It takes a lot of people to keep public health operations running smoothly, but only a small percentage of those who work for public health organizations have a comprehensive understanding of the field itself.

A survey of public health workers by the Institute of Medicine found that just 25 percent had any formal training in public health.

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is hoping to change that for staff around the state. Starting this month, DPH employees will have the chance to learn more about public health in Georgia and across the U.S. through a revitalized Introduction to Public Health course.

The goal of the course isn't only to educate employees, said Donna Dunn, Ph.D., DPH's director of learning and development. By increasing staff knowledge of public health and its mission in Georgia, DPH hopes to improve the organization as a whole.

"We're trying to level the playing field so that everyone coming to DPH has an understanding of the work we do and our mission in Georgia," Dunn said. "We want people to feel that they're not just here for a job, but they become contributing members of the organization."

The four-hour course begins by describing the definition and purpose of public health, the history of the field and the future of public health in the U.S. Then, attendees will learn about the structure and mission of public health in Georgia, what the state has accomplished in the field and how DPH divisions and staff roles aid the department's mission.

The course may sound familiar to some long-time DPH employees. That's because the department offered a similar course almost nine years ago to state and district employees, but a high volume of change within the organization, including DPH's establishment as a stand-alone agency in 2011, made it difficult to keep the program alive.

"It died for a minute. Then we recognized that there was a need to revamp it," Dunn said.

The course will be mandatory for all new hires at the state level and, eventually, mandatory for all current employees. DPH also plans to pilot the course to district and county employees in the next few months. Dick Lasco, Ph.D., director of DPH's Office of Training and Workforce Development, said the course will be one element in creating a more comprehensive onboarding process for new employees, helping to engage and integrate them into DPH from their first day with the department.

"One of the ultimate goals is to try to keep people employed here when we hire them," he said. "A good onboarding program can help make people feel that they are a part of the organization, which can lead to employees having more of a career here."