Building a Stronger Healthcare Workforce for the Future: Could Public Health Education Be the Key?

Abstract

Public health (PH) courses have been increasingly incorporated into degree requirements for many
health-related professions; several studies have indicated that some students have negative attitudes toward these courses. Understanding how students’ perceptions of PH education are shaped is important to ensure effective integration of PH curriculum. This descriptive research project analyzed the perceptions of PH held by health professions students at a Midwestern university. The PH educational experience of this sample suggests that non-PH students view PH education as a positive addition to their educational curriculum. Future studies should examine specifically what aspects of the PH courses affect students’ perception.