Infusing professional and leadership training into public health curricula: Day One

As public health training becomes more cross-disciplinary and focused on professional competencies, integration of academic training and practice is essential. “Day One” at the University of Memphis School of Public Health is a yearlong series of workshops for MPH and MHA students designed to promote professional skills in leadership, team-building, and career readiness.  Using feedback from public health and health care practitioners, workshops were developed to prepare students for professional success immediately upon graduation.  Workshop topics include leadership (team-building, collaboration, problem-solving, conflict management skills); professionalism (transparency, integrity); communication (effective writing and oral presentations); job search skills (resume and cover letter preparation, interviewing, social networking), and advocacy.  Most skills covered in “Day One” are included in the ASPH cross-cutting competencies. Student feedback has been very positive, citing this as one of the most valuable experiences in their graduate training. Future directions would include tailoring this type training to undergraduate education, as younger students would need stronger preparation for entry level jobs in public health.