A CONTINUING-EDUCATION PREFERENCE SURVEY OF PUBLIC-HEALTH GRADUATES

Continuing education (CE) is a vital component in strengthening the pu blic health work force, and its importance has been emphasized by the Institute of Medicine and the Council for Education in Public Health. A CE preference survey was undertaken of alumni of the University of C alifornia, Berkeley, School of Public Health (UCB-SPH). Questionnaires were mailed to a one-third random sample of 1,500 graduates from 1981 -1992 who currently reside in U.S. Department of Health and Human Serv ices (HHS) Region IX. A response rate of 57% was achieved. Results of the survey show that CE activities are highly desired among respondent s. Overall, 58% of respondents prefer a half-day to one-day seminar fo rmat during regular business hours, as opposed to night classes. They prefer a traditional didactic classroom presentation that is within on e hour's automobile travel. The optimal setting for CE courses would b e at the University of California, Berkeley, or in-house at their inst itution. Subject areas of interest noted by respondents are health pol icy development, communication in public health, community involvement , and research. Schools of public health may respond to the CE needs o f their alumni through a variety of channels, including the mainstream ing of CE as part of a school's teaching responsibility, special semin ars or institutes, extension courses through the larger university sys tem, distance-based learning, and through a separately funded for-prof it CE activity.