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Core Competencies

Foundational Public Health Knowledge

Profession & Science of Public Health

  1. Explain public health history, philosophy and values
  2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services
  3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health
  4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program
  5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.
  6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge

Factors Related to Human Health

  1. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health
  2. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health
  3. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health
  4. Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities
  5. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease
  6. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (e.g., One Health)

Foundational Competencies

Evidence-based Approaches to Public Health

  1. Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice
  2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
  3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate
  4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice

Public Health & Health Care Systems

  1. Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings
  2. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels

Planning & Management to Promote Health

  1. Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health
  2. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs
  3. Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention
  4. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management
  5. Select methods to evaluate public health programs

Policy in Public Health

  1. Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
  2. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
  3. Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
  4. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity

Leadership

  1. Apply principles of leadership, governance and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making
  2. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges

Communication

  1. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
  2. Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
  3. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content

Interprofessional Practice

  1. Perform effectively on interprofessional teams

Systems Thinking

  1. Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue

MPH Generalist Competencies

  1. Evaluate how health information technology provides a deeper investigation and understanding of relevant public health issues.
  2. Analyze health planning processes at the national and local levels.
  3. Apply ethical theories to public health practice and research with vulnerable populations.
  4. Critically review the scientific evidence behind a specific environmental or occupational health practices or intervention.
  5. Develop a grant proposal appropriate for submission to a local funding opportunity.
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