School of Public Health Self-Study Report > 2.0 Instructional Programs > 2.6 Required Competencies

2.6 Required Competencies

• 2.6.a. Identification of core public health competencies expected
• 2.6.b. Matrix identifying the learning experiences by which the core public health competencies are met
• 2.6.c. Competencies — and learning and evaluation opportunities — for each major program (professional and academic) identified in the Instructional Matrix.
• 2.6.d. Description of the manner in which competencies are developed, used and made available to students.
• 2.6.e. Manner in which School periodically assesses the changing needs of public health practice and uses this information to establish competencies for its educational programs
• 2.6.f. This criterion is met.

2.6.a. Identification of core public health competencies expected

2.6.b. Matrix identifying the learning experiences by which the core public health competencies are met

2.6.c. Competencies - and learning and evaluation opportunities - for each major program (professional and academic) identified in the Instructional Matrix.

Please see Appendix 2.6.c., which identifies competencies and learning and evaluation opportunities for each major program (Biostatistics M.P.H./M.S./Ph.D.; Clinical Research M.S.; Community Health Education M.P.H.; Environmental Health M.P.H./M.S./Ph.D.; Epidemiology M.P.H./Ph.D.; Health Services Research, Policy & Administration M.S./Ph.D.; Healthcare Administration M.H.A.; Maternal & Child Health M.P.H.; Public Health Administration and Policy M.P.H.; Public Health Nutrition M.P.H.; Public Health Practice M.P.H. and certificates).

2.6.d. Description of the manner in which competencies are developed, used and made available to students.

2.6.e. Manner in which School periodically assesses the changing needs of public health practice and uses this information to establish competencies for its educational programs

• Needs assessments conducted in a variety of diverse settings:
  - A comprehensive needs assessment was completed by the School's Centers for Public Health Education and Outreach (CPHEO) in 2003-2006 to identify gaps in the knowledge of public health practitioners in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota in core public health and emergency readiness competencies.
  - Ongoing inquiry into the practice and emerging training and education needs is conducted through conversations with members of the advisory boards to the School's majors and centers and with attendees at major national and regional conferences at which the School exhibits. In a variation on this approach, in August 2006, the School invited over 3,000 alumni to the Minnesota State Fair for "Cowabunga! Visit Us at the Fair," an event aimed at learning more about how the School can meet their educational and training needs.
  - An annual survey of public health professionals (half of whom are alumni) who serve as mentors to students as part of the School's mentor program is conducted for feedback and program improvement.
• Review and revision of the School and its programs are ongoing through a variety of mechanisms that inform the establishment of competencies. Information is gathered through national competency sets and informed by expertise within the major area. See Appendix 2.6.c. for a complete list of competency statements by major program.
• Select employer and competency-based surveys of alumni also inform the revision of curricula based on the changing needs of public health practice:
  - Select programs within the School have conducted employer and competency based surveys of alumni. (Please see Chapter 2.7.f. for a description.)

2.6.f. This criterion is met.

• All M.P.H. and M.H.A. students are required to satisfy competency requirements in the five core areas of public health, plus ethics as a sixth core requirement.
• Major programs - both professional and academic - identify the competencies based on consideration of profession-wide competencies and the emerging evidence base.
• Review and revision of required competencies are ongoing. The School uses needs assessments, ongoing discussions with alumni, advisory board members and other practitioners and surveys of public health professionals to assess evolving public health competencies.

• A competency-based curricula requires constant alignment of course and experiential learning objectives with professional and academic competencies. This process is very time consuming and resource intensive.

• Continue the competency mapping process, taking into consideration the ASPH competency project to best prepare the next generation of public health professional, academic and scientific leaders.