Online Program

279714
Public health advancement strategies enhancing success (PHASES): A model for professional development training and mentoring for the public health workforce


Monday, November 4, 2013 : 2:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.

Akilah Cadet, MPH, Quality Management--Department of Education and Training, San Francisco Department of Public Health--San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA
Alecia Martin, MPH, Maternal Child and Adolescent Health, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
Professional development is critical to advancing a public health workforce capable of a) implementing health care reform, b) developing innovative solutions to difficult public health problems, c) building and sustaining a diverse workforce, d) preparing replacements for approaching retirees and e) providing opportunities for individual career advancement. However, few public health agencies provide professional development training and mentoring opportunities to their staff and community partners. A survey of professional development needs conducted by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) found that 100% of survey respondents identified mentoring as important to professional development. Additionally, a review of the literature found that few cohesive strategies exist for preparing the public health workforce for organizational change; most recently attributed to health care reform. The PHASES (Public Health Advancement Strategies Enhancing Success) Professional Development Cycle was developed to support the professional development needs of the public health workforce. The PHASES Professional Development Cycle outlines four areas to continuously address: 1) leadership; 2) education; 3) mentoring; and 4) experience. Identifying these four key areas provides an opportunity for agencies and community partners to assess areas of professional development competence and develop career pathways within the public health infrastructure. Three recent trainings conducted and evaluated over two years were designed by the San Francisco General Hospital's Department of Education and Training and the SFDPH Health Education Training Center to address the evolving needs of public health professionals. Participant evaluations of more than 100 attendees conclude that the PHASES cycle can be effectively used as a framework to develop the professional needs of entry, program management/supervisory and senior management/executive levels of the public health workforce.

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership
Diversity and culture
Public health or related education
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
List the four areas of the PHASES Professional Development Cycle. Identify strategies for developing a professional development training for the public health workforce. Articulate the importance of professional development training and mentoring to support a competent public health workforce.

Keyword(s): Professional Development, Career Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: With several years of management experience, I have created various professional development trainings, programs and opportunities for agencies and direct staff. In addition to my continuing professional career, I am currently a doctoral student studying leadership and the organizational behavior of public health agencies. My professional and educational interests include mentoring and professional development.
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.