Earlier this month, ASPPH convened its first meeting with national community college system administrators to explore educational pathways for the disease intervention workforce.  ASPPH, in collaboration with the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE), is developing a national Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) Certification with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Building on insights gathered from DIS regional meetings held at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, the University of Florida’s Emerging Pathogens Institute, and CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy earlier this year, the meeting focused on the importance of establishing relationships with high schools for recruitment purposes, understanding the educational needs of adult learners and non-traditional students, and promoting enthusiasm for careers in public health via community college courses and programs.

ASPPH values the educational pathways that community colleges provide students, and this meeting was an opportunity to discuss strategies for strengthening the disease intervention workforce with representatives from community colleges across the nation. ASPPH thanks Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Vice President for Learning and Chief Impact Officer at the League for Innovation in the Community College, for convening community college representatives to participate in this meeting.

ASPPH looks forward to continuing these important conversations with its member institutions, community colleges, and the disease intervention workforce in the new year.

Questions or comments can be submitted to Kaitlin Tager, Senior Manager of Workforce Development and Applied Practice, at ktager@aspph.org.