Competencies for interdisciplinary public health research

Interdisciplinary studies are essential to the development and application of new knowledge in public health, and effective training of new researchers requires that interdisciplinary training be competency-based. Interdisciplinary competencies provide a framework for developing scholars prepared to engage in interdisciplinary research and use this research to guide health policy. This research identifies the competencies necessary for a public health researcher to participate successfully in interdisciplinary research.

Based upon an established definition of interdisciplinary research, this research used a Delphi process panel of 30 interdisciplinary experts (drawn from published authors from a wide range of disciplines engaged in interdisciplinary research at a wide variety of institutions) to move from candidate competencies to a set of competencies that can be used to guide health education and learning experiences. Following three successive rounds of feedback, the Delphi panel reached consensus on 17 competencies necessary for interdisciplinary research. These competencies describe the activities that can be undertaken by a well-prepared scholar trained to participate in interdisciplinary research.

Competency statements written for curriculum, training, or development purposes can lead to the building of successful, well balanced interdisciplinary research programs in which interdisciplinary scholars and practitioners can be recruited and retained. Using these competencies, training programs can organize opportunities for students to master the varying combinations of knowledge, attitude and skills essential to successful performance. Given the stated interest of national research leaders in interdisciplinary health scholarship, it is essential to develop a generation of scholars who are prepared to work in this challenging environment.