Teaching Public Health: The Past & The Present Creating The Pipeline Boston University School of Public Health Boston, Mass March 26, 2018 Georges C. Benjamin, MD, MACP, FACEP (E), FNAPA Executive Director American Public Health Association
Traditional Governmental Workforce Numbers In Brief lowest range - 303,773 workers nationally, including 161,615 local, 66,846 state, and 75,312 federal public health workers. Midrange - 326,602 public health workers, including 161,615 local, 82,318 state, and 82,669 in federal settings. Highest range is 516,193 workers, with 161,615 in local public health, 110,547 in state public health, and 244,031 in federal public health agencies. University of Michigan Center of Excellence in Public Health Workforce Studies, 2013
Worker Categories • Nutritionist • Public Health Dentist • Public Health Manager • Public Health Nurse • Public Health Physician • Public Health Informatics Specialist • Public Information Specialist • Other Public Health Professional Administrative or Clerical Personnel Behavioral Health Professional Emergency Preparedness Staff Environmental Health Worker Epidemiologist Health Educator Laboratory Worker University of Michigan Center of Excellence in Public Health Workforce Studies, 2013
Nontraditional and Nongovernmental Sector No good measures of the research, nongovernmental nonprofits or private sector numbers
Other Public Health Workers Community health workers Faculty & students in schools & programs of public health Private sector public health workers Medicaid workers School health workers, Clinical public health workers Tribal public health workers Volunteer public health workers University of Michigan Center of Excellence in Public Health Workforce Studies, 2013
The Basic Work To Be Done Has Not Changed
The Practice and Research Environment Has Changed Social determinants are a bigger focus Globalization of health risks Social media impact on information & knowledge Internet has democratized information Aging population Increasingly diverse population
The Students Have Changed: Millennials (Gen Y) Entitled Tech-dependent Want instant gratification Big expectations Fearless
The Need For A Pipeline 38% plan to leave state governmental public health before 2020 (ASTHO PH WINS) 26% NACCHO top executive staff are age 60 or older (2016 survey) Less jobs in governmental public health but long term trends unclear Suggest an aging workforce that will need to be replaced
About APHA APHA is a global community of public health professionals and the collective voice for the health of the public. APHA is the only organization that combines 140 years of perspective, a broad-based constituency and the ability to influence federal policy to advocate for and improve the public’s health. Founded – April 18, 1872 501C(3) & Nonpartisan Over 50,000 individual & affiliate members