Integrating public health and allied health education through a core curriculum: an action research approach.

This paper describes the use of an action research model to effect curricular change--specifically, to develop a core curriculum that prepares public health and health professions students to meet emerging needs in today's health care environment. The action research process is based on a series of steps wherein the problem is identified, data are collected and interpreted, action is taken, and action is reflected upon. These steps are then repeated. Consensus building proceeds as participants engage in continual analysis and implementation of changes, followed by more analysis. This process led to the emergence of three core content focus areas: Population, Wellness and Disability; Evidence-Based Practice; and Communication and Professionalism. "Focus Area Working Groups" were established to further delineate each content area. These groups initially developed 62 learning objectives across the three focus areas. Those objectives were subsequently distilled and refined, resulting in 25 "Core Essentials" that now define the core curriculum and serve as content guides rather than prescriptive learning objectives. The action research model proved to be beneficial in helping faculty from diverse health disciplines build consensus as they identified common professional and interprofessional learning needs.