WHAT DOES THE EDUCATION BOARD DO?
The APHA Education Board is charged with: maintaining and enhancing professional knowledge; increasing technical proficiencies; and enabling members to promote and protect environmental and community health.
The Board also is committed to aiding APHA's Sections and SPIGs to improve learning opportunities associated with Learning Institutes (formerly Continuing Education Institutes) and scientific sessions on an annual basis.
WHAT IS THE APHA LEARNING INSTITUTE?
The APHA Learning Institute is held immediately prior to the Annual Meeting and consists of a limited number of concentrated continuing education courses to promote skills enhancement in public health. These half-day or full-day educational experiences afford learners the chance to participate in a more intense and interactive experience than is available through the plenary or scientific sessions. The Learning Institute course proposals are submitted in response to a call for proposals, published on the APHA website. Courses submitted are reviewed and selected by the Learning Institutes Committee of the APHA Education Board. Continuing education credit for physicians, nurses, health educators and public health professionals is offered for all Learning Institute courses.
HOW DOES THE EDUCATION BOARD DECIDE ABOUT LEARNING INSTITUTE COURSES?
One approach for enhancing educational offerings is to continually assess the needs of APHA members to determine the adequacy of an individual's essential skills for their current and future professional position. The timeliness of such information aids APHA in the appropriate design and tailoring of educational offerings. The Education Board sponsors a survey for the purpose of evaluating the overall approach to planning, implementing and evaluating the educational mission of APHA.
HOW ARE SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATION SESSIONS OFFERED?
Scientific and education sessions describe research and/or best practices or are panel-driven current topic discussions. These sessions may be organized by Sections, Special Primary Interest Groups, Caucuses, the Student Assembly or the Annual Meeting Planning Committee and may be solicited or submitted. There are generally over 4,000 scientific papers offered during the approximately 900 scientific sessions held during the Annual Meeting. Continuing education credit for physicians, nurses, health educators and public health professionals is offered for most of the scientific and education sessions.
NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EDUCATION BOARD?
Contact: Alyssa Holland, APHA Continuing Education