Pandemic Flu Summit an Unforgettable Experience for Students

By John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
Feb. 12, 2007

Author Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point is a great read for understanding how national and global trends sprout and blossom. Among the "farmers" who seed and nurture them, the author points to key individuals called "connectors." They are the ones who have an inexhaustible supply of people, places, and ideas whom they connect with one another to start the next trend growing. I believe that the SPH's own Michael Osterholm is one of these "farmers." He started life on an Iowa farmstead, after all, so the idea of growing things -- even global trends -- is not foreign to him.

Last week, Mike invited me to the Second National Summit on Business Preparedness for Pandemic Influenza that he and his hard working staff put together in Orlando. Hundreds of executives from the global business community, Fortune 500 companies and small business owners, attended to learn what they can do to prepare for an eventual influenza pandemic. While the conference last year planted lots of seeds on skeptical ground, it was clear this year that preparedness planning has taken root in the business community.

The private sector is engaged in planning to reduce the economic and social disruption of an event such as pandemic influenza, using their global networks, putting decision-making processes in place, and recognizing that life will go on even in the face of such an unthinkable event. How well it goes on is what preparedness is about. It was also clear in listening to executives that pandemic influenza preparedness ports well to other more localized disasters and disruptions; that private-sector preparedness has public sector benefit; and that public health (at least in this regard) has become important to businesses.

But if I was fortunate to attend the conference, much more fortunate were students in Mike Osterholm's spring semester SPH course who also attended and mixed with private sector leaders and luminaries such as former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. She graciously spent about 30 minutes exclusively with Mike's students to discuss the importance of public health in the world and how relationships shape public policy. Even the executives didn't get that kind of "face time." The Secretary, although short in physical stature, looms large in spirit and experience.

You don't have to take my word for all of this, however. Several of Mike's students "blogged" their way through the conference. Their observations also make a great read. You can find them here: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/sphpod/panflu/

(a slideshow with audio is also available at: www.sph.umn.edu/about/slideshow.html).

Their observations show public health learning in action. My thanks to Mike and his entire staff for giving so many of our students an unforgettable experience.