The current academic public health infrastructure is not sufficient to meet the public health needs in California.
In June 2005, the University-wide Health Sciences Committee issued its full report titled “Health Sciences Education: Workforce Needs and Enrollment Planning”.
- California’s public health workforce is insufficient and needs are growing.
- Public health education is a primary means to strengthen the public health workforce.
- California’s population is increasingly diverse and its needs are not being met.
- UC and public health agencies are in a position to provide mutual assistance.
- Alumni databases for UC Schools of Public Health are inadequate
Recommendations included:
- Increase masters’ level enrollment
- Broaden the variety of degree offerings
- Expand undergraduate programs in public health
- Examine options for distance learning, executive education, and continuing education
- Diversify the student and faculty bodies and recruit students from those communities most affected by health disparities
- Incorporate cultural competency training
- Increase emphasis on public health practice
- Expand relationships between UC schools and local and regional public health organizations.
- Improve alumni tracking and information
A follow-up to this initial report entitled “A Compelling Case For Growth" was submitted to President Dynes by the Advisory Council on Future Growth in the Health Professions in November 2006. This report again noted the serious and growing deficiencies in the training, preparation and size of the state and national public health workforce, and recommended a 180% increase in masters student enrollments by 2020. It further noted that the magnitude of the needed growth exceeds the capacity of current programs and schools and that “even with significant infrastructure support, unmet demand will still warrant planning towards the future establishment of at least one new School of Public Health.” A new UC Davis School of Public Health will dramatically help achieve the enrollment growth, as recommended in the report.
The following links provide further information on the public health needs of California.
This chapter comes from a soon to be published book on the Future of Public Health and is particularly informative and stimulating regarding the role and challenges of public health schools in the next 25 years. It is based on a series
of Millenium Symposium series given at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Final report of the Health Sciences Committee, April 2004
American Public Health Association Issue Brief,September 2006
