Exploring the geospatial variations in the public health workforce: implications for diversifying the supply of potential workers in governmental settings

The US public health workforce has markedly declined, falling from 500 000 individuals in 1980 to 239 000 by 2022, a trend exacerbated by economic instability and an aging demographic. There was a temporary surge in staffing through emergency hires during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the permanence of these positions remains uncertain. Concurrently, public health degree conferrals have sharply increased, creating a mismatch between the growing number of graduates and the actual needs of health departments. This study analyzes the distribution of the potential public health labor supply within a 50- and 150-mile radius of health departments, revealing a significant regional imbalance. Most regions experience substantial differences in the concentration of public health graduates when accounting for population size, reflecting geographic disparities in workforce distribution. These findings underscore the necessity for structured partnerships between health departments and educational institutions and advocacy for adaptive policy changes to align educational outputs with labor market demands, essential for a resilient public health workforce.

Connecting Public Health Students to Rural and Underserved Areas: Promoting Health Equity Through Field Placement Experiences

There is an increasing demand for public health workers due to the unmet needs of the poor and underserved populations. However, through field placement experiences, students can actively engage in their own learning while also addressing critical needs of rural and medically underserved populations. In this mixed-methods evaluation, we explored experiences of emerging public health practitioners who participated in the Region IV Public Health Training Center's Pathways to Practice Scholars program between 2014 and 2018. Based on student confidence level ratings and descriptions of field placement experiences, scholars participated in meaningful and enriching field placement experiences in rural areas or on behalf of medically underserved populations. Across all eight Council on Linkages Core Competency Domains, students recorded increased pre- to post-confidence scores, and for many, the field placement experience appeared to affirm their interest in addressing the needs of these communities in the future.