Fellowship Program Curriculum

The Fellowship Program’s curriculum is focused on collaborative leadership, systems thinking, and strengthening public health practice. Fellows progress through the curriculum over the course of their two years in the program and bring their learnings back to their work at their respective placement sites. The goal of the Wisconsin Population Health Service Fellowship Program is to train the next generation of public health leaders who will employ cutting-edge skills, systems thinking, and a commitment to collaboration to improve health and well-being for all Wisconsinites. The following curriculum helps advance this work:

Monthly Learning Community Meetings

The Fellowship Program gathers monthly as a Learning Community in community-based locations across the state. The Learning Community provides fellows, preceptors, and program leaders opportunities to closely examine prominent public health issues, learn about innovative programs, and discuss how the learnings from the day can be applied to their own work. Given the focus on community partnerships, the program works with and learns from communities across Wisconsin to better understand public health challenges and community-driven approaches to addressing them. Fellows plan and facilitate at least one monthly meeting every year.

Leadership & Career Coaching

Over the course of their 2 years in the program, fellows advance through a series of sessions on leadership development and career exploration. Fellows dive into their own leadership style and build skills in collaborative leadership, communication, and conflict transformation. In addition, fellows participate in sessions on career exploration to guide self–reflection, career goals, and leadership opportunities.

Core Activities of Learning

Throughout their two years in the program, fellows use Core Activities of Learning (CALs), based on the Council on Linkages for Public Health Practice competencies, to build and demonstrate a broad range of public health practice skills. CALs identify core competencies for the public health workforce and provide a framework for fellows to document their experiences and assess their proficiency across different areas of public health practice. Preceptors also assess fellows’ proficiency and use this information to identify opportunities for continued growth and development. Over time, the CALs create a portfolio of fellows’ experiences and accomplishments that can support their career development and job search.

Progress Review Meetings

Fellows facilitate quarterly check-in calls with their preceptor(s), program staff, and program faculty, called Progress Review Meetings. These meetings provide regular opportunities for reflection, discussion, and support as fellows progress through their two years in the program. Fellows discuss their progress on the CALs, reflections on their goals, and updates on their current projects. These meetings provide dedicated space for mentorship, problem-solving, and identifying areas where additional support may be helpful.

Professional Development Funds

Fellows receive $1,800 annually in professional development funds to support their learning and career goals. Funds may be used for state and national public health conferences, subject-area trainings, certifications, and other opportunities that support fellows’ learning, skill development, and career goals.