Achieving the Mission of the UNMC College of Public health requires strong partnerships and linkages between the academic and practice communities. The office of public health practice is committed to enhancing academe and practice partnerships to advance the development of the public health workforce through a commitment to practice-based research, education, service and professional education and training.
Defining Public Health Practice:
Academic public health practice is the applied, interdisciplinary pursuit of scholarship in the field of public health (Association of Schools of Public Health – Practice Council).
Academic public health practice involves the multiple capacities of practice-based research, teaching and service. The application of academic public health is accomplished through:
- Practice-based research—The scholarship of discovery is concerned with development of the new knowledge that solves the challenging problems of public health and health care. Through interdisciplinary, applied research academicians, in collaboration with practitioners, discover additional knowledge and generate new science in the practice of public health at the boundaries where fields converge.
- Practice-based teaching—Teaching is a critical component of scholarship. The research function of scholarship is diminished if quality teaching, including the preparation of practitioners and research specialists, is absent. The art of teaching, especially interdisciplinary collaboration in education and training, is particularly relevant to practice based scholarship that enhances practitioner competence and capacity. Applied teaching informs both the academician and practitioner as co-learners, and enhances student competence through field placements, internships and practice-based curricula.
- Practice-based service—Service is relevant as scholarship if it requires the use of professional knowledge, or general knowledge that results from one’s role as a faculty member. This knowledge is applied as consultant, professional expert or technical advisor to the university community, the public health practice community or professional practice organizations. This dimension of scholarship distinguishes practice-based service from a form of service known traditionally as the general responsibilities of citizenship.