Any healthcare employee needs to adhere to a variety of regulations. Public health professionals have many competencies to follow in case they wish to be considered high-skilled and responsible. The present paper aims at self-evaluating and discussing the skills, knowledge, and abilities across the foundational competencies set up by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The paper will include the reflection on Master of Public Health (MPH) foundational competencies, Chamberlain University (CU) MPH concentration competencies, and the application of public health assessment and policy development essentials to public health practice. In conclusion, the main ideas of the paper will be identified.
MPH Foundational Competencies Relative to Public Health Assessment and Policy Development Essentials
Speaking about foundational competencies outlined by the CEPH (2016) as accreditation criteria, I would like to note that I have developed almost all of them to a great extent. However, I must also admit that it is necessary for me to improve some of the competencies. The first aspect defined by the Council as a crucial one is evidence-based practice approaches to public health. Being competent in this issue is emphasized by many professionals (Eller, Gerber, & Robinson, 2018). I am content to report that I have reached a rather good level in this sphere. I have improved my data collection abilities and learned how to analyze both qualitative and quantitative data by such methods as informatics, biostatistics, and computer-based software.
Other aspects belonging to MPH foundational competencies that I feel confident about are planning and management, public health policies, leadership, and communication. Spheres that I would like to improve are inter-professional practice and systems thinking. Specialists consider inter-professional skills as highly significant for a public health leader (Hawley, 2013). Thus, I would like to eliminate the difficulties I have in this regard and enhance my skills in working with colleagues from various departments. Systems thinking is noted to be helpful in the sphere of public health (Carey et al., 2015; “Competency assessment,” 2014). Thus, I would like to develop the knowledge of this approach in order to provide my clients with the best healthcare options possible.
CU MPH Concentration Competencies Relative to Public Health Assessment and Policy Development Essentials
In addition to foundational competencies outlined by the CEPH (2016), there are several concentration competencies delineated by CU (2018) as important for public health professionals. As a graduate of CU MPH degree program, I have gained sufficient knowledge in such fields as caring, professionalism, excellence, integrity, and service (CU, 2018). Caring is the most crucial of all competencies, and it would be impossible for a person without this skill to become a professional in any healthcare setting. I have learned how to integrate Chamberlain Care ® for self and others. What concerns professionalism, I have acquired the ability to use social justice principles and assimilate personal responsibility and integrity in my work. The principle of excellence is reflected in the ability to integrate inter-professional collaboration with the aim of enhancing environmental and global health. Since inter-collaboration is my weakness, I should improve this aspect to reach excellence.
Integrity competency helps me to choose relevant ethical and moral approaches to public health issues that satisfy the needs of different population groups, including underserved ones. Finally, I have learned how to employ the competency of service that helps me to develop and implement interventions aimed at promoting the health of individuals, families, and community groups. Each of the competencies outlined by CU is highly important and helps public health leaders to perform their duties at the highest levels. Unlike skills required by the CEPH (2016), this group of abilities presents hardly any difficulties to me.
Application of Public Health Assessment and Policy Development Essentials to Public Health Practice
The acquisition of selected foundational and concentration competencies allows me to define the potential job options as highly positive ones. I have succeeded in achieving good results in almost all of the skills considered by the CEPH and CU as significant ones. However, since I currently do not feel confident about my inter-professional skills and systems thinking, I can predict that it will not be easy for me to start my career as a public health leader in an interdisciplinary team. Still, I am determined to work hard on overcoming the challenges I have. I need to excel in all competencies to become an esteemed professional in the chosen field of work. In the beginning, I think I would feel most confident working with evidence-based research and developing public health policies. I have successfully completed several projects in this regard, such as policy development, capstone project planning, assessment, and others.
Conclusion
The reflection helped me to realize the benefits of the acquired competencies as well as understand the need for improving several crucial skills. Out of the competencies outlined by CU, I have obtained a relevant level of knowledge. What concerns the ones set out by the CEPH, I should work more on systems thinking and inter-professional practice. Overall, I find my level of knowledge quite sufficient and feel confident about my career prospects. However, I should never stop learning to remain a highly-skilled professional.
References
Carey, G., Malbon, E., Carey, N., Joyce, A., Crammond, B., & Carey, A. (2015). Systems science and systems thinking for public health: A systematic review of the field. BMJ Open, 15(2), e009002.
Chamberlain University: College of health professions [CU]. (2018). Master of public health (MPH) capstone project and fieldwork practicum handbook. Web.
Competency assessment: Tier 2 public health professionals. (2014). Web.
Council on Education for Public Health [CEPH]. (2016). Accreditation criteria: Schools of public health & public health programs. Web.
Eller, W. S., Gerber, B. J., & Robinson, S. E. (2018). Public administration research methods: Tools for evaluation and evidence-based practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Hawley, G. (Ed.). (2013). Ethics in clinical practice: An interprofessional approach. New York, NY: Routledge.