Advancing Pedagogy in Leadership Practice to Enhance Public Health Impact

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Leadership Studies
• Health Education

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for skilled public health leadership to manage crises and rebuild trust.
• Public health education must prioritize leadership training to prepare professionals for emergent challenges.
• This study investigates current public health leadership practices and identifies training gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how public health professionals enact leadership.
• To identify discrepancies between existing leadership training and current public health needs.
• To inform the development of more effective public health leadership curricula.

Main Methods:

• A decade-long literature review (2012-2022) informed interview guide development.
• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 48 experienced public health leaders.
• Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was performed using NVivo software.

Main Results:

• Public health leadership involves influencing population health and developing future professionals.
• Self-reflection, personal experiences, active listening, valuing diversity, and mentorship are crucial leadership components.
• Key areas for training enhancement include interdisciplinary collaboration, community-centered approaches, grant writing, financial management, and AI integration.

Conclusions:

• Leadership training is vital in public health education, emphasizing reflective practice.
• Public health leadership programs should strengthen training in interdisciplinary collaboration and communication.
• Experiential learning is essential for developing leaders capable of navigating complex public health challenges.