Public Health 101 for the Undergraduate Student

We propose to design, and begin implementation of a three hour credit undergraduate course introducing students to basics of public health in the United States using the framework outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) curriculum framework. We also describe an evaluation plan to assess the outcome related to this course. By implementing such a course, we will be beginning to address the lack of public health education in today's citizenry which is hampering informed decision making among health care reform advocates and voters considering various health care policies as well as addressing a dearth of basic public health knowledge in students pursuing careers in health care. This lack of a basic foundation leads to a lack of educated career decision making, as well as public health practitioners (whether nurses, doctors, public health officials, or health administrators) who are not cognizant of the broader realm within which they operate. Furthermore, we envision participants' improved public health knowledge benefitting them in personal and family health related decision making, contemplating environmental concerns and interpreting health information they encounter in news media, in addition to many other benefits.Master of Public Healt