Defining The Public Health Workforce

Defining the public health workforce and specifying its performance requirements is a major challenge as the nation anticipates public health needs for the twenty-first century. The core group of professionals employed by government public health agencies works in close partnership with a wide range of public, private, and voluntary organizations. The core group of public health professionals includes physicians, dentists, and nurses, plus many other health, environmental, and public safety professionals. The task of ensuring that this workforce is prepared with skills and knowledge to face both identified and emerging public health challenges is immense.
Public health workers are responsible for providing the essential services of public health.