Discover Public Health's Best Kept Secret: Public Health Laboratories.
In 2008 NCPHLL recruited the first Emerging Leader Cohort. Cohort 1 – consisting of 13 of public health professionals from 12 different states -- quickly discovered they all had one thing in common: they all seemed to “fall into public health,” rather than actively seeking out a career in the field.
Spreading the Word About Public Health
In order to increase the visibility of careers in public health, Cohort 1 developed Public Health 101, an interactive course that teaches participants about the public health system and the function and role of public health laboratories. Since 2008 Public Health 101 has been delivered at state public health laboratories in Texas, Utah, Florida and New Mexico.
PH101 Goes Online
In order to extend the reach of the course, in 2012 NCPHLL worked with Cohort 1 to turn PH101 into an online course. The course was developed from the original in-person PH101 course with additional topics added, and the name was changed to "Public Health Laboratory 101." Read the full description below.
Protecting the Community Through Science (588-317-12): An Introduction to Public Health and the Public Health Laboratory
Did you know every state and the District of Columbia has its own state public health laboratory?
Most people are unaware that their state has a public health laboratory, and even fewer of their laboratory’s daily efforts to protect their community from public health threats. This two-hour course will define the role of public health laboratories and highlight two of their major activities; disease prevention, control and surveillance and partnerships and communication. Upon course completion learners will have a solid understanding of the functions of public health laboratories and their role in the greater context of the public health system. To provide additional background, the course also covers a brief history of public health, contrasting early disease prevention strategies to the complex and integrated public health system we have today.
Note: This course is currently unavailable. Please contact laura.siegel@aphl.org for more information.