Pathways to a Public Health Career

Like many other states, Minnesota is facing a serious shortage in public health workers particularly in public health nursing. This presentation will highlight Minnesota's collaborative efforts to encourage students to pursue a career in public health. Approximately 25% of Minnesota's public health workforce is a baccalaureate-prepared registered nurse. Recruiting for local health department employment faces numerous barriers. Salary disparities between public health and other nursing employment opportunities, student misperception that prior experience is required for public health employment and lack of a pool of candidates because of population shifts in rural Minnesota are examples of the barriers. The Minnesota Department of Health collaborates with baccalaureate schools of nursing and local health departments providing students experiences to promote employment in local health departments through regional collaborative groups. Discussion will include a description of clinical frameworks of education and practice developed within the regional collaborative groups, enhanced student experiences in public health that correspond to local public health department needs, a recruitment process that matches students interested in public health with potential employment opportunities in local public health, and an orientation program for new local public health staff and managers. Another collaborative strategy features a Web site devoted to encouraging Minnesotans of all ages to consider pursuing a career in public health. It provides basic information about the field of public health, including information on education, job opportunities and stories from practicing public health professionals.