University of Minnesota to add new undergraduate program to address public health workforce woes
MINNEAPOLIS -- The pandemic has put pressure on public health and the U.S. doesn't have enough workers to fill those jobs, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota.
But the school plans to open enrollment in a new undergraduate program aimed at training the future public health workforce to meet growing demands.
"There are so many positions open in public health that we need to fill them and we need to fill them faster," said Ruby Nguyen, director of undergraduate studies at the university's School of Public Health. "One of the biggest advantages is we have far-reaching arms that can address public health issues and send students to areas such as Laverne or Deerwood or Crookston, where we know that we absolutely need more public health support."
The needs are nationwide. Researchers in Minnesota' public health school determined there needs to be 80,000 more workers to meet the country's basic public health needs, which means hiring 80% more people in local and state health departments compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The university's bachelor's degree in public health program begins next fall. It was recently approved by the Board of Regents, which highlighted the urgent need for a skilled and diverse workforce.
Nguyen said to meet those goals—especially diversity in the profession when there are health disparities among different populations—the school will create a pathway for students enrolled in community colleges to complete their public health degree at the state's flagship university.
"What we're going to be sending into the workforce are individuals who have an increased knowledge of public health on day one," she said.
This comes at a time when most states, including Minnesota, are battling high or very high levels of flu and respiratory illnesses, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 cases in Minnesota have increased by 26% from two weeks ago.
Some are calling the moment a "tripledemic," leaving hospitals strapped.
"You could even call it the quadruple one because we have everyone wanting and needing to get their surgeries done by the end of the year," said Helen Strike, who leads Allina Health's planning and surge team. "So we've got a dramatic situation that's been happening."
Strike said the health care system is also dealing with workforce woes. But she welcomed efforts to increase public health staffing because it helps them, too.
"We have continued work to do in public health itself with our vaccination programs, with health promotion and prevention of illness, so that we can get back to concentrating perhaps on the health of our communities versus our reactionary responses to people's illness," she said.
While the pandemic put public health departments in the spotlight, much of the work isn't battling COVID-19, Nguyen said. In addition to preparing for potential health threats, these workers also monitor opioid overdoses and oversee who's participating in nutritional assistance programs, she said.
