Not only could students proceed through an informatics course at their pace, but the web-based course could be delivered to distance learners, as well as other interested students. The authors predict that public health informatics courses will become required in the next 3 - 5 years at schools of public health. The amount of information and the technology to manage it are increasing in complexity, not decreasing. Educators in public health cannot ignore the information-intensive environment into which they are sending their graduates. Evidence of this already exists.
Librarians have a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of education for public health students.
By providing students with the skills that informatics teaches about managing and organizing needed information, they improve both the access to public health information and the quality of public health practice. References Ascher, M.T. 2000. Grey Literature Report. Informatics and education in the health professions. Ball, M.J., et al. 1989.