Public & Community Health Program (Period 1 & 2)

Public & Community Health Program

Public & Community Health is a one year program. Keck Medicine (Hospital) of USC works in partnership with our students to make their hospital volunteer experience a rewarding one.   

One of our main priority is to prepare students to be career and college ready and train them to provide quality customer care and service to Keck Hospital visitors and patients. We are thankful to all participants who will dedicate themselves to assisting staff and patients, whatever their needs may be.

Overall, the goal is to prepare high school graduates to be active agents of change in their communities, capable of identifying and addressing public health concerns through evidence-based interventions and collaborative approaches.

Public and Community Health Curriculum aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to: 

1. assess community health needs/issues
2.  identify health disparities in local and school community
3.  implement preventative strategies
4.  promote healthy behaviors
5.  advocate for policies that improve population health
6.  effectively engage and educate diverse communities to address public health issues
7. Learn and connect with a deep understanding of social determinants of health and ethical considerations. 

Key areas of focus: 

1. Health Assessment: Research and learning how to collect, analyze, and interpret data to understand the health status of a population, including disease trends and risk factors. 
2.  Epidemiology: Understanding the distribution and determinants of diseases within a population, including methods for disease investigation and outbreak response. 
3. Behavioral Health Promotion: Developing and implementing interventions to promote healthy behaviors like nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco cessation. 
4. Community Engagement: Building relationships with community leaders and organizations to effectively mobilize community participation in health initiatives. 
5. Health Policy and Advocacy: Analyzing health policies, advocating for policy changes to improve population health, and understanding the legislative process. 
6. Social Determinants of Health: Recognizing how factors like socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, education, and housing influence health outcomes. 
7. Health Disparities: Identifying and addressing health inequities experienced by different populations based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. 
8. Communication and Leadership Skills: Developing effective communication strategies to educate the public about health issues, build consensus, and lead community-based interventions. 
9. Ethical Considerations: Understanding ethical principles and applying them to public health practices, including issues related to informed consent, privacy, and social justice. 
10. CERT:  Integrate knowledge and skills necessary as a member of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to demonstrate the response required to meet their community’s immediate needs in emergencies or disasters. 

• Describe the roles and responsibilities of a member of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in immediate response.
• Describe potential hazards and their effect on the community.
• Describe prevention strategies in homes, workplaces, and communities. 
• Identify planning and size-up requirements for potential search and rescue situations. 
• Explain how the community has a role in disaster preparedness and response.  
• Employ basic assessment, triage, and treatment as defined by CERT protocols under simulated disaster conditions.