Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 28, 2025
Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology
Published on: September 28, 2022
Levers of Change: How to Help Build the Public Health Workforce of the Future
Genevive R Meredith1, Christina R Welter, Kris Risley
1Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (Dr Meredith); Departments of Health Policy and Administration (Drs Welter and Jarpe-Ratner) and Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Dr Seweryn), School of Public Health (Dr Altfeld), University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; and de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland (Dr Risley).
Context:
Public health leaders are working to rebuild the US public health workforce. Master of Public Health (MPH) programs have a stake in this, given their role in educating and training public health practitioners. Over the last 10 years, MPH programs have implemented changes to program structure, content, and approach, but workforce gaps persist.
Objective:
This study sought to explore the factors that inform and influence MPH program design and changes they make in order to elucidate how MPH programs may be further engaged to help address current and future public health workforce needs.
Design:
Sequential mixed-methods study.
Setting:
US MPH programs accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), and applicants approved to seek accreditation.
Participants:
In total, 115 representatives representing at least 43% of the 215 accredited/applicant MPH programs in the United States.
Main Outcome Measures:
Factors that inform and influence programmatic and curricular changes within MPH programs.
Results:
The shifts that MPH programs have made to program focus and the approaches used to support student competence development are influenced by individual, programmatic, institutional, and national factors, including faculty and staff background, access to resources, program team/faculty culture, access to resources, program placement, university priorities, and national policies. Most influential in catalyzing changes made by MPH programs between 2015 and 2020 were CEPH MPH accreditation standards, feedback from interested parties, learning best practices, university initiatives, and access to resources including funding and faculty. Identified factors served as facilitators and/or as barriers, depending on the context.
Conclusions:
There are multiple levers at different levels that may be utilized by national public health leaders, university administrators, and program constituents to effect change within MPH programs, helping them to be even better positioned to help address public health workforce needs of today and tomorrow.
Related Concept Videos
01:28International Nursing Organizations II
The WHO provides expert team support, including funding, vaccines, testing, and treatment tools at the country level to fight...
01:18Introduction To Health Care Delivery System
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) advocates for a patient-centered, effective, safe, timely, equitable, and effective healthcare system. The National Priorities...
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
01:18Steps in Outbreak Investigation
01:28Current Trends in Nursing I
01:17Healthcare Agencies II
Parish nursing is a growing specialty nursing profession that focuses on holistic healthcare, health promotion, and illness prevention. It blends professional nursing practice with a health ministry, focusing on health and healing within the context of a Christian community. Parish nurses serve as health educators, referral sources,...