Introduction to public health careers for middle and high school students: An ASPH grant funded project

Background: The goal was to introduce middle and high school students to public health careers and to develop an infrastructure for the promotion of public health careers to increase and diversify the future public health workforce to be more representative of the population of Connecticut and the nation. The Office of Community Health, Yale School of Public Health, partnered with the departments of public health at Southern Connecticut State University and the University of Connecticut on the project. The Connecticut Public Health Association, the Connecticut Association of Directors of Health and the Partnership for Workforce Development were active supporters.

Methods: School districts with large populations of racial and ethnic minority students were primary targets. Health directors were enlisted to be ambassadors having entree into the schools due to established contacts concerning Emergency Preparedness planning. Additionally, each of the project staff had been public health practitioners; therefore, previously established relationships with health directors existed. A consultant with expertise in school-based health careers curricula was hired to develop an age-appropriate toolkit to introduce students to public health careers and to develop mentor training materials. The toolkit served as a framework to train mentors and school-based champions who utilized the materials in classrooms or other public health settings. Classroom teachers received a copy of the toolkit.

Results:15 mentors trained; more than 25 presentations made to over 600 students and 80 teachers in eight towns, two statewide student organizations, and one statewide teachers' organization, exceeding objectives. Due to high interest, the project continues.