218524 Educating a future public health workforce and citizenry: Engaging local boards of health and health departments

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 12:44 PM - 12:56 PM

Marc D. Hiller, MPH, DrPH , Department of Health Management and Policy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Rosemary M. Caron, PhD, MPH , Health Management and Policy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
The Institute of Medicine (2003) concluded that keeping the public healthy required not only a well-educated public health workforce but also an educated citizenry, thus leading to its recommendation that “all undergraduates should have access to education in public health.” In response to this call, the authors studied the feasibility and value in building a functional collaborative model for college faculty and practitioners from local health departments and boards of health to educate tomorrow's public health workforce and to promote an understanding of public health by the general citizenry. Local and regional health departments and boards of health in several states in the Northeast were surveyed to: (1) establish a baseline of ongoing working relationships between them and nearby two-year community colleges and/or four-year liberal arts colleges; (2) examine their actual or perceived role as public health educators for undergraduates and residents within their local communities; (3) assess how they collaboratively promote public health workforce development; and (4) analyze how local practitioners employ the common essential public health services in contributing to a meaningful public understanding of “What is public health?” The authors define how effective collaborations facilitate a broad-based, universal appreciation of public health among undergraduates and the citizenry. This approach combining basic public health lessons with the practical experience, expertise, and leadership offered by local boards of health and health departments fosters a real, stronger understanding of public health, its importance, practice, and relevance in today's society from a public health workforce and civic standpoint.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Describe an innovative, trans-disciplinary approach to educate undergraduates about public health. Describe the collaborations between liberal arts and community colleges and public health practitioners from local health departments and boards of health designed to promote student interest in pursuing future careers in the public health workforce. Discuss how a college (academic) and local health department and/or board of health (practitioner) partnership can advance the understanding and appreciation of public health for undergraduates and public citizens.

Keywords: Public Health Education, Students

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Professor of Public Health for undergraduate students for 30+ years; Past member of 2 local boards of health; Current member of county district public health council; NALBOH member.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.