Professional Identity
As a young adult with a desire to be a Public Health Educator, I would like to be someone who holds the expertise and training needed to succeed as a Public Health Educator. I want to be able to execute my duties to the highest standard of quality possible with minimal supervision. I believe that my BASC in Public Health and Safety has given me most of the basic skills and knowledge needed to thrive as a Public Health Educator today. It has taught me about the different aspects of health promotion, populations at risk for disease, and the ways in which public health initiatives can be catered to vulnerable populations. I am confident that the MHS program at Athabasca University will further develop and refine my knowledge and skillset to succeed at this role. I possess excellent communication and problem-solving skills with a high proficiency in the English language. I have intermediate computer skills, proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, ImageMark, Net-Term, Citrix, Wix and Automated Clearing Settlement System. I believe these skills will contribute to organizational success. I recognize that I do not have all the answers, and am lacking in work experience, but I am always ready and willing to improve myself in terms of gaining new knowledge, skills, and practical experience relevant to Public Health Education. I try to follow and connect with public health educators on social media, and I consistently check the Public Health Ontario website to seek out professional development. It is necessary for Public Health Education workers to possess good organizational skills and public-speaking skills. To further develop these areas, I have been trying to improve my organizational skills by keeping an agenda to note my daily to-do activities, and keeping a diary to record important events and milestones. This helps me plan, to avoid getting flustered and forgetting important tasks. I have also been attempting to develop my public-speaking skills by reading and critiquing various scholarly articles aloud to close family members and friends. By doing this I feel that I am getting braver, and it helps me to experiment with various facial expressions and voice tones which I can use to engage audiences throughout my career. If I am lacking in a certain area of expertise within my profession, I would like to be open to criticism, and not afraid to seek help or ask questions. I would like to be viewed as a confident and reliable worker whom others are not afraid to approach, or venture an idea to. I would like to thoroughly execute all job duties while adhering to principles of ethics such as respect and confidentiality (Varkey, 2020).
Professional Values
As a potential health professional, I highly value integrity, responsibility, reliability, and accountability within the workplace. I think that it is very important for professionals to be able to acknowledge their duties in a respectful manner and carry them out promptly, effectively, and efficiently with limited support and supervision. It is important for professionals to always remain honest when issues arise in the workplace, and to avoid putting blame on others without full examination of the facts. Moreover, professionals should support one another in times of need. Co-workers should work together to achieve organizational goals and success, and should take initiatives to assist one another in getting work done when faced with time constraints.
Social Media and Professionalism
Social media platforms such as Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram can all be used amongst professionals to share knowledge and network. I have a Twitter account, an Instagram account, and a LinkedIn account. Instagram is my go-to social media tool, as I usually post pictures, information and updates here. As a young adult about to enter a professional world, I often refrain from posting highly personal content and biased opinions on my social media platforms, and would rather utilize them for networking and educational purposes. I would not want any of my posts to interfere with potential job opportunities and/or placements in the future. On Twitter I follow CP24 to receive the latest news updates within the province, and on Instagram I follow Public Health Ontario and Toronto Public Health to receive public health updates and information. It is important to post material on social media that you feel comfortable sharing. You need to be able to distinguish between content that is for your eyes, and content that is for the public eye. Everyone has different opinions and preferences, so it is a good idea to set boundaries according to your style. My Instagram profile is set to private, so only people who follow me can see my posts. On Instagram, I restrict my followers to family members and close friends. Likewise, I do not follow people that I do not know on any of my platforms. The only exception would be for networking purposes where it is necessary to follow organizations and/or professionals to gain career insight and prospects. Instagram is the only platform I use to share slightly more personal content such as selfies, foods I enjoy, and family pictures. I would not mind these posts to be seen by the public, but I feel more comfortable restricting them to close family and friends. Public Health Educators are not required to engage in social media usage, but I have no plan to delete any of my accounts. I think they can be useful resources to connect with other professionals and organizations within the field of Public Health and beyond. Furthermore, I believe that social media platforms can offer opportunities for knowledge, skill and training development. For example, job fairs and workshop events may be announced on social media platforms. If you lack presence, you may be missing out on some great opportunities relative to career enhancement.
Public Health Educators in the Canadian Health System
Public health workers and professionals in Ontario are held accountable for their actions by Public Health Ontario (Public Health Ontario, 2022). Public Health Ontario “provides scientific and technical advice and support to clients working in government, public health, health care, and related sectors” in Ontario (Public Health Ontario, 2022, By About sec., By Our Organization sec., By Vision, Mission, Mandate, and Values sec., By Mandate sec., para.1).
The duties of Public Health Educators are further supported by the provincial Health Protection and Promotion Act (Health Protection and Promotion Act, 1990). Public health educators are not regulated health professionals.
Public Health Educators can work for different entities such as hospitals and schools. Public health educators will be protected by their organization upon abiding by organizational policy.
Public Health Education Workers may interact with nutritionists, nurses, and social workers for purposes of knowledge exchange and collaboration (Public Health Educator, 2022). All interactions are carried out professionally and respectively to promote health.
References
Health Protection and Promotion Act, 7 RSO §§ 2-9 (1990).
Public Health Educator. (2022). Careers in Public Health. Retrieved Feb 1, 2022, from
https://www.careersinpublichealth.net/careers/public-health-educator/
Public Health Ontario. (2022). Public Health Ontario.
Varkey, B. (2020). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical
Principles and Practice, 32)0(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509119
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