School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science Proposed Interdisciplinary Major in Public Health Planned for Fall 2016 UpdatedDecember2015
Public health is an interdisciplinary field that includes the study of: Epidemics and other diseases as they impact populations (epidemiology) Environmental causes of health or illness The function of human behavior in managing disease and wellness Quantifying the impact of disease locally and globally Government s role in generating health and managing disease Health data analytical methods
Public Health Employee Shortage CDC Projects a US public health worker shortage of approximately 250,000 in the next 5 years. New legislation [The HITECH Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act] has increased the need for individuals who are literate in the language of public health.
Some Careers in Public Health (from careersinpublichealth.net) Child Health Specialist Chronic Disease Health Educator Community Activist Community Health Educator Epidemiologist Epidemiology Investigator Community Outreach Specialist Disaster Preparedness Coordinator Disease Ecologist Emergency Preparedness Specialist Environmental Health Supervisor Public Health Educator Public Health Surveillance Manager Food Inspector Hazardous Waste Inspector Health & Wellness Manager Health Communications Specialist Health Legislative Assistant Health Informatics Specialist NGO Manager Patient Navigator Patient Safety Specialist Population Health Manager Public Health Coordinator Public Health Policy Analyst Worksite Wellness Manager Disease Classification Specialists
Public Health Job Settings Departments of Health (Federal, State, County, City) Hospitals and Clinics Healthcare System Corporate offices, Department of Population Health Management Managed Care Organizations Accountable Care Organizations Health Information Exchanges (Regional, State, Federal) Insurance companies/health plans Pharmaceutical and hospital supply firms Public Health and other Health or Medical Professional Organizations Wellness Departments in Corporations with >50 employees Consulting Firms who service the healthcare industry
Public Health Job Locations Settings Key Issues Administrative Management Education Community Practice Research Policy From: ASPPH Hospitals & Clinics/ Managed care organizations Insurance Companies International Agencies Pharmaceutical and hospital supply firms Professional organizations Federal, state, and local government agencies Industry and business/ Consulting firms Colleges and universities Public and private secondary schools Consumer advocacy organizations State legislative committees Health service delivery organizations Above plus relief agencies, crisis centers, rehabilitation centers, substance abuse centers and agencies Voluntary agencies Research agencies for Disease Control and Prevention, NIH, FDA Private research firms Public & Private foundations Labor and consumer organizations Regulatory agencies, advocacy groups, governmental agencies, Think tanks, Professional associations Long term care for the elderly Home health care Quality Control Technology Assessment Hospital-based marketing Alternative health delivery systems Service Delivery in developing countries Health promotion, disease prevention Healthy lifestyles Maternal and child health Chronic disease Drugs and alcohol/environmental hazards Malnutrition Infant mortality Population growth, rural health Pollution, Aging population, teen suicide Toxicology and chemical effects of toxic wastes/risk assessment of chemical and physical agents Psychosocial impact of disease and injury Parasitic diseases/virology Economic impact of chronic disease Cancer epidemiology Access to healthcare, national health insurance, genetic engineering, technology assessment, safety legislation, AIDS/aging, accidents, and abuse. Homelessness, reproductive health
The public health program prepares graduates to meet the complex needs of populations & individuals by: Assessing the social and political determinants of health Using data to develop public health interventions Discussing policy implications of public health and health care delivery Employing health risk communication strategies to improve health campaign effectiveness Evaluating current health practices and making recommendations for improvement
What is unique about the Public Health Program at TCNJ? Interdisciplinary Health risk communication Health data analytics
Core Courses (5 courses) Major Options or Specialization Courses (5 courses) Global Public Health Option,for example: PBH 099 - Intro to Public Health (O credits) Choose from ANT/SOC 372,COM 415, COM 487,or Study Abroad PBH 240/ANT/PBH 240: Epidemiology PBH 373 /ANT /SOC /PBH 373: Public Health +Social Policy Course Communication Option,for example: COM 415 (International Communication) and COM 487: Advanced Student-Faculty Research: Health,Development, + Communication Correlates (2 courses) Biology Course: Choose from BIO 14 1, BIO 17 1, orbio 185 PBH220/NUR 220 - Wellness Promotion Statistics Course: across the Lifespan Three Additional OptionsCourses: Choose from Research Methods: Choose from PH301, PBH/COM 390,ECO 231,HES 320, PBH/NUR 238,or PBH/ SOC 302 PBH 405: InternshipI Cap- stone in Public Health These courses are selected in consultation with the academic advisor,and if desired,can be chosen based on inmajor concentrations ( e.g., Environ - mental Health;or COM 345: Health, New Media, and Culture; or COM 403: Health and Risk Communication Campaigns). STA 115 or STA 215 Language requ irement: 3 courses in the same language TCNJTHECOLLEGEOF GJ NEWJERSEY
Major Options or Specialization (partial listing)
Capstone Internship 450 hours of on-site experiential education with an approved public health agency May be completed in the Summer, Fall or Spring of Senior year, or some combination thereof with approval To the extent possible, student interests will be matched with internship site
Possible internship placements: Departments of Health [state, county, and/or city]* NJ Department of Public Safety and Security: Pandemic Influenza Awareness Program Local/Regional health care hospitals systems, Departments of Population Health Management NJ Health Information Exchange Affordable Care Organizations County Office on Aging Community Health Clinics NJ [Healthcare] Quality Institute Area corporations Workplace Wellness Programs AmeriCORPs VISTA Healthcare Associations, non-profits
Cancer Epidemiology Services NJ State Cancer Registry Cancer Education and Early Detection Program Commission on Cancer Research Office of Cancer Control and Prevention Division of Family Health Services Division of Chronic Diseases Division of Communicable and Infectious Diseases EMS/Emergency Preparedness Environmental & Occupational Health Healthy Schools Program NJ Environmental Public Health Tracking Program HIV, STD & TB Services NJ Immunization Information System Medicinal Marijuana Program Minority & Multicultural Health Health Hazard Evaluation Public & Environmental Laboratories Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health [PEOSH] WIC [Women, Infants & Children] NJ Medicaid Services Counseling & Addiction services
Proposed Internal Transfer Application Process Current TCNJ students are welcome to apply to enter the new Public Health major in the Spring of 2016 for matriculation in the fall of 2016 semester. Academic standards for application to transfer into the Public Health Major: Applicants must be in good academic standing at TCNJ with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 at the time of application. Applicants must have completed at least two of the following Public Health foundation courses and achieve the minimum grade for each as indicated in parentheses: ANT/PBH 240 Epidemiology (B-) or ANT/SOC PBH 373 Public Health and Social Policy (B-) STA 115 Statistics (B-) or STA 215 Statistics (C+)
Proposed Internal Transfer Application Process In addition to meeting academic criteria, all student applications must include a completed application form (available Spring 2016 at TCNJ Public Health web site) with the following documentation: Unofficial transcript (once spring semester grades are available) Two (2) letters of recommendation (faculty or dean) One page essay explaining applicant s interest Public Health Completed change of major form from Records and Registration Applications are due after grades are posted the Spring 2016 semester, but no later 1, 2016. Only compete applications considered. Applicants may expect to by mid-june. for than June will be be notified
Questions? Brenda Seals, Visiting Faculty, Public Health, School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science, sealsb@tcnj.edu. Antonino Scarpati, Assistant Dean, School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science, scarpati@tcnj.edu, 609-771-2447.
References Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH). (2012). Framing the future: The second 100 years of education for public health. Washington DC: Author. Drehobl, P.A., Roush, S.W., Stover, B.H., & Koo, D. (2012). Public health surveillance workforce of the future. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR),61(03), 25-29. Frenk, J., Chen, L., Bhutta, Z.A., Cohen, J., Crisp, N., Evans, T., Findeberg, H., Garcia, P., Ke, Y., Kelley, P., Kistnasamy, B., Meleis, A., Naylor, D., Pablos-Mendez, A., Reddy, S., Scrimshaw, S., Sepulveda, J., Serwadda, D., & Zuarayk, H. (2010). Health professionals for a new century: Transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. The Lancet, 376, 1923-1958. Institute of Medicine (IOM). (2002). The future of the public s health in the 21 st century. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Institute of Medicine (IOM). (2003). Who will keep the public healthy? Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Trenton Health Team. (2014). Community health improvement plan: Making the City of Trenton the healthiest city in New Jersey: Creating a culture of health. Trenton: Author.