas of public health:</b>
</p><ul><li>collaboration and partnership
</li><li>communication
</li><li>evidence¨Cbased approaches to public health
</li><li>health equity and social justice
</li><li>law and ethics
</li><li>leadership
</li><li>policy in public health
</li><li>program management
</li><li>program planning and evaluation
</li><li>public health biology and human disease risk
</li></ul><p>The exam is made up of 200 multiple-choice questions. Most candidates finish in three hours, but you have four hours total to take the exam.
</p><p>Students can choose to test in person at a computer-based testing center or to test online through a live online proctoring system.
</p><h3 id="section---NationalEnvironmentalHealthAssociation">National Environmental Health Association</h3><p>The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) is another popular certification body for health and safety inspectors.
</p><p>Certifications from the NEHA are more specific, and many of them are rooted in environmental health and safety. <b>Certificaitons include:</b>
</p><ul><li>Certified in Comprehensive Food Safety (CCFS)
</li><li>Certified Foodborne Outbreak Investigator (CFOI)
</li><li>Certified Professional¨CFood Safety (CP-FS)
</li></ul><p>Each certification requires different levels of education and experience. Review courses are available to give you the best chance at passing the required exams.
</p><p>You can learn more about the different NEHA credentials at neha.org.
</p><h2 id="section---BecomeACertifiedPublicHealthInspector">Become a Certified Public Health Inspector</h2><p><a href="https://learn.org/article_directory/Career_Planning_FAQs.html">Starting your career</a> as a certified public health inspector requires a bachelor's degree and certification. Also, be sure to gain experience through an internship.</p>
