Top Skills for Public Health Students: What to Hone in School

Analytical Thought

Being analytical allows you to collect, visualize, and analyze data and see the big picture behind the information. Analytical skills also help you deconstruct large pieces of information and identify relevant details. As a public health student, you’ll be immersed in biostatistics, which largely involves analyzing data, so your ability to think analytically will come into play daily.

Participating in analysis-based student projects, seeking feedback, and engaging in analytical discussions with peers and instructors will help you develop your analytical skills. As your skills grow, you’ll find yourself using them not just in class but also in everyday situations.

Attention to Detail

Focusing on important details means that once you break down a project into smaller steps, you’ll do a good job of making sure the pieces fit together, prioritizing tasks, planning out the project to meet deadlines, and understanding what needs to happen to achieve your goals. With good attention to detail your work will stand out not only for the information you include, but also for its accuracy and completeness. You’ll never find yourself in a situation in which your effort doesn’t pay off because your work is sloppy or off target.

With good attention to detail, you’ll find your class notes will be accurate and thorough, which makes studying go quicker. As attention to detail becomes second nature, you may find yourself developing other good habits, such as putting items where they belong and keeping track of appointments and deadlines so you’re never surprised about what’s coming up.

Clear Writing

Clear and accurate writing is essential for all students. As a good writer, you’ll need to use correct grammar and punctuation, understand how to organize large amounts of information, and edit your work thoroughly. Public health students must write clearly and correctly not only to demonstrate what they’re learning, but also to be prepared for the detailed written communication (e.g., fact sheets, proposals, assessments, etc.) their careers will require.

Improve your writing skills by learning the rules of grammar and punctuation and by disciplining yourself to read over what you’ve written multiple times to revise and improve your work. The ability to write clearly also includes learning to do solid research and being willing to receive and apply input from instructors and peers.

Scientific Mindset

Applying a scientific mindset involves understanding and applying scientific knowledge. Driven by curiosity and questions, a science-minded student works to find answers supported by logic. Public health students develop a scientific mindset as they study science-heavy topics like biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral science, and environmental science.

To develop a scientific mindset, push yourself to continually ask “Why?” “How?” and “What if?” Keep an open mind and consider all possibilities. Be willing to experiment and apply a healthy amount of skepticism as you analyze information. Observe those who have developed this mindset (i.e., your instructors) and learn from how they approach topics and problems.

Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking involves knowing your goals and creating a plan for achieving them. This mindset is essential for public health coursework like health services administration, which involves program planning and evaluation, quality control, and much more. Strategic thinking helps you connect information with overall goals and missions.

Developing strategic thinking skills includes prioritizing and looking for solutions. It requires asking good questions and listening to other perspectives. You’ll become more strategic in your own thinking by reflecting on what you’ve learned and how your instructors have approached the information. Strategic thinking comes through developing both your logic and your creativity, which combine for an innovative and effective strategic approach.

Effective Communication

Solid communicators listen well and express themselves clearly. They employ empathy, are encouraging, and remain aware of emotions and body language. In public health, solid communication allows for effectively disseminating complicated data and information in ways that positively impact the health and wellness of large groups of people.

Improving your communication skills is a lifelong endeavor. Start by being mindful of the words you use and by actively listening to others. Be willing to ask questions and listen more than you talk. Be open to feedback and pay special attention to experienced communicators.

Strong Social Skills

Being socially adept means being polite and getting along with people. Strong social skills nurture a feeling of belonging, which reduces social isolation and promotes overall well-being. Learning to assess different situations and adapting yourself as needed promotes success both in academic and professional settings and helps you develop healthy relationships.

Having strong social skills ties closely into using solid communication skills like active listening, maintaining focus, and asking for help. For the most part, these skills develop through practice, however, reflecting on your interactions and being responsible for your behavior are key in that practice. Remember that social situations are dynamic and require adaptive social skills.

Cultural Competency

Related to having strong social skills, cultural competency involves understanding, communicating with, and effectively interacting with people across cultures. As a college student, you will experience diversity in the classroom. Furthermore, the ability to adapt to diverse environments is an essential skill within the widely diverse public health arena.

Develop your cultural competency by learning about your own historical roots, beliefs, and values. Embrace opportunities to learn about and interact with other cultures. Develop cultural awareness by learning about others’ cultural norms, values, beliefs, and practices. Finally, practice openness and sensitivity by accepting differences, suspending judgment, and avoiding stereotypes.

Systems Thinking

Systems thinking involves considering available choices for solving a problem by exploring the elements, interconnections, and purposes of each option. You’ll also tap into your leadership skills by applying ethical standards to possible solutions, managing change, and continuously improving any solutions you try.

To develop systems thinking, you’ll need to become more self-aware and strive to understand your own mental processes. Seek and value others’ opinions and try to see challenges from different perspectives. Consider how your classes relate to one another and be mindful of how they all link to your future public health career. Seeing that value and importance will help you do your best in each class.

Flexibility

Flexibility relates to how you respond to changing circumstances and expectations. A flexible mindset shows a willingness to adapt. Flexibility helps you to deal with unexpected changes quickly, calmly, and effectively. The dynamic nature of public health calls for flexibility every day.

One barrier to flexibility is the fact that oftentimes we’re sure we know the best way to do something. Learn flexible by being willing to accomplish a task in a new way, perhaps one recommended by a peer during a project. Listening to constructive criticism and working extra hours to complete a project are also examples of flexibility. By taking advantage of new experiences, such as joining a student group or taking a challenging elective, you’ll also learn flexibility and learn the value others bring to the process.

Comfort with Technology

Many, but not all, students are naturally comfortable with technology. At a minimum, become comfortable using technology to do research, complete projects, communicate, and stay organized. Learn how to create documents, use word processing programs, organize files, navigate the internet, and use multiple browsers. Public health students can’t stop there, though; you’ll also need to learn more complex applications like statistical software and geospatial applications in preparation for your career.

Comfort with technology involves lots of practice. In your classes, be thorough in studying and practicing any technology your instructor deems important. Read about emerging technology whenever you get the chance and consider how it applies to your academic courses and in a public health career.

Participation

Successful online students actively participate in their learning experience. Participation helps you better understand course material and demonstrates to instructors that you comprehend and are using what you learn. Active participation also creates engagement, enhances a sense of connection, and deepens relationships with classmates. Participate by interacting and engaging regularly with both instructors and peers. Actively participate in discussions by asking questions and leaving constructive feedback. Read all course material and conduct additional research as needed. Seek out feedback and be appreciative of any you receive. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification and guidance as needed.

Self-Discipline

Online learning presents a convenient and flexible way to earn a degree from almost anywhere. Because of that, it also holds the potential for you to be more distracted and to neglect coursework. Self-discipline involves having the independence and internal motivation needed to stay current with coursework even with limited interaction and increased distractions.

Keep up your self-discipline by creating a dedicated study space and regular study time to help establish a routine. Make sure you’re aware of due dates and plan ahead to avoid procrastination. A self-disciplined student avoids completing assignments and studying for tests at the last minute.