Educating the public health workforce : issues and challenges

Abstract

Background: In public health, as well as other health education contexts, there is increasing
recognition of the transformation in public health practice and the necessity for educational
providers to keep pace. Traditionally, public health education has been at the postgraduate level;
however, over the past decade an upsurge in the growth of undergraduate public health degrees
has taken place.
Discussion: This article explores the impact of these changes on the traditional sphere of Master
of Public Health programs, the range of competencies required at undergraduate and postgraduate
levels, and the relevance of these changes to the public health workforce. It raises questions about
the complexity of educational issues facing tertiary institutions and discusses the implications of
these issues on undergraduate and postgraduate programs in public health.
Conclusion: The planning and provisioning of education in public health must differentiate
between the requirements of undergraduate and postgraduate students – while also addressing the
changing needs of the health workforce. Within Australia, although significant research has been
undertaken regarding the competencies required by postgraduate public health students, the
approach is still somewhat piecemeal, and does not address undergraduate public health. This
paper argues for a consistent approach to competencies that describe and differentiate entry-level
and advanced practice.