​​Hannah Hayes, MPH, RN, Program Manager, New to Public Health Residency Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing

Susan Zahner, DrPH, RN, FNAP, FAAN, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing

Julianna Manske, MSN, RN, OCN, Program Manager, New to Public Heath Residency Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing​​

A competent and diverse public health workforce is necessary to address community health issues and promote health. The ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic and the recent Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) demonstrate the need for public health professionals to develop cross-cutting skills and competencies for public health practice.

The New to Public Health Residency Program (N2PH) is an accessible, engaging, and effective way for new public health professionals who have not had the benefit of extensive public health education to learn about the breadth and depth of public health practice domains and develop strategic skills to successfully meet current and future public health needs.

N2PH was developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison through a collaboration of staff and faculty from the School of Nursing, the School of Medicine and Public Health, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. N2PH is a year-long, accredited, online professional development program designed to support new public health professionals during their first year of governmental public health agency employment.

The Foundational Public Health Services Model provides the curricular framework for the program. While the program started in 2021 and evaluation is in progress, we expect that public health professionals who complete N2PH will build greater competency for evidence-based public health, enhance their confidence in addressing the challenges of public health work, and develop greater satisfaction with their new careers with a clear intention to remain in public health. Organizations will benefit from this program because it offers online, accessible, and economical training targeted specifically to new employees in governmental public health. Since adequate training is associated with job satisfaction and competency development, we expect that organizations will also benefit through improved retention and reduced organizational costs associated with turnover.

N2PH utilizes the Kirkpatrick Model as its framework for evaluation. The Kirkpatrick Model is a well-known tool that describes four levels of training outcomes: 1) Reaction; 2) Learning; 3) Behavior; 4) Results. One of the evaluation components we use at Level 2 is self-assessment of learning using the Modified Version of the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies). The Core Competencies are a set of knowledge and skills for the practice of public health, as defined by the 10 Essential Public Health Services. The Core Competencies highlight eight domains that represent skill areas within public health. N2PH residents complete the competency assessment during the first month, at the mid-point of the program (6 months), and at the end of the program (12 months).

N2PH recently started its fifth cohort. The first cohort of public health professionals completed the program in September 2022. Applications for upcoming cohorts are currently being accepted through the N2PH website. State workforce development planners are invited to explore our state-specific co-facilitated option to enroll participants from within a state at a reduced cost.

The N2PH Residency Program is a promising and accessible workforce development initiative built on the Foundational Public Health Services Model and designed to build Core Competencies for public health practice. The program seeks to build the competent, engaged, and thriving public health workforce needed to effectively address the needs of communities now and in the future.