Preparing Master of Public Health Graduates to Work in Local Health Departments.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To identify key competencies and skills that all master of public health (MPH) graduates should have to be prepared to work in a local health department. METHODS: In 2011-2012, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene administered electronic surveys to 2 categories of staff current staff with an MPH as their highest degree, and current hiring managers. RESULTS: In all, 312 (77%) staff members with an MPH as their highest degree and 170 (57%) hiring managers responded to the survey. Of the respondents with an MPH as their highest degree, 85% stated that their MPH program prepared them for work at the New York City Health Department. Skills for which MPH graduates most often stated they were underprepared included facility in using SAS® statistical software, quantitative data analysis/statistics, personnel management/leadership, and data collection/database management/data cleaning. Among the skills hiring managers identified as required of MPH graduates, the following were most often cited as those for which newly hired MPH graduates were inadequately prepared quantitative data analysis, researching/conducting literature reviews, scientific writing and publication, management skills, and working with contracts/requests for proposals. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that MPH graduates could be better prepared to work in a local health department upon graduation. To be successful, new MPH graduate hires should possess fundamental skills and knowledge related to analysis, communication, management, and leadership. Local health departments and schools of public health must each contribute to the development of the current and future public health workforce through both formal learning opportunities and supplementary employment-based training to reinforce prior coursework and facilitate practical skill development.