Dawn Gentsch, MPH, CHES¹, Christopher Atchison, MPA², Tanya Uden-Holman, PhD¹, and Barry Greene, PhD². (1) Institute for Public Health Practice, University of Iowa College of Public Health, 200 10th St., 5th Floor, Clemens Building, Des Moines, IA 50309, 515-282-4548, dawn-gentsch@uiowa.edu, (2) College of Public Health, University of Iowa, E220B GH, Iowa City, IA 52242

The Institute for Public Health Practice (IPHI) at the University of Iowa College of Public Health is addressing the issue of competency identification for all curricula designed for continuing education, workforce training and related activities. A process is being operationalized to link and integrate public health competencies from the Council on Linkages, and other relevant competency sets, to learner objectives, performance outcomes and evaluation methods. Furthermore the competency sets are also linked to the essential public health services as a fundamental and consistent organizational tool. Assessment data from the target audience is being utilized and small groups of potential learners are being asked to validate the objectives and linked competencies. IPHI is home to a HRSA funded public health training center and a CDC funded academic preparedness center. We work to advance the quality of public health practice and its workforce in the upper Midwest states of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Continuing education activities utilize various distance learning modalities and they are coordinated through a web-based learning management system (LMS). Our public health competency efforts are being incorporated into the LMS and tied to an on-line assessment tool that learners use and update as determined necessary, showing a change in their competence over time. Two projects involved in this process are Public Health Ready and an environmental health capacity initiative. This session will outline the process that has been developed, provide specific examples, discuss lessons learned and solicit input on strategies for improvement and refinement.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify public health competency sets.
• Explain how public health competencies are being used for public health workforce development in the upper Midwest.
• Summarize the process elements for identifying competencies and linking them to learning objectives.
• Discuss how individuals are demonstrating competency.

Keywords: Competency, Workforce

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: University of Iowa College of Public Health
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Handout (.ppt format, 1527.5 kb)