“Core competencies are essential knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for the practice of public health.”

Public Health Agency of Canada

Introduction

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your career, public health experts are always working to develop new skills. In episode 102 of the Public Health Insight Podcast, the PHI team discusses 7 core competencies outlined by the Public Health Agency of Canada that every professional needs to know to succeed in the field of public health. Keep reading to see what advice they had to share!

1. Public Health Sciences

As a basic qualification, successful public health professionals must have a general understanding of the scientific disciplines that inform public health practice and policy. These include the behavioral sciences, social sciences, biostatistics, epidemiology, and environmental health, among others. They should also have a good grasp on core public health concepts like health status of populations, inequities in health, strategies for health promotion, disease and injury prevention, etc. Finally, they should be intimately familiar with the history, structure, and interaction of public health and healthcare services at local, provincial, and federal levels of jurisdiction. 

Once professionals have nailed these concepts, they must be able to apply them in practice. How and when can this knowledge be used to shape policies, inform program design, create emergency preparedness strategies, etc.? Furthermore, our understanding of public health sciences, theories, and applications is constantly evolving. Professionals must never stop being curious about the world around them – indeed, learning is a lifelong journey in this field!

2. Assessment and Analysis

This competency encapsulates the ability to critically analyze and apply public health data, facts, concepts, and theories to make evidence-informed decisions. Professionals use these skills to prepare budgets and reports, conduct investigations, and make recommendations for policy and program development.

The process of assessing and analyzing a given situation typically involves the following steps:

It is important to remember that assessment and analysis is an ongoing process. Our understanding of public health issues is constantly evolving, and the general public relies on public health professionals to keep them informed with the most current information. This makes this skillset all the more important for effective public health communication and information sharing. 

3. Policy and Program Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation

Those who engage in policymaking must have a grasp on the competencies required to choose, plan, implement, and evaluate public health policies and programming. 

On the implementation side, public health professionals should be able to describe the various policy/program options available and weigh the positive and negative implications. From there, they should be able to develop a plan to implement the best course of action. Policymaking/program implementation is essentially a balancing act – professionals need to be able to make decisions not only based on the available evidence, but also based on the relevant political and socio-economic factors at play. 

On the evaluation side, public health professionals must be able to critically analyze a policy/program and determine its impact. This may involve the application of multiple models, frameworks, or theories in public health. If conducted correctly, professionals will be able to demonstrate the full range of benefits/costs derived from the policy/program. 

4. Partnerships, Collaboration, and Advocacy

In the field of public health, “teamwork” is the name of the game. Most public health policies/programs extend well beyond the field – professionals often have to work with external stakeholders like business owners, government departments, schools, farmers, etc. Public health professionals must know how to foster strong connections and collaborative pathways with these groups to extrapolate the benefits of a public health policy/program to the largest number of people possible. 

Advocacy is also essential for changemaking. Effective advocacy entails speaking, acting, and/or writing in favor of a particular cause – often ones that tend to affect marginalized communities and/or are often overlooked by the general public. All public health professionals should advocate for a healthier society and take actions to create better opportunities for health and wellbeing. 

5. Diversity and Inclusiveness

Public health services are accessed by diverse populations, therefore the field needs professionals who are able to work and communicate with diverse individuals, groups, and communities. Mastering this competency requires embodying the attitudes and practices that result in inclusive behaviors, programs, and policies. 

Experts must be able to recognize the ways in which various determinants of health (be they social, economic, physical, etc.) shape the experiences of certain population groups. Each of these groups will thus have distinct health outcomes and needs. These differences must be accounted for when designing public health strategies.

Commitment to diversity and inclusivity also requires experts to apply culturally-relevant lenses and approaches when working with different groups. For example, Indigenous peoples in Canada have a unique worldview and cultural understanding of health compared to the general Canadian population. Efforts must be made to collaborate effectively with these groups and ensure they have a seat at the table during public health decision making. 

6. Communication

Effective communication is the cornerstone of public health. Well-crafted policies and comprehensive programs are of little value if members of the public fail to understand their importance. Public health professionals must therefore possess stellar written, verbal, and listening skills to get their message across. Not all groups will respond to public health communications in the same way, however – preferred methods of communication vary across age groups, racial groups, cultures, etc. Therefore, a good public health professional must know how to use different communication mediums and strategies to get through to different societal groups. 

Professionals must also be consistent and unified in their public health messaging. Contradictions in public health messaging – whether they’re due to internal miscommunications, misinterpretations of evidence, etc. – will result in public confusion and skepticism. One of public health’s most important objectives is to build a trusting relationship with the general public. Effective communication is key to realizing this goal. 

7. Leadership

Finally, strong leadership skills are essential to help you stand out from the crowd and progress in your career as a public health professional. Leadership qualities do not necessarily refer to one’s rank or status within their organization – a person in a management position may still be a bad leader. Rather, leadership refers to a person’s ability to inspire their peers and work alongside them to create, communicate, and apply shared visions and values. 

Analytics firm Gallup identifies the following as traits of a good leader:

• Trust: to foster connections with your colleagues, you prioritize honesty and trustworthiness. This encourages people to have confidence in your abilities and intentions. 

• Compassion: you care about the wellbeing of your colleagues outside of the work environment. You react calmly and empathetically when a difficult situation arises.

• Stability: you create an environment where people feel safe to ask questions and share new ideas. Your colleagues feel they can depend on you for support and guidance.   

Hope: you encourage people to see the bigger picture and generally view situations with optimism. Your colleagues believe that your guidance will lead them to success

Conclusion

The case against DuPont as seen in the movie Dark Waters highlights some very important issues facing our modern society around how industrialism and pollution affect our health. This case underscored the problems that can arise from mishandling of chemicals, and hopefully also sets the precedent for how industries need to take accountability for their environmental impact and to avoid similar situations in the future. 

Conclusion

Today’s blog outlined seven core competencies that are essential to a successful public health career, but don’t fret if you haven’t mastered them all just yet! The best way to develop your skills as a public health professional is to build your experience – try seeking out volunteer experiences, work placements, and educational opportunities to further your knowledge of the field and develop your professional skill set. Still have questions? PHI offers virtual office hours! Reach out to us at thepublichealthinsight@gmail.com to set up your free appointment today.

Written by: Malissa Underwood