Global Health Education Amidst COVID-19: Disruptions and Opportunities.

This viewpoint examines the impact of COVID-19 travel bans and remote education on the global health education of students from high-income countries (HIC) and low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and explores potential opportunities for strengthening global health education based upon more dispersed and equitable practices. Global health is unique in the opportunities it can offer to students during the pandemic if programs can manage and learn from the pandemic's many challenges. Global health educators can: shift to sustainable remote engagement and mobilize resources globally to facilitate this; collaborate with partners to support the efforts to deal with the current pandemic and to prepare for its next phases; partner in new ways with health care professional students and faculty from other countries; collaborate in research with partners in studies of pandemic related health disparities in any country; and document and examine the impact of the pandemic on health care workers and students in different global contexts. These strategies can help work around pandemic travel restrictions, overcome the limitations of existing inequitable models of engagement, and better position global health education and face future challenges while providing the needed support to LMIC partners to participate more equally.

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.

Competencias y contenidos de salud pública en los programas del Grado en Veterinaria en las universidades españolas / Public health competencies and contents in Spanish university degree programmes of Veterinary Medicine

Objetivo: Consensuar las competencias profesionales de salud pública que deben adquirir los/las estudiantes en el Grado en Veterinaria y los contenidos fundamentales que deben incluir los programas de salud pública según el criterio de docentes de salud pública del Grado en Veterinaria representantes de distintas universidades españolas. Métodos: Se organizó la 3ª Reunión del Foro de Profesorado Universitario de Salud Pública en la Facultad de Veterinaria de la Universidad de Córdoba (12-13 de enero de 2016). Participaron 42 docentes de nueve universidades españolas con Grado en Veterinaria y se distribuyeron en cinco grupos durante tres sesiones de trabajo para identificar y clasificar las competencias propias del grado, proponer contenidos de salud pública para las competencias identificadas, y organizar los contenidos en bloques temáticos. Los resultados se discutieron en distintas sesiones plenarias hasta alcanzar acuerdos. Resultados: El mayor número de competencias identificadas corresponde a actividades de las funciones «Valorar las necesidades de salud de la población» y «Desarrollar políticas de salud». El programa resultante incluye contenidos básicos organizados en cinco bloques: 1) Fundamentos de salud pública; 2) Estudio e investigación en salud pública; 3) Producción, sanidad animal y medio ambiente; 4) Seguridad alimentaria; y 5) Educación sanitaria y comunicación. Conclusiones: Los acuerdos alcanzados pueden ser un buen punto de partida para orientar una propuesta formativa en salud pública del grado para los futuros profesionales de veterinaria

Objective: To reach a consensus among public health faculty from various Spanish universities about the core public health competencies that should be integrated into the Veterinary Medicine degree training. Methods: The 3rd Forum of University Professors of Public Health was held at the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Cordoba (12-13 January 2016). Forty-two university professors and lecturers from nine Spanish universities with veterinary degrees participated in the forum. They were divided into five working groups during three working sessions to identify and classify core public health competencies for the Veterinary Medicine degree, propose public health contents for the identified competencies and organize such contents in thematic blocks. The results were discussed in different plenary sessions. Results: The highest number of core competencies was identified in the activities related to the following public health functions: «Assessment of the population's health needs» and «Developing health policies». The final programme included basic contents organized into five units: 1) Fundamentals of public health; 2) Study and research in public health; 3) Production, animal health and environment; 4) Food security; and 5) Health education. Conclusions: The public health core competencies and contents identified in this Forum may be considered as a starting point to update public health training programmes for future veterinary professionals

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.

Building Professionalism Through Management Training: New England Public Health Training Center's Low-Cost, High-Impact Model.

CONTEXT: Evolving practices, accreditation, and priorities established in Public Health 3.0 are adding to the long-identified need for management training among public health practitioners. PROGRAM: The New England Public Health Training Center is addressing this need with a flexible, open-source, 16-topic training program. The program is designed to build competencies for current and future managers, preparing them for their day-to-day tasks and for the kinds of adaptation suggested by Public Health 3.0 advocates. IMPLEMENTATION: The training program uses live expert instructors for 10 webinars and 2 in-person trainings. Experts have also created the content for multiple self-paced E-Learnings that trainees undertake in addition to the instructor-led sessions. A webinar platform with breakout rooms and an advanced learning management system allows for online discussion and mentor interaction. The course has now been offered, evaluated, and modified 3 times, and the materials are available for noncommercial use by the public health community. EVALUATION: Using the Kirkpatrick training evaluation model, the recent cohort was satisfied (87.5%) with the training, reported identifying actions to apply information learned to their work (85.8%), and experienced statistically significant knowledge gains. Earlier trainees reported work-related behavior change. DISCUSSION: Management training offers the hope of increasing professionalism; creating better, more effective workplaces and programs; and preparing practitioners for an evolving public health landscape. Early results indicate that NEPHTC's program, Managing Effectively in Today's Public Health Environment, is a useful tool in realizing that hope.

Advancing MCH Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Leadership Training and Practice Through a Learning Collaborative.

Purpose The Interdisciplinary Leadership Learning Collaborative (ILLC), under the sponsorship of AUCD and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, brought together six teams, composed of 14 MCHB and UCEDD training programs to enhance their leadership training. Description Using adult learning principles, interactive training methods, and skill-focused learning, the ILLC built upon the evidence-based Interdisciplinary Leadership Development Program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The program began with a 4-day on-site intensive and then continued through monthly conference calls, a mid-term on-site workshop, and a summary virtual workshop to present programmatic accomplishments and share plans for sustainability. Coaching/consultation for the teams around particular challenges was also part of the program. Assessment All teams reported enhancements in intentional leadership training, threading of leadership concepts across clinical, didactic, and workshop settings, and new collaborative partnerships for leadership training. Teams also identified a number of strategies to increase sustainability of their intentional leadership training efforts. Conclusion for Practice The learning collaborative is a productive model to address the growing need for interdisciplinary MCH leaders.

Unidad Pedagógica Hospitalaria: humanizar la enseñanza y la asistencia / Pedagogical Hospital Unit makes teaching and medical aid more human

En el concepto de «pedagogía hospitalaria» conviene tener presente cuatro ideas clave: a) la humanización actúa como epicentro de la atención sanitaria, especialmente desde el siglo XXI; b) cabe considerarla como una sección más del Servicio de Pediatría; c) está más allá de la medicina y más allá de la educación especial, y d) es mucho más que un aula hospitalaria, pues su labor se extiende más allá de sus paredes. En este artículo comentamos algunos aspectos generales de las Unidades Pedagógicas Hospitalarias (UPH) de la Comunidad Valenciana y centramos nuestra atención sobre la labor efectuada por la UPH del Servicio de Pediatría del Hospital General Universitario de Alicante. Con nuestra experiencia fundamentamos una conclusión: toda UPH debe convertirse en instrumento docente y también terapéutico, totalmente integrado en el Servicio de Pediatría, y su labor es una buena oportunidad para iniciar el camino de «hospital líquido», entendiendo como tal el que sale de sus paredes y convive con la sociedad (AU)

The concept of pedagogy at the hospital should keep in mind four key ideas: a) humanization is the cornerstone of the healthcare since the XXI century; b) hospital pedagogy should be considered as a unit within the pediatric department; c) hospital pedagogy goes further than medicine and special education, and d) pedagogical strategies used in clinical medical education is not only a classroom inside the hospital, considering that its work goes one step beyond. In this article we discuss some general aspects of the Pedagogical Hospital Units from the Comunidad Valenciana and focus your attention in our experience from the Department of Pediatrics at the Hospital General Universitario from Alicante. In base our experience, it could concluded that Pedagogical Hospital Units should become a teaching tool and also therapeutic tool, fully integrated in the Pediatric Department and their work is a good opportunity to opening up to the world of a «liquid hospital», that means a transgression of the walls in order to life in society (AU)

Development of a Health Professions Education Research-Specific Institutional Review Board Template.

PROBLEM: Health professions education (HPE) has become a core component of the mission of academic health centers (AHCs) nationwide. The volume of HPE research projects being reviewed has increased, presenting new challenges for institutional review boards (IRBs). As HPE research becomes increasingly sophisticated in its design and methods, IRBs and researchers alike have a duty to better understand its unique characteristics. Researchers must be better able to conceptualize and describe their research to IRBs, and IRBs should be able to provide timely review and assure protection of research subjects (or participants). APPROACH: The creation of HPE research-specific IRB templates may be one way to improve the interactions between education researchers and IRBs. This report describes the development and early implementation of an HPE research-specific IRB template at Duke University from 2013 to 2014. OUTCOMES: Early adopters have noted increased ease of preparation and submission, while IRB staff have reported improved proposal clarity and more attention to protecting learners as research participants. Focus during educational or training sessions about the new template has shifted-from merely a description of the new submission process to a more comprehensive education series that includes discussion of regulatory definitions, examination of case studies, and opportunity for audience feedback. NEXT STEPS: Continued collection of quantitative and qualitative data regarding the implementation of this IRB template will help its developers more precisely describe its effects on HPE research projects. Formalizing and streamlining the interactions between HPE researchers and IRBs is an important goal for all AHCs.

Personality traits of pharmacy and medical students throughout their course of studies / Rasgos de personalidad de estudiantes de Farmacia y Medicina a lo largo de los años de estudio

Background: Pharmacists and medical doctors are two professional groups that very often receive their education and practice in the same environment. However, their approach to patient care and collaboration tends to be different and this may lead to both frustration and conflict which may adversely affect patient care. Personality has been identified as a psychological issue that could contribute to conflict in a work situation. Objective: To study the personality traits of a cohort of students studying pharmacy and medicine at the University of Malta in their first and final year. Methods: The Gordon Personal Profile - Inventory was administered to a cohort of pharmacy and medical students in their first year and once again administered to the same cohort who completed their course of study in their final year. Basic demographic data was also collected. Results: In first year the most pronounced traits for both student groups were those of Emotional Stability and Personal Relations. Over a period of five years, there were shifts in personality traits. In their final year pharmacy students were characterized by high scores for Cautiousness and Personal Relations while medical students exhibited medium scores in Cautiousness and Emotional Stability. Conclusion: The changes in personality traits over the duration of the course were not radical changes but rather that of traits becoming more pronounced (AU)

Antecedentes: Farmacéuticos y médicos son dos grupos profesionales que frecuentemente reciben su educación y práctica en el mismo entorno. Sin embargo, su abordaje de la atención al paciente y la colaboración tiende a ser diferente, y esto puede llevar tanto a frustración como a conflictos que pueden afectar negativamente la atención al paciente. Se ha definido la personalidad como un aspecto psicológico que podría contribuir a crear conflictos en una situación laboral. Objetivo: Estudiar los rasgos de personalidad de una cohorte de estudiantes de farmacia y medicina en la Universidad de Malta en su primer y último año. Métodos: Se administró el Gordon Personal Profile -Inventory a una cohorte de estudiantes de farmacia y medicina en su primer año, y de nuevo se administró a la misma cohorte que completó los estudios en el último año. También se recogieron los datos demográficos básicos. Resultados: En el primer año, los rasgos más pronunciados para ambos estudiantes eran los de Estabilidad Emocional y Relaciones Personales. Durante el periodo de cinco años hubo cambios en los rasgos de personalidad. En su año final, los estudiantes de farmacia se caracterizaron por alta puntuación de Precaución y de Relaciones Personales, mientras que los estudiantes de medicina presentaron puntuaciones medias en Precaución y en Estabilidad Emocional. Conclusión: Los cambios en los rasgos de personalidad mientras a lo largo de la duración de la carrera no fueron radicales, pero determinados rasgos se convirtieron en más pronunciados (AU)

Preparing future faculty and professionals for public health careers.

Recent years have brought rapid growth in schools of public health and an increasing demand for public health practitioners. These trends highlight the need for innovative approaches to prepare doctoral graduates for academic and high-level practice positions. The University of Maryland's School of Public Health developed a "Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals" program to enrich the graduate education and professional development of its doctoral students. We describe the program's key elements, including foundational seminars to enhance students' knowledge and skills related to teaching, research, and service; activities designed to foster career exploration and increase competitiveness in the job market; and independent, faculty-mentored teaching and research experiences. We present a model for replicating the program and share student outcomes of participation.