Technology transfer during the COVID-19 pandemic: report on the first face-to-face practical training course in Brazil.

MAIN RESULTS: Technology transfer can take place at large events, as long as safety protocols are strictly enforced. It is important to disseminate, at these events, the concepts of the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). Implications for services: Face-to-face training course is fundamental for training public health professionals. Technology transfer between research institutions and health services results in updating and improving health system performance. PERSPECTIVES: Based on the success of the reported technology transfer, a new module will be incorporated into the next edition of VEME (Panama 2022), entitled Virus Evolution to Public Health Policy Makers. The objective of this report was to describe the first face-to-face course aimed at training public health professionals in performing real-time genomic surveillance during the pandemic period. Experience report on a theoretical-practical course focusing on genomic research and surveillance, including mobile sequencing technologies, bioinformatics, phylogenetics and epidemiological modeling. There were 162 participants in the event and it was the first major face-to-face training course conducted during the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil. No cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected among the participants at the end of the event, suggesting the safety and effectiveness of all safety measures adopted. The results of this experience suggest that it is possible to conduct professional training safely during pandemics, as long as all safety protocols are followed.

[Current issues related to education in the five core disciplines of public health at the school of public health in a private university].

Objectives　In Japan, schools of public health (SPH) have engaged in professional education focusing on five core disciplines: epidemiology, biostatistics, social and behavioral science, health policy and management, and occupational and environmental health. However, empirical information is lacking regarding the current state of this education and its associated challenges in Japan. In this article, we showcase this issue, using the master of public health (MPH) course at Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health (Teikyo SPH) as an example.Methods　We summarized the current objectives and classes required to complete the MPH course at Teikyo SPH, using the course guideline published in 2022. Current issues and possible future directions in the course were summarized based on the opinions of Teikyo SPH faculty members.Results　For epidemiology, lectures and exercises were designed to focus on how to formulating public health issues, collecting and evaluating data, and causal inference. Issues related to the design included ensuring that students had the necessary skills to apply epidemiology to emerging issues, and catching the course up with evolving techniques. For biostatistics, lectures and exercise classes focused on understanding data and statistics, as well as performing analyses. Issues included the understanding of theories, setting the course level, and a lack of appropriate education materials for emerging analytical methods. For social and behavioral science, lectures and exercise classes focused on understanding human behaviors and actions for problem solving. Issues included learning various behavioral theories in a limited timeframe, the gap between the lectures and various needs, and nurturing professionals who had the skills to perform in practical settings. For health policy and management, lectures, exercise classes, and practical training classes focused on identifying and solving problems in the community and around the world, and on integrating the disparate viewpoints of health economics and policy. Issues included few alumni who actually found work globally, a lack of students working in local or central administrations, and insufficient perspectives on rational/economic thinking and macro-economic transitions. For occupational and environmental health, lectures, exercise classes, and practical training classes focused on learning the occupational and environmental impacts of public health issues, and their countermeasures. Challenges included enriching the topics with regard to advanced technologies, environmental health, and socially vulnerable populations.Conclusion　Through these reflections on MPH education at Teikyo SPH, the following recommendations are considered essential in order to prepare improvements to the program: reorganizing the curriculum to meet the needs of the day, accepting students with various backgrounds, addressing the increasing knowledge and skills that need to be acquired by the students, and enhancing the powers of professors to implement changes.

Global health on the front lines: an innovative medical student elective combining education and service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: An innovative medical student elective combined student-directed, faculty-supported online learning with COVID-19 response field placements. This study evaluated students' experience in the course, the curriculum content and format, and its short-term impact on students' knowledge and attitudes around COVID-19. METHODS: Students responded to discussion board prompts throughout the course and submitted pre-/post-course reflections. Pre-/post-course questionnaires assessed pandemic knowledge and attitudes using 4-point Likert scales. Authors collected aggregate data on enrollment, discussion posts, field placements, and scholarly work resulting from course activities. After the elective, authors conducted a focus group with a convenience sample of 6 participants. Institutional elective evaluation data was included in analysis. Authors analyzed questionnaire data with summary statistics and paired t-tests comparing knowledge and attitudes before and after the elective. Reflection pieces, discussion posts, and focus group data were analyzed using content analysis with a phenomenological approach. RESULTS: Twenty-seven students enrolled. Each student posted an average of 2.4 original discussion posts and 3.1 responses. Mean knowledge score increased from 43.8 to 60.8% (p <  0.001) between pre- and post-course questionnaires. Knowledge self-assessment also increased (2.4 vs. 3.5 on Likert scale, p <  0.0001), and students reported increased engagement in the pandemic response (2.7 vs. 3.6, p <  0.0001). Students reported increased fluency in discussing the pandemic and increased appreciation for the field of public health. There was no difference in students' level of anxiety about the pandemic after course participation (3.0 vs. 3.1, p = 0.53). Twelve students (44.4%) completed the institutional evaluation. All rated the course "very good" or "excellent." Students favorably reviewed the field placements, suggested readings, self-directed research, and learning from peers. They suggested more clearly defined expectations and improved balance between volunteer and educational hours. CONCLUSIONS: The elective was well-received by students, achieved stated objectives, and garnered public attention. Course leadership should monitor students' time commitment closely in service-learning settings to ensure appropriate balance of service and education. Student engagement in a disaster response is insufficient to address anxiety related to the disaster; future course iterations should include a focus on self-care during times of crisis. This educational innovation could serve as a model for medical schools globally.

Increasing adverse drug reaction reporting-How can we do better?

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are associated with morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although national systems for reporting ADRs exist there is a low reporting rate. The aim of the current study was to evaluate an intervention plan for improving ADRs reporting among medical professionals (physicians and nurses). A multicentre intervention study was conducted, in which one medical centre was randomly assigned to the intervention group and two medical centres to the control group. The study consisted of 3 phases: baseline data collection, intervention and follow-up of the reporting rate. The questionnaire that was filled in at base line and at the end of study, contained questions about personal/professional demographic variables, and statements regarding knowledge of and behaviour toward ADRs reporting. The intervention program consisted of posters, lectures, distant electronic learning and reminders. An increase in the number of ADRs reports was noted in the intervention group (74 times higher than in the control group) during the intervention period, which was gradually decreased with as the study progressed (adjusted O.R = 74.1, 95% CI = 21.11-260.1, p<0.001). The changes in the "knowledge related to behaviour" (p = 0.01) and in the "behaviour related to reporting" (p<0.001) score was significantly higher in the intervention group. Specialist physicians and nurses (p<0.001), fulfilling additional positions (p<0.001) and those working in other places (p = 0.05) demonstrated a high rate of report. Lectures were preferable as a method to encourage ADRs reporting. The most convenient reporting tools were telephone and online reporting. Thus, implementation and maintenance of a continuous intervention program, by a pharmacovigilance specialist staff member, will improve ADRs reporting rates.

Teaching systems science to public health professionals.

OBJECTIVES: Systems thinking aims to understand the overall behavior of a system by examining the interdependencies of parts of the system. The objective of this study is to increase awareness of systems thinking and systems modeling in public health research and practice. STUDY DESIGN: A short course was offered to public health professionals using a combination of teaching modalities: didactic lectures, group discussions, hands-on programming, and experiential learning. METHODS: Course participants completed surveys and provided feedback on the effectiveness of the course. A description of participant backgrounds, survey responses, and feedback were summarized. RESULTS: Overall, participants offered quantitative and qualitative feedback suggesting that course content was useful and effective for incorporating systems thinking/modeling in their public health practice. CONCLUSIONS: Systems thinking can be taught through formal modes of instruction to public health workers, but more research and case studies are needed to identify who should be taught and when and how such instruction should take place given competing priorities of public health workers.

[Examination of the effects of a role-playing training program for the improvement of planning and management skills of public health nurses].

Objectives　The Japan Health Insurance Association (JHIA) conducts training in each branch facility to improve the ability of public health nurses (PHNs). The headquarters of the PHNs of JHIA and the researchers conducted a training program for leaders of PHNs at each JHIA branch. The goal of the program was to create a training plan using role-play to acquire facilitation skills. This study aimed to examine the effects of training.Methods　The study was designed in accordance with the Instructional Designs. The training goals were as follows: (1) understanding the role of facilitation and the facilitator in the debriefing session after the role-play, (2) understanding facilitation techniques, (3) being confident in performing as facilitators in the debriefing session; and (4) conducting the debriefing sessions using facilitation skills. The evaluation of the training was based on the Kirkpatrick model from the viewpoint of confidence in using facilitation, knowledge of facilitation, and conduct of training and utilization of facilitation technology. Questionnaire evaluations were conducted three times before the training, immediately after the training, and three months after the training. In August 2016, 4.5 hours of training were conducted in one day.Results　There were 79 participants in the training group. The mean points of knowledge and confidence were 2.6-3.6 before training, 6.3-7.9 after training, and 6.0-6.9 at 3 months after training. The participants rated their interest in three questions of the training as high as 8.1-8.6. In addition, 64.6% of participants held a role-play session at each branch within three months of the initial training. In the role-play session planned by the participants, the practitioners implemented the explanation of the purpose and the rules at each branch 96.1% and 98.0%, respectively. Participants who had attended facilitation training prior to our program scored higher points of knowledge and confidence before and after three months. Three months after the training, 79 participants responded to the question of the role of the facilitator in role-playing. The descriptions were categorized into "opinions on the basics and planning of role-play training" and "opinions on the roles in retrospectives."Conclusion　The participants evaluated the training contents and the materials used as appropriate, and their knowledge and confidence in facilitation improved after the training. To maintain and improve facilitation skills, the educational system needs to implement training using role-playing at each branch consistently.

Reflections on Teaching, Learning and Doing Participatory Research in a Graduate Seminar.

BACKGROUND: To improve training for the next generation of researchers to engage in community-based participatory research (CBPR), we reflect on our experience offering an applied participatory research methodologies graduate seminar. METHODS: This article is written from the perspective of a university professor/course director, a community partner, and a master's student who took the course. First, we describe our unique context. Second, we provide a general overview of the planning and implementation. Third, we illustrate what happened from our three perspectives. We conclude with recommendations. RESULTS: We each shared our unique perspectives on the strengths, opportunities and challenges associated with teaching/learning through engaging an applied CBPR project. There was consensus that our timelines were tight, the workload was heavy, communication was tricky, and we could have used more resources. Nevertheless, we all appreciated everyone's deep engagement and investment in the collaborative processes, the development of new skills and our success in gathering important evaluative feedback with efficiency and expediency. We agreed that this was a rewarding experience that we would repeat. CONCLUSIONS: Mounting a course in this fashion requires a strong community-university partnership, that is supported with substantial preparatory work, human and financial resource commitments, and contingency planning. We recommend transparency, communication and managed expectations.

Enhancing Access to Quality Online Training to Strengthen Public Health Preparedness and Response.

OBJECTIVES: To improve access to quality online training materials developed from 2010 to 2015 by 14 Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLCs) by creating quality standards and enhancing searchability through a new Web-based public health training catalog. METHODS: The PERLC-developed training materials (n = 530) were evaluated for their capability to support development of preparedness competencies as established by 2 evidence-based competency frameworks. Inclusion/exclusion criteria and evaluation guidelines regarding training quality (design, technology, and instructional components) were systematically applied to PERLC products to create a training catalog. Twenty emergency preparedness professionals pilot tested content and provided feedback to improve catalog design and function. RESULTS: Seventy-eight percent of PERLC resources (n = 413) met our quality standards for inclusion in the catalog's searchable database: 358 self-paced courses, 55 informational briefs, and other materials. Twenty-one training bundles were curated. DISCUSSION: We established quality guidelines, identified strengths and weaknesses in PERLC resources, and improved accessibility to trainings. Guidelines established by this work can be generalized to trainings outside the preparedness domain. Enhancing access to quality training resources can serve as a valuable tool for increasing emergency preparedness competence.

Competent with patients and populations: integrating public health into a medical program.

BACKGROUND: As the global burden of chronic disease grows, and infectious disease threats loom large, the need for medical graduates with expertise in public health medicine (PHM) is growing. A recurrent challenge is integrating this broad knowledge into crowded medical curricula and making PHM relevant. This study describes the process of integrating public health content into an Australian graduate entry medical course. METHODS: A redesign of the PHM curriculum at Deakin University School of Medicine was conducted in 2014 to make the curriculum practice-based and solution-oriented. Central to the redesign was the development of a curriculum map. RESULTS: Public health is now taught from a practice-based framework adapted from the World Health Organization emphasizing skills aligned with the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine domains that prepare students for specialisation. Learning outcomes are structured to build depth and application in student knowledge. Mapping the curriculum provided the ability to measure alignment of learning outcomes with course, university and accrediting body outcomes. Regular feedback from students indicates engagement has improved along with perceived relevance to future careers. CONCLUSIONS: Doctors with public health skills are increasingly sought after in Australia, particularly in rural areas. Deakin graduates are well placed to meet this demand.

An example of public health training in emergency medicine.

There is growing recognition of the vital roles that Emergency Physicians can play in public health. Accordingly, there is a need for emergency medicine trainees to have opportunities to acquire relevant public health skillsets. This article provides an example of such a possibility. It describes the experience of an emergency medicine trainee in undertaking a 6 month training rotation at a Public Health Unit. The example illustrates the feasibility and benefits of a public health rotation for interested trainees, and offers recommendations for establishing such rotations. There are challenges, including eligibility requirements and funding. However, possible approaches exist at the individual and college levels to facilitate such training opportunities so that emergency medicine trainees can acquire necessary and valuable public health skills.

Integrating Simulation-Based Exercises into Public Health Emergency Management Curricula.

The aim of this study is to enrich public health emergency management (PHEM) curricula and increase the workforce readiness of graduates through the implementation of an innovative curriculum structure centered around simulation and the creation of authentic learning experiences into a mastery-based Disaster Preparedness graduate certificate program launched in 2016 at the Colorado School of Public Health. Learners progress through a sequence of increasingly complex discussion and operations-based exercises designed to align with training methodologies used by future employers in the disaster response field, covering PHEM fundamentals and domestic and international disaster preparedness and response. Preliminary feedback is overwhelmingly positive, equating the experience to securing an internship. Embedding simulation-based exercises and authentic learning environments into graduate curricula exposes learners to diverse disaster scenarios, provides occasion for practicing critical thinking and dynamic problem solving, increases familiarity with anticipated emergency situations, and builds the confidence necessary for exercising judgment in a real-world situation. This novel curriculum should serve as a model for graduate programs wishing to enrich traditional training tactics using a typical school of public health support and alignment with community resources. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:777-781).

MCH Workforce Capacity: Maximizing Opportunities Afforded by a Changing Public Health System.

Objectives A skilled workforce is essential to advancing maternal and child health (MCH) in a rapidly changing public health system. Little is known about the MCH workforce's existing capacity to maximize opportunities afforded by ongoing change. We assessed MCH workforce capacity in three areas: Systems Integration, Evidence-Based Decision-Making, and Change Management/Adaptive Leadership. We then examined associations between workforce capacity and modifiable workforce development strategies/resources. Methods Data are from the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS). The present study was limited to employees working in MCH programs (weighted N = 3062). Workforce capacity was operationalized as self-reported awareness of public health trends and proficiency to perform related skills in the three areas. Survey-weighted generalized estimating equations were used to fit logistic regression models accounting for employee clustering within states. Results While awareness of public health trends was low, the majority of employees (> 70% in each area) reported proficiency to perform skills related to these trends. Capacity was lowest in Systems Integration. Employee engagement in academic partnerships and higher state contributions to MCH program budgets were the strategies/resources most consistently associated with higher capacity. Workplace support was the strongest correlate of capacity in Change Management/Adaptive Leadership. Conclusions for Practice Although employees lacked familiarity with specific public health trends, they were proficient in skills needed to engage in related work. Still, areas for improvement remain. Results provide a baseline against which future training efforts can be evaluated. Academic partnerships and MCH program funding may be useful to prioritize in the context of health transformation.

Education and Support for Healthcare Professionals to Prevent Future Pandemics: Report of a Conference Workshop.

INTRODUCTION: Pandemic infectious diseases pose a real threat to patients and public health in all countries around the world. Healthcare professionals need education and support to prevent these pandemics. However, the provision of this education is not always straightforward, and the views of healthcare professionals from different sectors and different countries should be continually taken into account when providing new educational resources. The following is the report of a workshop that was held to seek the views of healthcare professionals on e-learning and clinical decision support resources as means of providing education in pandemic infectious diseases. THEMES: There was consensus among delegates that just providing e-learning or clinical decision support on its own is not enough - you need to do more if you are going to drive usage, achieve clinical engagement, and ensure that users put their learning from the e-resources into action for the benefit of their patients. Drivers of these outcomes include the provision of content in the appropriate languages, overcoming technology barriers, linking the resources to CPD programmes or existing curricula, strategic engagement of different types of healthcare professionals, and giving due consideration to sustainability and cost effectiveness. CONCLUDING REMARKS: Providing e-learning and clinical decision support resources will be essential if we are to achieve the goal of preventing infectious disease pandemics. But this will not be achievable unless we listen to the practical problems that different stakeholders have in implementing educational programmes. The purpose of this paper is to share these challenges and potential solutions with the wider infectious diseases and global health communities.

Disease Intervention Specialist Education for the Future: An Analysis of Public Health Curricula.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the degree of alignment between an existing public health curricula and disease intervention specialist (DIS) workforce training needs, (2) assess the appropriateness of public health education for DISs, and (3) identify existing curriculum gaps to inform future DIS training efforts. METHODS: Using the iterative comparison analysis process of crosswalking, we compared DIS job tasks and knowledge competencies across a standard Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited bachelor of science in public health (BSPH) and master of public health (MPH) program core curricula offered by the Georgia Southern University Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. Four researchers independently coded each DIS task and competency as addressed or not in the curriculum and then discussed all matches and non-matches between coders. Researchers consulted course instructors when necessary, and discussion between researchers continued until agreement was reached on coding. RESULTS: The BSPH curriculum aligned with 75% of the DIS job tasks and 42% of the DIS knowledge competencies. The MPH core curriculum aligned with 55% of the job tasks and 40% of the DIS knowledge competencies. Seven job tasks and 9 knowledge competencies were considered unique to a DIS and would require on-the-job training. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that an accredited public health academic program, grounded in CEPH competencies, could address multiple components of DIS educational preparation. Similar analyses should be conducted at other CEPH-accredited schools and programs of public health to account for variations in curriculum.

The New Harvard Doctor of Public Health: Lessons From the Design and Implementation of an Innovative Program in Advanced Professional Leadership.

We documented lessons learned in the initial design and development of the new Harvard doctor of public health (DrPH) degree, an innovative professional public health doctorate designed to provide advanced education in the field of public health. Using data from program documents, personal participation in the development and administration of the degree, and initial students' results, we present key learnings from this experience and describe the program's goals and processes. Now entering its fifth year, the new Harvard DrPH program has enrolled about 70 students and graduated its first 2 classes in a program that combines advanced public health study with leadership development and field engagement. Development of this transformational innovation in advanced public health education required creative approaches to competency development and curriculum design, engagement of faculty to become supportive stakeholders, and substantial support for educational administration. Demand for a program of this type is strong. Continuous improvement is ongoing.

Comparing student outcomes in traditional vs intensive, online graduate programs in health professional education.

BACKGROUND: Health professions' education programs are undergoing enormous changes, including increasing use of online and intensive, or time reduced, courses. Although evidence is mounting for online and intensive course formats as separate designs, literature investigating online and intensive formats in health professional education is lacking. The purpose of the study was to compare student outcomes (final grades and course evaluation ratings) for equivalent courses in semester long (15-week) versus intensive (7-week) online formats in graduate health sciences courses. METHODS: This retrospective, observational study compared satisfaction and performance scores of students enrolled in three graduate health sciences programs in a large, urban US university. Descriptive statistics, chi square analysis, and independent t-tests were used to describe student samples and determine differences in student satisfaction and performance. RESULTS: The results demonstrated no significant differences for four applicable items on the final student course evaluations (p values range from 0.127 to 1.00) between semester long and intensive course formats. Similarly, student performance scores for final assignment and final grades showed no significant differences (p = 0.35 and 0.690 respectively) between semester long and intensive course formats. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study suggest that 7-week and 15-week online courses can be equally effective with regard to student satisfaction and performance outcomes. While further study is recommended, academic programs should consider intensive online course formats as an alternative to semester long online course formats.