Department of Public & Community Health welcomes area health professionals for inaugural conference

Liberty University’s Department of Public & Community Health, within the School of Health Sciences, hosted its inaugural Public Health Professional Conference on Thursday, creating a full day dedicated to bringing together stakeholders from the academic, professional, nonprofit, and government realms to discuss 21st-century public health challenges and potential innovative solutions across both global and local platforms.

The day consisted of breakout sessions in 30-minute blocks featuring speakers from organizations like the Virginia Department of Health, Carilion Clinic, International Help, Blue Ridge Medical Center, and Be the Match, among others. There were also presentations by Health Sciences faculty, including Master of Public Health (MPH) director and associate professor Dr. Linnaya Graf, public & community health professor Dr. Emmanuel Clottey, and Master of Science in Exercise Science & Wellness director and professor Dr. Andrew Bosak, in addition to members of Liberty’s Student Health Center and Wellness Initiatives Department.

Topics included law and ethics, public health policy, collaboration/partnership, health equity and social justice, and communication.

Dr. Oswald Attin, chair of Public & Community Health, said the idea for the conference originated with department directors and the Public Health Student Association. Because the field of public health involves frequent collaboration between departments and organizations, they wanted to host a conference that highlights interprofessional development and networking, which are great assets for students.

“The hope is that all of the public health professionals and health science professionals who are coming here will meet our students and open our students’ eyes to what they can do with what they’re studying,” Attin said. “These students can learn the impact they can make in the world using their knowledge and biblical worldview.”

School of Health Sciences Dean Dr. Heidi DiFrancesca opened the conference by welcoming the students and professionals and sharing her hopes that the event would provide students with a glimpse into their future fields and an opportunity to make connections with the visiting professionals.

“Given that collaboration and interprofessional development are integral components of the public health practice, we aim to provide our students with opportunities to engage in collaborative learning with professionals currently serving in the field of public health,” DiFrancesca said. “The breakout sessions throughout this conference will feature presentations by public health professionals from diverse backgrounds who will share their perspectives on the importance of public health. By offering a comprehensive and broad range of perspectives, we hope to deepen understanding of the essential components of public health and their relevance to real-world situations.”