Competency mapping and analysis for public health preparedness training initiatives

Competency-based education and assessment initiatives have been completed in a number of health care and health management professions during the past decade. In addition, several competency specification endeavors have been similarly undertaken in relation to the field of public health, including the development of the Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice competency model and the initial competency modeling Delphi survey completed by the Association of Schools of Public Health. All of these organizations have subsequently had to address the many challenges and barriers to the dissemination and integration of their models into specific educational and professional development practices. As previously addressed by many researchers in the field of competency modeling and deployment, understanding and acceptance of competency-based systems are formidable goals, often rife with controversy. This article describes the processes undertaken by The University of Michigan Center for Public Health Preparedness to integrate competency-based learning and assessment in educational and training initiatives with its many community partners.