Ten years of health communication education

During the last 10 years, health communication professionals have made substantial contributions to improving the public's health through accomplishments in theory development, research, practice, policy, health communication education, and public health communication capacity building. During this period, there has been a significant increase in the development of comprehensive graduate health communication programs or tracks in schools of public health and in communication departments. In 2003, the Institute of Medicine's report, "Educating Public Health Professionals for the 21st Century," recommended adding communication as a competency to be addressed in public health graduate curricula, and a number of activities have occurred since to put this recommendation into effect. Health communication courses also have been added to undergraduate curricula in communication departments. Additionally, more postdoctoral opportunities in health communication are being offered. This presentation will highlight major accomplishments in the last ten years in public health communication education, and discuss opportunities and challenges for the next 10 years.