OVERVIEW

The New to Public Health Residency Program is an innovative development program designed to build confidence and competency for professionals who are new to public health.

The program is built upon the Foundational Public Health Services Model and develops enhanced knowledge and skills within the foundational areas and capabilities that are essential to public health practice.

The residency program includes an evidence-based practice project, peer networking, mentoring, facilitated reflection and journaling, simulation, and case studies to support the new resident as they transition to practice; while inspiring collaborative, interdisciplinary relationships to promote and protect health at a population level. 

STATEMENT OF NEED AND PURPOSE

The residency program is designed to provide new public health professionals the foundational capabilities that are essential to public health practice. Overarching residency curriculum focuses on leadership, professional development, role-specific formation and competency. A residency program bridges the workforce by integrating the knowledge of experienced public health professionals and the fresh ideas of new staff to positively affect population health.

Integration of public health professionals from across jurisdictions allows the new public health professional to understand how diversity in the workforce strengthens essential services across city and county lines, and allows for enhanced networking and future collaboration.

Residency programs supplement state and local orientation programs and build upon department-specific policy, procedures, and tasks, to allow the resident to see a fuller picture of the field of public health. 

This contemporary program utilizes a comprehensive practice model that supplements existing knowledge of staff and supports the synthesis of new ideas. The program promotes standardized tools for the participant to customize based on their individual practice. 

TARGET AUDIENCE

This residency program is designed to meet the needs of nurses, social workers, sanitarians, health educators, and other public health professionals that are new to their roles.

ELEMENTS OF COMPETENCE

This continuing education (CE) activity is designed to improve learner competence, and focuses on the American Board of Medical Specialties’ areas of interpersonal communication skills, professionalism and systems-based practice, the Institute of Medicine area of employing evidence-based practice, applying quality improvement, and utilizing information, and the Interprofessional and Nursing areas of values/ethics, roles/responsibilities and interprofessional communication.

GLOBAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this session, the learner as a member of the interprofessional healthcare team will:

1. Apply learned concepts from the Foundational Public Health Services’ model to their public health professional practice.
2. Increase knowledge, skills, and confidence for competent public health practice.
3. Access tools and resources applicable to public health practice.
4. Apply health equity and social justice concepts to public health practice.
5. Demonstrate enhanced cultural competency knowledge and skills in their individual practice.
6. Research, plan, and present a quality improvement or evidence-based practice project within their local health department or community.

SESSION LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this session, the learner as a member of the interprofessional healthcare team will:

• Detail the history of public health services delivered in the United States
• Identify how the New to Public Health Residency Program can be used to develop and maintain a competent workforce, including a resource for recruitment, retention, and succession planning; training; and performance review and accountability
• Describe legal principles, scope, and the role of government within public health practice 
• Demonstrate the use of plain language including the ability to support, use, and maintain communication technologies needed to interact with community residents  
• Discuss the importance of reflection in professional practice 

It will take approximately 5.5 hours to complete this session (enduring and synchronous content). 

SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION

Residents will view lectures, panel discussions, participate in cased-based and small-group discussions, participation in simulation and skill-based training, and participate in simulation, skill-based training, and gaming activities over a 12 month period of time.

The residency program also includes an evidence-based practice project, peer networking, mentoring, facilitated reflection, journaling to support the new resident as they transition to practice while inspiring collaborative, interdisciplinary relationships to promote and protect health at a population level.