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Community Health Professionals

Dive into the essential skills and insights needed for community health professionals, including teaching, primary care, research, and program management. Learn to make a significant impact on public health.

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Community Health Professionals

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  1. Community Health Professionals Some thoughts on what it takes … Arvind Kasthuri Department of Community Health, St John’s Medical College, Bengaluru

  2. Lets start at the Beginning……. When your eyes had the shine….. When your Heart said “Community Health” ……… What did you think you would be doing ?

  3. What did you think you would be doing ? Academics ? Teaching ? Training ? • The TeachingSkill • The desire to convey information of good quality • Thedesireto ACQUIRE information that is current, relevant, correct.. • The abilityto develop a CURRICULUM for a group based on their need • The ability to PREPARE for a teaching session, and to ASSESS if you made a difference • The ability to LOOK your trainees in the eye, and reach out to them in terms of language, level and expectation • The ability to inspire, not merely inform

  4. What did you think you would be doing ? Academics ? Teaching ? Training ? • The TeachingSkill set • Pedagogy – planning, organizing, delivering, evaluating, improving upon a teaching session • Communication • Health education • Knowledge acquisition • Language

  5. What did you think you would be doing ? Primary Health Care ? Touching a Human being who is ill in a community ? Improve the health status of a Community ? • The CaringSkill • Thedesire to continue contact with clinical medicine, and to learn good clinical practice that is current, relevant, correct…. • The ability to make a diagnosis, treat, follow up and worry about a patient with a basic health problem, to look beyond treatment and make sense of those primary prevention concepts • The ability to interact with members of the community, to facilitate the formation of community based groups, to link health care with a social approach

  6. What did you think you would be doing ? Primary Health Care ? Touching a Human being who is ill in a community ? • The CaringSkill set • Primary Health Care, including Basic Medical and Surgical Skills • Community Obstetrics/ Pediatrics / Mental Health / Rehabilitation / Geriatrics / Occupational Health • Community mobilisation • Understanding local culture, sensitivity to people • Build referral networks

  7. What did you think you would be doing ? Research ? Road Closed- take (mean) deviation To find a difference that is significant…. or To make a significant difference ? • The ResearchingSkill • The desireto do research, and to feel that research is important • The ability to think in epidemiologic terms, to start with the question, to select a design, to develop a method, to actually do it and to tell the world about it • The desire to look beyond research for its own sake and to think “How can this be of help to the man on the street who needs help ?

  8. What did you think you would be doing ? Research ? Road Closed- take (mean) deviation To find a difference that is significant…. or To make a significant difference ? • The ResearchingSkill set • Epidemiology and Biostatistics • Commitment to starting and finishing a research project, not being discouraged at lack of progress • Presentation • Documentation

  9. What did you think you would be doing ? Managing a Program ? Belong to a team that collectively makes magic ? • The ManagingSkill • The desireto belong to a team, to enjoy people, to enjoy working with people, and to not be averse to dirtying your own fingers • The ability to PLAN your work, to get the mind to stop wandering and to attain a sense of order, to be patient and take the single step that launches the journey of a thousand miles • The ability to LEAD a team, to motivate, to involve others with different abilities, to acknowledge that you cannot do/be everything • The desire to scale up and not be satisfied with little • The ability to be a ROLE MODEL to your team, to your community

  10. What did you think you would be doing ? Managing a Program ? Belong to a team that collectively makes magic ? • The ManagingSkill set • Planning – writing a proposal • Communication, leadership, motivation • Managing your TIME • Basics of finance and fund management • Basics of human resource management, resolving conflicts • Administration • Monitoring, Record keeping, registers

  11. What did you think you would be doing ? Consulting ? Assist the voluntary / government sector ? • The ConsultingSkill • The desire to acquire a competency which is valuable • The abilityto develop the competency, update it, become an “expert” • The ability to get on with people, win their confidence, work with them, deliver a service • The ability to think objectively, and write a report on the activity • The desire to do better next time, every time

  12. What did you think you would be doing ? Consulting ? Assist the voluntary / government sector ? • The ConsultingSkill set • Networking • Communication • Sensitivity to local cultures • Organizing activity • Using a computer • Training, monitoring, evaluating • Report writing

  13. So…… Whatever you do… • Remember ! • Skill and ATTITUDE cannot be separated • Skill development is only by PRACTICE ! • A pre requisite for good skill development is KNOWLEDGE, which can be acquired only in one way…. • And….

  14. Lets not forget these ….. • Managing and knowing about VEHICLES….the probability that a vehicle will be available is inversely proportional to your need for it • Lobbying and securing support for your work with a reluctant management….. • Holding your head high amidst the increasing glamour of sub sub and super super specialization….remember, you are the only specialist who can speak with equal conviction about the status of child health in your district and the evidence based management of hypertension in the elderly • Remembering the mission at the core of your work…you have the unique opportunity to “do good” during working hours, to enhance access to those who do not have it, to reach the unreached…

  15. Epilogue “ These are the ones that are not in the book, but seem to make a qualitative difference in the actual life situation of Community Health…….   A feel and heart for people and communities; or in other words, Love, Respect and Commitment….    The ability to see the larger picture, the denominator, and our role within that…… The perseverance to go on, even after the cameras have moved away…… The value system that always puts people first, above money and resources……..

  16. Epilogue the honesty and humility to stand down, and to let others climb on and over you….     the willingness to strive for excellence, even when mediocrity will also pass…..    the courage to smile so as to keep others smiling, even when your heart is heavy…… These are ingredients I have seen and admired in fellow travellers on the Community Health path, things I wish I had more of, for life and work……. Dr John C Oommen, Christian Hospital, Bissam Cuttack, Orissa

  17. Acknowledgement I Gratefully acknowledge the contribution of….     Dr Dara S Amar and Dr Dominic Misquith My colleagues at the Department of Community Health, SJMC and very specially Dr John C Oommen, Head, Community Health Department, Christian Hospital, Bissam Cuttack, Orissa

  18. Thank You !

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