Program Structure & Content
The Program involves a combination of supervised, project-based learning in work placements, supported by attendance at formal education sessions. Over 3 years, learning is guided by 11 core competency areas:
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Professional Practice
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Management
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Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Information Management
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Communication
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Health Policy
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Health Promotion
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Health Evaluation
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Communicable Diseases
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Risk Assessment/Management
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Health Economics
A summary of the Program's current competency framework can be accessed here
Qualification and Assessment
Successful completion of the NSW Public Health Officer Training Program will lead to the award of a Professional Doctorate in Applied Public Health (DrPH) from the University of New South Wales. In order to obtain the DrPH, Trainees will be required to submit a thesis for examination and show evidence of fulfilment of the Program's 11 core competency areas.
This unique award is available only to Trainee Public Health Officers and all Trainees are required to enrol in the academic program through the University's School of Public Health and Community Medicine.
Supervised Work Placements
The majority of learning is undertaken through workplace projects in supervised work placements. Placements are full-time and 6 to 12 months in duration, enabling between three and six placements to occur over 3 years. The variety of placements provides the Trainee with a range of supervised public health experiences. For example, all Trainees, under supervision, will: manage the investigation of an acute communicable disease outbreak; analyse at least one large data set; design a survey; translate the results of a study into appropriate policy; negotiate/work with people from different sectors and present information to a wide range of audiences using a variety of media.
Placements are located within NSW Department of Health, the area health services of NSW and a small number of affiliated public health organisations and NSW Health funded research centres. Trainees are encouraged to undertake at least one placement within the NSW Department of Health and one within a metropolitan area health service. Further, all Trainees are required to spend at least 6 months of their training in a rural placement.
Rural Placements
Trainees are required to undertake a 6 month rural placement during their 3 years of training. The aim is to experience how rural public health professionals work within the constraints imposed by these environments to address issues particular to rural and remote populations. The rural placement is intended to allow Trainees to gain insight, understanding, exposure to and experience of:
- The impact of rurality on the management of public health issues, including the challenge of working with distance, limited resources and unique health issues;
- The lack of equity in rural settings, including in access to health services. The specific public health issues facing rural populations, both acute and chronic, particularly issues which are unique to the rural or remote environment;
- Engagement with rural communities, including rural indigenous communities; and
- Public health workforce issues in rural communities, including issues related to the limitations in public health infrastructure.
It is the Trainee's responsibility to identify suitable accommodation in the rural area, however, financial assistance is provided to meet many of the costs associated with completing a rural placement.
Individuals who have prior significant experience of working in a public health role in a rural area of Australia may be able to apply for an exemption of this requirement.
Outbreak Investigations and Emergency Placements
Occasionally, Trainees are temporarily removed from their placements to participate in acute emergency placements - usually communicable disease outbreak investigations. Emergency placements provide an excellent opportunity for Trainees to gain disease outbreak experience and contribute to the achievement of a range of competency areas, in particular communicable diseases and risk assessment.
Formal Education Sessions
To support the training provided in work placements, Trainees attend 1-2 days of formal education sessions each month. Sessions are delivered through a variety of formats, including:
- regular day-long seminars/training days which are usually themed and addressed competency areas;
- workshops of 2-5 days duration which usually focus on a single competency area;
- problem based learning exercises, which vary in length and are usually themed;
- Special Interest Group meetings; and
- Additional workshops, conferences and seminars to meet the specific needs of individual Trainees.
The NSW Department of Health and the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of NSW are jointly responsible for the development and delivery of workshops and seminars. These support Trainees to integrate their public health knowledge and understanding to meet the standard of a DrPH.