Council On Education For Public Health Research Articles

Charting the Advocacy Landscape: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Syllabi in Public Health Graduate Education.

Addressing public health challenges necessitates policy approaches, but concerns persist about public health graduates' preparedness to advocate. This qualitative study sought to assess advocacy content and skills taught to Master of Public Health students enrolled in US accredited schools and programs of public health (SPPHs) by analyzing 98 course syllabi submitted to the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) between 2019 and 2021. Syllabi were submitted by SPPHs during their (re)accreditation process to demonstrate compliance with CEPH's advocacy competency requirement. Qualitative content analysis study. Syllabi were analyzed using MAXQDA Qualitative Data Analysis Software using a 2-coder approach. SPPHs accredited by CEPH. Ninety-eight syllabi submitted to CEPH by 22 schools of public health and 54 programs of public health. Exemplary language from advocacy courses and assignments and aggregate frequency of syllabi advocacy content and skills. Most advocacy courses (61%) were survey, health policy, or health care delivery courses, covering policy (66%), policy communication (46%), coalition-building (45%), lobbying (36%), community organizing (33%), and media advocacy (24%) skills. Only 7% prioritized advocacy skill instruction, and 10% addressed how to advocate in an equitable way. Defining public health advocacy and essential skills is crucial. Issuing competency guidelines, supporting advocacy faculty, offering standardized training, and expanding experiential learning are important first steps. More research is needed on how academic institutions are incorporating equity skill training into courses, whether separate from or combined with advocacy skills.

Perspectives on the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) education among students and alumni in the United States: a cross-sectional national online survey

BackgroundThis study explored the current and desired identity of the DrPH degree, focusing on whether the competencies set by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) adequately prepare DrPH graduates for effective public health practice. Additionally, the study investigated the necessity of standardization in DrPH training, referring to a consensus-driven approach that equips future public health practitioners with practical skillsets applicable in real-world scenarios.MethodsA national cross-sectional online survey titled “National DrPH leaders & practitioners needs assessment” was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021. The survey was based on a self-report by DrPH students and DrPH professionals, consisting of the following two main components: (1) how their DrPH training aligns with CEPH competencies and (2) how they perceive the identity of the DrPH degree. Convenience sampling was used to collect the data, which may have limited representation for all DrPH institutions in the United States.ResultsA total of 222 participants (140 current DrPH students and 82 alumni) completed the survey. The mean of the 10-point Likert scale for the degree to which the DrPH training aligns with 26 CEPH competencies (1: not at all – 10: absolutely) ranged from 6.3 (SD: 2.78) to 7.96 (SD: 2.16). The majority of participants (191/222, 86.04%) were satisfied with the knowledge and skills reflected in their training based on the CEPH competencies. However, more than half of the participants (117/222, 52.70%) sought additional professional development/training outside their institutions. DrPH leaders and practitioners faced barriers where the value of their work might not be fully recognized and endorsed. Participants indicated that the DrPH education should be further distinguished from the PhD education.ConclusionsThe DrPH degree holds significant value within the academic sphere of public health practice in the United States. However, its distinction from PhD programs poses a challenge for employers and organizations in the field, requiring attention from higher education programs. By solidifying the DrPH’s identity, graduates can effectively address diverse public health issues and contribute to creating a safe and healthy environment, including addressing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

MPH Capstone experiences: promising practices and lessons learned.

To ensure workforce readiness, graduate-level public health training programs must prepare students to collaborate with communities on improving public health practice and tools. The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) requires Master of Public Health (MPH) students to complete an Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) at the end of their program of study that yields a high-quality written product demonstrating synthesis of competencies. CEPH suggests written products ideally be "developed and delivered in a manner that is useful to external stakeholders, such as non-profit or governmental organizations." However, there are limited examples of the ILE pedagogies and practices most likely to yield mutual benefit for students and community partners. To address this gap, we describe a community-led, year-long, group-based ILE for MPH students, called Capstone. This service-learning course aims to (1) increase capacity of students and partner organizations to address public health issues and promote health equity; (2) create new or improved public health resources, programs, services, and policies that promote health equity; (3) enhance student preparedness and marketability for careers in public health; and (4) strengthen campus-community partnerships. Since 2009, 127 Capstone teams affiliated with the Department of Health Behavior at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have worked with seventy-nine partner organizations to provide over 103,000 h of in-kind service and produce 635 unique products or "deliverables." This paper describes key promising practices of Capstone, specifically its staffing model; approach to project recruitment, selection, and matching; course format; and assignments. Using course evaluation data, we summarize student and community partner outcomes. Next, we share lessons learned from 13 years of program implementation and future directions for continuing to maximize student and community partner benefits. Finally, we provide recommendations for other programs interested in replicating the Capstone model.

Levers of Change: How to Help Build the Public Health Workforce of the Future.

Public health leaders are working to rebuild the US public health workforce. Master of Public Health (MPH) programs have a stake in this, given their role in educating and training public health practitioners. Over the last 10 years, MPH programs have implemented changes to program structure, content, and approach, but workforce gaps persist. This study sought to explore the factors that inform and influence MPH program design and changes they make in order to elucidate how MPH programs may be further engaged to help address current and future public health workforce needs. Sequential mixed-methods study. US MPH programs accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), and applicants approved to seek accreditation. In total, 115 representatives representing at least 43% of the 215 accredited/applicant MPH programs in the United States. Factors that inform and influence programmatic and curricular changes within MPH programs. The shifts that MPH programs have made to program focus and the approaches used to support student competence development are influenced by individual, programmatic, institutional, and national factors, including faculty and staff background, access to resources, program team/faculty culture, access to resources, program placement, university priorities, and national policies. Most influential in catalyzing changes made by MPH programs between 2015 and 2020 were CEPH MPH accreditation standards, feedback from interested parties, learning best practices, university initiatives, and access to resources including funding and faculty. Identified factors served as facilitators and/or as barriers, depending on the context. There are multiple levers at different levels that may be utilized by national public health leaders, university administrators, and program constituents to effect change within MPH programs, helping them to be even better positioned to help address public health workforce needs of today and tomorrow.

The Importance of History in an MPH Program: A Qualitative Evaluation of an Applied History of Public Health Course

Historical analysis is a vital but underutilized tool for analyzing and teaching public health and health promotion. An applied history of public health course, designed to meet a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) competency and learning objective, was qualitatively evaluated to determine the extent to which the course shaped students’ and alumni’s views on public health values, identities, and practices. A second aim examined the course’s impact on students’ and alumni’s public health work and their ability to discuss structural biases, inequities, and racism and health. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 alumni and 11 students. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The four main themes were the importance of history as foundational knowledge and for the development of professional identities; history as a means to understand race, racism, and the social determinants of health; self-reflection and critical thinking as public health practices and the relevance of history to community health promotion; and the effectiveness of multiple pedagogical techniques. Findings suggest that a course including the history of public health institutions, concepts, practices, and health equity can be a valuable tool to teach students about the social determinants of health, health equity, and racism and health, gain perspective on current health problems, improve critical thinking skills and self-reflection as public health practices, and develop a professional identity. We recommend that MPH programs include a history of public health course and/or incorporate historical perspectives in existing courses. This training is increasingly important to prepare students to promote health equity.

"I Was Learning Every Step of the Way": Student Perceptions About a New Required Foundational Master of Public Health Program Planning Course.

Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine created a program planning course required for all master of public health (MPH) students to address the revised 2016 Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) foundational competencies. The objective of this study was to examine students' feedback on this new class based on their reflective writing. Students across 3 class sections during 3 semesters (fall 2018, spring 2019, and fall 2019) wrote a reflection paper as a final assignment about their course experience (N = 102). We conducted a conventional qualitative content analysis of deidentified student responses to systematically examine themes in the overarching areas of what students found valuable about the course and what they would want to be improved. We calculated frequency counts of themes to further contextualize the findings. Students found the following aspects of the course valuable: a positive perception shift toward program planning (93.1%), new transferable career skills (87.3%), the course format (77.5%), course content (69.6%), working in teams (52.0%), course assignments (47.1%), and the instructional team (31.4%). Critiques included the following: more support for course assignments (39.2%), challenges of working in teams (27.5%), aspects of the course format (25.5%), gaps in course content (19.6%), and wanting more consultations with the instructional team (5.9%). About 14% of students stated there was nothing or little they would change about the course. Overall, the course received positive feedback from students. They identified several valuable course components and areas that could be enhanced, which we have worked to improve. We offer the course as a potential model for how schools and programs of public health can meet the 2016 CEPH competencies.

Un]Forgetting History: Preparing Public Health Professionals to Address Structural Racism.

Structural racism, a fundamental cause of health inequities, must be dismantled to fulfill society's interest in ensuring conditions in which all people have opportunities conducive to health. Correspondingly, the Ten Essential Public Health Services center equity, and Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation criteria require public health students to learn about racism. However, little guidance is provided to help faculty empower future generations of public health professionals to challenge it. In response to the 2020 murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, faculty at UNC Greensboro denounced racism and recommitted to anti-racist pedagogy and praxis. In this article, we discuss integrated ways a graduate-level public health assessment and planning course empowered students to name structural racism, understand how it operates, and collaborate for action. Specifically, we highlight (1) our use of the book The Color of Law as means to understand racism as a structural intervention; (2) the Harvard Case Teaching Method as an organizing framework to make the classroom a critically engaged democratic setting; (3) change experts from local health and nonprofit organizations engaged in policy making to address social determinants and disparities resulting from structural racism (eg, housing, health care access, food insecurity); and (4) engagement with a minority-owned nonprofit to allow for practice applying knowledge and skills to address local inequities. Our 4-pronged pedagogical approach provides an innovative, tangible example for other public health programs as they reflect upon academic institutions' unique power and role in addressing the public health crisis of structural racism.

Project Management Training in Schools and Programs of Public Health in the United States

Background. Little is known about the use of project management in public health research and practice in the U.S. Research from other countries supports the use of project management (PM) principles to successfully manage public health programs and research, prevent delays, and reduce costs. However, knowledge of PM training in public health schools and programs is limited. This study sought to (1) determine the extent to which PM training is offered to public health students in schools and programs in the U.S. accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), (2) examine why project management courses are not offered, and (3) identify the challenges faced in offering PM courses. Methods. In May 2019, an online survey was distributed to 178 CEPH-accredited schools and programs in public health in the U.S. Thirty-seven percent of schools/programs completed the survey. Results. About 75% of CEPH-accredited schools and programs that responded do not offer PM training. However, respondents deemed PM skills and training critical for the success of students. Primary challenges included lack of qualified instructors, course cost, lack of school/program interest, perceived lack of student interest, and unfamiliarity of the benefits of PM to public health. Discussion. Opportunities abound for administrators to familiarize themselves with the evidence that PM training helps prepare students for the public health workforce. Identifying qualified faculty and funding to support curriculum development, the implementation of PM competencies by CEPH, and additional research are needed to encourage the adoption of PM in schools/programs of public health.

Development and Implementation of a Fully Online Introductory Data Analysis Course to Better Prepare Students for the Public Health Workforce

The adversity of the 2020 to 2021 academic year highlighted the need for quality online courses. Challenges of teaching data analysis and helping students meet the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) competencies increase in an online environment. To address recent competency changes by the CEPH, a fully online asynchronous course was developed to address the MPH evidence-based approaches to public health competencies and prepare students for the Public Health Workforce. Both problem-based learning and experiential learning theory methodologies informed course design. In the Spring of 2020, with feedback from our Public Health partners, we re-designed a traditional biostatistics course with a holistic approach to data analysis. Students in the class were expected to work individually and as team scientists. They were exposed to data analysis elements from project initiation to dissemination while simultaneously learning methodologic concepts. This article outlines the structure and implementation of an online introductory data analysis course designed for MPH students as a model for re-designing the traditional MPH introductory biostatistics course. Both course development and design are discussed, and evaluations from both students and the instructor are provided.

Lessons From a Community Driven Experiential Public Health Course

Applied practice opportunities are essential in both undergraduate and graduate public health programs, and are emphasized in the 2016 changes to the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation requirements. To generate and implement solutions to challenges our communities face, there is an increased need for public health training that includes both rigorous coursework and experiential learning opportunities. We share here a framework and scaffolding from a class that has provided a supportive structure for public health students to conduct applied practice activities in response to expressed needs of community organizations. Guiding Principles: The practicum is grounded in theories of practice-based learning, community based participatory research, and community engaged research with a vision of preparing students to participate in community knowledge generation partnerships to more effectively address health disparities. Lessons learned: Advance planning creates a foundation for success. Community partner and student interests are aligned; teams share the common goal of promoting sustainable long-term impact through their projects. Students are prepared for success through the development of instrumental tools (e.g., logic models, program impact pathways, and work plans) that guide project development and implementation. Students learn to adapt to evolving partner needs. Students have a unique learning experience that is practice-based. Future work to understand key functions of different course elements will add quantitative metrics to the existing qualitative metrics in the preceptor evaluation, work with other practicum instructors to develop common best practices and will include a qualitative analysis of student reflections.

Are We Prepared for Precision Public Health? An Examination of Genomics Content in Graduate Public Health Programs.

With the completion of the Human Genome Project and swift development of genomic technologies, public health practitioners can use these advancements to more precisely target disease interventions to populations at risk. To integrate these innovations into better health outcomes, public health professionals need to have at least a basic understanding of genomics within various disciplines of public health. This descriptive study focused on the current level of genomics content in accredited master of public health (MPH) programs in the United States. We conducted an internet search on all 171 Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited MPH programs in the United States for genomics content in required and elective courses using the search terms "genetics," "genomics," and "molecular." Of the 171 CEPH-accredited MPH programs examined, 52 (30.4%) schools and programs in 34 states offered some type of genomics education. Thirty-five (20.5%) schools and programs had a course in genetic epidemiology, 29 (16.9%) had a course in genetic biostatistics or bioinformatics, and 17 (9.9%) had a course in general public health genomics. The remaining 119 offered no course with a focus on genetics or genomics. In addition, some electives or specifically focused courses related to genomics were offered. We found inadequate training in public health genomics for MPH students. To realize the promise of precision public health and to increase the understanding of genomics among the public health workforce, MPH programs need to find ways to integrate genomics education into their curricula.

Future directions of Doctor of Public Health education in the United States: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree is an advanced and terminal professional degree that prepares the future workforce to engage in public health research, teaching, practice, and leadership. The purpose of the present research was to discuss the desirable future direction and optimal education strategies for the DrPH degree in the United States.MethodsA total of 28 Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited DrPH programs in the United States was identified through the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Academic Program Finder. Then, a qualitative analysis was conducted to obtain perspectives from a total of 20 DrPH program directors through in-depth interviews.ResultsA DrPH program should be recognized as equal but different from an MPH or a PhD program and strengthen the curriculum of methodology and leadership education. It is important that a DrPH program establishes specific partnerships with other entities and provide funding for students. In addition, rather than being standardized nationwide, there is value in each DrPH program maintaining its unique character and enabling students to be open to all career pathways.ConclusionsThe future of DrPH programs in the twenty-first century should aim at effective interdisciplinary public health approaches that draw from the best of both academic and applied sectors. A DrPH program is expected to provide academic, applied public health, and leadership training for students to pursue careers in either academia or the public/private sector, because public health is an applied social science that bridges the gap between research and practice.

Analysis of CEPH-accredited DrPH programs in the United States: A mixed-methods study.

Interest has been growing in regard to increasing the public health workforce and standardizing training to ensure there are competent professionals to support rebuilding and reinforcing the public health infrastructure of the United States. The need for public health leaders was recognized as early as the hookworm control campaign during 1909–1914 when it became apparent that prevention of disease should be distinct from clinical medicine and should be conducted by professionally trained, dedicated full-time public health practitioners. In recent years, research on the public health workforce and on standardizing health workforce education has significantly expanded. A key element of such a workforce is public health leadership, and DrPH programs are the means to provide effective public health education for these future health professionals. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the general trend of DrPH programs from past to present and analyze the common themes and variations of 28 Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited DrPH programs in the United States. This research utilized a mixed-methods approach, investigating DrPH education at each school or program to improve our understanding of the current status of DrPH programs.

Strategies to Enhance Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research Instruction to Prepare MPH Students for Public Health Practice

Background: The 2016 Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation guidelines for Master of Public Health (MPH) programs describe skills, including qualitative and quantitative research skills while removing the requirement to structure programs around 5 designated core areas. These revised guidelines provide an opportunity to integrate qualitative and mixed methods instruction in multiple courses. The purpose of this paper is to describe process and outcomes of a project aimed at integrating qualitative and mixed methods content into core courses within the Kent State University MPH program.
 Methods: Content development work was conducted from May through October 2019. The work consisted of content analysis of current core course content, research texts, practicum presentations, and feedback from alumni working in public health practice. Five key qualitative processes that support CEPH competencies and reflect current public health practice in Ohio were articulated to form a framework for new course content.
 Results: New content was developed for each of the 6 current core MPH courses to address CEPH competencies, incorporate the identified 5 key processes, and to emphasize cross-methodological comparison and the complementary nature of qualitative and quantitative approaches to research questions or practice issues. Initial student responses to content were positive; further evaluation efforts are planned.
 Conclusion: New content provides MPH students with skills practice associated with qualitative and mixed methods approaches to research and applied public health. To address complex public health challenges, current and future public health professionals will benefit from being able to flexibly move across methodological boundaries.

Developing Future Public Health Leaders Trained in Long-term Care Administration.

Background:America's population is rapidly aging. Long-term care leaders have not been considered part of the public health workforce. The enumeration of long-term care into the public health workforce taxonomy has not occurred. This article examines the extent of graduate public health education oriented to long-term care and provides a case study of a successful curriculum at East Carolina University (ECU).Method:Web sites displaying the curriculum of 135 graduate programs/schools accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) were analyzed for graduate long-term care orientation. A case-study approach was used to describe the integration of long-term care into the Master of Public Health (MPH) Health Policy Administration & Leadership concentration at ECU.Results:A review of 135 CEPH graduate MPH programs from January to July 2019 found that only 8 institutions offered graduate courses in long-term care administration. Of the 8, ECU Brody School of Medicine Department of Public Health was the only program directly linking coursework to licensure as a long-term care administrator. Program graduates total 30, which include 5 MPH students currently completing their Administrator in Training. At time of graduation, 17 students had obtained North Carolina licensure.Conclusions:Because of increases in population aging, this requires a public health workforce with skills and training in the care of older adults. Formal recognition of long-term care workers as an integral part of the public health workforce is needed. The Institute of Medicine called for this action more than a decade ago.

Master of Public Health Concentrations in Global Health in 2020: Preparing Culturally Competent Professionals to Address Health Disparities in the Context of Globalization.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, 37 (17%) of 223 Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited or applicant schools and programs of public health offered Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees with concentrations in general global health. Concentration-specific competencies build on the foundational competencies required for all MPH students enrolled in CEPH-accredited programs. The most popular global health competencies focus on agencies and organizations, ethics and human rights, program management, social and environmental determinants of health, the global burden of disease, collaboration and partnerships, and cultural competency. There is significant overlap between the current concentration competencies and the ones recommended by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health in 2018. The online program descriptions for MPH concentrations in global health feature four key themes: globalization, low-income countries, social justice and equity, and culture and diversity. (1) Most programs emphasize transnational health issues and the effects of globalization on health in countries of all income levels. (2) Some programs have a special focus on preparation for serving low-income countries and other disadvantaged populations, such as refugees. (3) Most programs emphasize the social justice and equity issues underlying local and global health disparities. (4) Most programs promote development of the cultural knowledge, awareness, and skills required for serving diverse populations effectively as rising leaders in the international, national, or local public health workforce. Global health MPH programs prepare students for public health practice in resource-limited settings in their home communities as well as internationally.

Instruction of Evaluation Competencies in Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-Accredited Master of Public Health (MPH) Degree Programs

Although research on evaluation instruction has increased in the past decade, little is known about evaluation education in Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)–accredited schools of public health and master of public health (MPH) programs. In this study, instruction of competencies for program evaluators as enumerated by Stevahn, King, Ghere, and Minnema and pedagogies used by instructors to cover the competencies in the MPH degree within CEPH-accredited schools and programs are investigated. To understand these questions, a two-phase sequential mixed method design was used where the first was a review of 156 schools and programs and their 652 evaluation course offerings and the second consisted of administration of a survey to the 580 instructors who taught evaluation courses coded as either partially or fully focused on evaluation, of which 128 responded (22.07%). Results suggest evaluation courses in CEPH-accredited schools and programs cover many evaluator competencies, albeit to various degrees, predominately through lectures and reading materials.

Service-Learning as a Practical Introduction to Undergraduate Public Health: Benefits for Student Outcomes and Accreditation.

Since the mid-1980s, service-learning has gained recognition as a pedagogical model in higher education with exciting potential for students' academic, civic, and professional development (1). Deemed a high-impact educational practice by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), extant research points to student learning, engagement, and retention benefits from community-based experiences integrated into curriculum (2, 3). Numerous studies have examined best practices for service-learning from varying stakeholder perspectives (faculty, student, and community partner) and disciplines, however, due to the recent development of public health as a major offering in U.S. undergraduate education, the value of service-learning within the discipline should be further explored. While recommendations for service-learning in undergraduate public health programs have been provided, no evaluation of the impact on student learning outcomes has been conducted (4). This study presents one university's model of service-learning in introductory public health courses, and results from the analysis of two datasets representing students' experience with service-learning in undergraduate public health curriculum. Findings provide empirical support of the effectiveness of this pedagogy for advancing student learning and the achievement of foundational accreditation domains outlined by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Applied Learning for Undergraduates: Integrating NCHEC Competencies and CEPH Public Health Domains in a Public Health Practice Course.

To meet Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation standards for a standalone undergraduate public health program, faculty at the University of North Carolina Wilmington conducted a matrix exercise to assess curricular alignment with the CEPH Domains of Public Health (PHDs) and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) competencies. Addressing gaps in the undergraduate public health program identified by the matrix exercise drove development of a new course, Public Health Practice. The course was designed to use real world experience to provide students with the tools and skills needed for the practice of public health. Written assignments such as a needs assessment and a logic model were used to simultaneously expose and prepare students to address real-life public health challenges and to introduce students to selected CEPH PHDs and NCHEC competencies. This integration of competencies and domains into a course curriculum may be of benefit to undergraduate public health programs seeking to develop courses with applied learning aligned with CEPH and NCHEC requirements.

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

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. 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. 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. 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.