Evidence-based approaches to public health

1. Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of  settings and situations in public health practice
2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate
4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice

Public health & health care systems

5. Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings
6. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and  create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels

Planning & management to promote health

7. Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health
8. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs
9. Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention
10. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management
11. Select methods to evaluate public health programs

Policy in public health

12. Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
13. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
14. Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
15. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity

Leadership

16. Apply principles of leadership, governance and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making
17. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges

Communication

18. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
19. Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
20. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content

Interprofessional practice

21. Perform effectively on interprofessional teams

Systems thinking

22. Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue

Health Promotion and Policy emphasis competencies

1. Identify individual, organizational, and community concerns, resources, and needs for community-based interventions.
2. Describe steps and procedures for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health programs, policies, and interventions.
3. Understand the legal and ethical dilemmas posed by public health policy implementation.
4. State policy options and write clear and concise policy statements.
5. Identify, interpret, and understand the process for implementing public health laws, regulations, and policies related to specific programs.

Veterinary Public Health emphasis competencies

1. Understand the key role that animals and vectors play in the physical, mental and social well being of humans.
2. Define the key concepts in zoonotic disease diagnosis, control, and prevention.
3. Evaluate a surveillance system for important zoonosis.
4. Clearly identify a health care worker’s legal responsibilities in reporting zoonotic disease outbreaks and their interaction with the boarder U.S. public health system.
5. Describe mitigation, disaster preparedness, response, and recovery as it relates to a bioterrorism event and be prepared to be a key participant in the development and implementation of an emergency response plan.
6. Describe the government’s, private sector’s and health care provider’s role in food safety.
7. Describe how animal welfare, food safety, animal control and animal sheltering impact public health.
8. Identify environmental challenges that threaten ecosystem balance and explain how habitat preservation is important to public health.

Overview of public health

Address the history and philosophy of public health as well as its core values, concepts, and functions across the globe and in society.

• Public health history
• Public health philosophy
• Core public health values
• Core public health concepts
• Global functions of public health
• Societal functions of public health

Role and importance of data in public health

Address the basic concepts, methods, and tools of public health data collection, use, and analysis and why evidence-based approaches are an essential part of public health practice.

• Basic concepts of data collection
• Basic methods of data collection
• Basic tools of data collection
• Data usage
• Data analysis
• Evidence-based approaches

Identifying and addressing population health challenges

Address the concepts of population health, and the basic processes, approaches, and interventions that identify and address the major health-related needs and concerns of populations.

• Population health concepts
• Introduction to processes and approaches to identify needs and concerns of populations
• Introduction to approaches and interventions to address needs and concerns of populations

Human health

Address the underlying science of human health and disease including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the life course.

• Science of human health and disease
• Health promotion
• Health protection

Determinants of health

Address the socio-economic, behavioral, biological, environmental, and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities.

• Socio-economic impacts on human health and health disparities
• Behavioral factors impacts on human health and health disparities
• Biological factors impacts on human health and health disparities
• Environmental factors impacts on human health and health disparities

Project implementation

Address the fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment, and evaluation.

• Introduction to planning concepts and features
• Introduction to assessment concepts and features
• Introduction to evaluation concepts and features

Overview of the health system

Address the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the U.S. health system as well as to the differences in systems in other countries.

• Characteristics and structures of the U.S. health system
• Comparative health systems

Health policy, law, ethics, and economics

Address the basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy, and the roles, influences and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government.

• Legal dimensions of health care and public health policy
• Ethical dimensions of health care and public health policy
• Economical dimensions of health care and public health policy
• Regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy
• Governmental agency roles in health care and public health policy

Health communications

Address the basic concepts of public health-specific communication, including technical and professional writing and the use of mass media and electronic technology.

• Technical writing
• Professional writing
• Use of mass media
• Use of electronic technology

Public health communication

Students should be able to communicate public health information, in both oral and written forms and through a variety of media, to diverse audiences.

• Oral communication
• Written communication
• Communicate with diverse audiences
• Communicate through variety of media

Information literacy

Students should be able to locate, use, evaluate and synthesize public health information.

• Locate information
• Use information
• Evaluate information
• Synthesize information