Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision

Maximum health in every population, specifically minority, rural, and older populations.

Mission

The Department of Public Health of Mercer University will produce public health professionals through integrating public health education, service, and research to engage communities (including minority, rural, or aging populations) in improving population health, eliminating health disparities, and achieving health equity and social justice.

Program Goals

  • Instruction: Produce competent professionals who will work to improve population health, eliminate health disparities, and achieve health equity and social justice.
  • Research/Scholarship: Support the advancement of public health knowledge through research that focuses on health disparities, including rural and other marginalized populations.
  • Service: Engage in service to meet public health needs, working with communities and organizations that seek to improve population health, eliminate health disparities, and achieve health equity and social justice.
  • Program Development: Develop and maintain infrastructure and resources that are adequate to support faculty, staff, and students, as they accomplish the mission of the public health program.

Core Values

  • Collaboration: working together and respecting each other’s contributions.
  • Compassion: showing empathy and concern for the well-being of others.
  • Competence: demonstrating mastery of skills of one’s profession or vocation.
  • Excellence: performing at the highest level and exceeding the expectations of those we serve.
  • Integrity: unwavering adherence to a professional and ethical code of conduct.
  • Respect and Honesty: conducting ourselves in a manner that demonstrates the value of each individual.
  • Service: offering our talents and skills toward betterment of our communities.
  • Justice: committing to fairness and reasonableness in the treatment of others
  • Equity: working for the application of justice to promote and improve health

Competencies and Profile of the Bachelor of Public Health Graduate

  1. Describe the origins and development of the field of public health and its values, concepts, and functions.
  2. Identify population health challenges using analysis ad evidence based approaches.
  3. Identify the role and sources of public health data and information for use in policy development.
  4. Participate in program implementation processes.
  5. Convey public health information using a variety of approaches.
  6. Recognize the role of cultural, social, and behavioral factors in the accessibility, availability, acceptability, and delivery of public health services.
  7. Recognize how policy, law, ethics, and economics influence population health.
  8. Describe the role of governmental and non-governmental organizations in the delivery of community health services.
  9. Describe the basics of human health, disease, and contributing factors.
  10. Describe the local, state, and federal public health and healthcare systems.
  11. Describe how public health operates within a larger system.