Making the 10 Essential Public Health Services Come Alive for Students

Engaging course-ready activities from Introduction to Public Health: Promises and Practice, 3rd Edition

Teaching students the foundations of public health is only part of the equation. Today’s learners—many of whom are balancing clinical hours, coursework, and family obligations—need assignments that connect big-picture systems thinking to their day-to-day experiences. The 10 Essential Public Health Services (EPHS) offer a clear, relevant framework for bringing public health to life in your classroom, whether you’re teaching in person, online, or hybrid.

Chapter 3 of Introduction to Public Health: Promises and Practice, introduces the EPHS in an approachable, engaging way—making it easy for educators to spark meaningful discussion, critical thinking, and community connections. Below are five assignment ideas built around the EPHS framework to help students engage deeply with the content and see their future role in public health more clearly.

1. Public Health Poster or Social Media Campaign

Assignment: Have students choose one of the 10 EPHS and design a poster or social media graphic promoting its importance.
Why It Works: Students use visual storytelling to communicate core public health concepts like “Inform, Educate, and Empower.” It’s a natural fit for digital-native learners and reinforces their understanding through creativity.

2. Public Health Crisis Simulation

Assignment: Organize a simulation of a health emergency—such as an outbreak—and assign students roles (e.g., epidemiologist, communications officer, policy advisor). As the situation unfolds, they’ll draw on EPHS like “Monitor Health” or “Mobilize Community Partnerships.”
Why It Works: Role-playing fosters teamwork, decision-making, and real-time application of public health strategies.

3. Community Health Assessment

Assignment: Students conduct a mini assessment of their own community’s health services, using the EPHS to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Why It Works: It bridges academic knowledge with real-world observation. Students gain a stronger sense of local health infrastructure and how it impacts everyday lives.

4. Advocacy Plan for a Public Health Issue

Assignment: Students choose a pressing issue—like mental health, nutrition, or vaccinations—and develop an advocacy plan using the EPHS as a blueprint.
Why It Works: It empowers students to connect personal values with professional tools, sharpening their communication and planning skills while highlighting the practical role of public health.

5. Public Health Documentary or Explainer Video

Assignment: Students create short videos introducing one of the EPHS, its function, and its impact on society.
Why It Works: Multimedia projects deepen understanding while honing digital communication skills. Students also practice simplifying complex topics—essential for public health outreach.

Why This Book?

Introduction to Public Health isn’t just a textbook, it’s a teaching toolkit. From historical foundations to today’s challenges, the third edition delivers updated case studies, engaging “Did You Know?” highlights, CEPH-aligned content, and full instructor support (including test banks, PowerPoints, and an instructor manual).

As Gwendolyn Sue Short, DNP, MPH (Saint Catherine University) shared in Doody’s Review Service:

“This book creates an excellent introduction to public health by providing a strong conceptual and historical foundation… It’s thorough, reader-friendly, and full of opportunities for additional learning.”
© Doody’s Review Service, ©2024, Gwendolyn Sue Short, DNP, MPH, Saint Catherine University