Identifying training needs in the public health workforce: the public health prevention service as a case study.

The Public Health Prevention Service is a three-year training program committed to developing a workforce that is skilled in planning, managing, and evaluating prevention programs. In 2000, a questionnaire was administered to participants to assess their training needs. According to the resultant data, training is preferred in traditional formats (e.g., case studies and group discussion) and in short installments (one to three hours). Topics identified for future training included software application, prevention effectiveness (i.e., economic analysis), program evaluation, budgeting, and consensus building.