Why Public Health Must Embrace Certification

Public health protects communities every day. It prevents disease, improves environments, and promotes healthier lives. Despite this critical responsibility, the field struggles with a fundamental question: Is public health fully recognized as a profession?

A new commentary marking the 20th anniversary of the National Board of Public Health Examiners argues that the time has come to answer that question clearly.

In “On the 20th Anniversary of the National Board of Public Health Examiners: It Is Long Past Time We Became a Profession,” published in AJPH, current and former NBPHE board members Donna J. Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH; Jaime W. Corvin, PhD, MSPH, CPH; and Paul K. Halverson, DrPH, CPH call on the field to more fully embrace certification as a defining element of professional identity.

Their message is direct: public health already functions as a profession. Now it must recognize and support the standards that define one.

A Field Defined by Diversity

Public health is one of the most diverse fields in health and science. Professionals come from many backgrounds. Epidemiologists, nurses, environmental health specialists, policy experts, educators, and communicators all contribute to protecting population health.

This diversity is one of the field’s greatest strengths. It allows public health to address complex challenges from multiple perspectives.

However, diversity has also created a challenge. Without a widely recognized credential, the field can appear fragmented. Many people working in public health have different training pathways and professional identities.

Other health professions solved this problem long ago. Physicians, nurses, and many other health professionals demonstrate expertise through board certification. Certification signals competence, professional standards, and accountability to the public.

Public health has historically lacked a widely adopted equivalent.

The Role of Certification

The Certified in Public Health (CPH) credential was created to help fill that gap. Developed through collaboration between academic and practice leaders, the certification provides a validated standard for public health knowledge and professional commitment.

Since the first exam was offered in 2008, thousands of professionals have earned the CPH credential.

Certification does more than recognize individual achievement. It strengthens the field as a whole by helping to establish:

• A shared foundation of knowledge
• A common professional language
• A commitment to ethical practice
• A system that promotes lifelong learning

Together, these elements support a stronger and more cohesive public health workforce.

“Public health has been called an invisible shield,” the authors note. “But invisibility can also lead to a lack of recognition and credibility. Certification helps make the profession visible.”

The Role of Schools and Programs of Public Health

Schools and programs of public health play a critical role in the future of the profession.

Academic leaders prepare the next generation of public health professionals. Encouraging students to pursue certification helps reinforce the professional standards that the field depends on.

Graduates who earn both a degree and certification enter the workforce with a strong signal to employers. They demonstrate not only academic preparation but also mastery of a recognized body of knowledge.

Certification can also support academic programs themselves. Schools can use exam performance data to assess curriculum effectiveness and confirm that students are well prepared for professional practice.

In this way, certification strengthens the connection between education and workforce readiness.

Strengthening the Profession

Public health faces increasingly complex challenges. Emerging diseases, environmental threats, and health inequities require a skilled and coordinated workforce.

Professional recognition matters in meeting these challenges. A clearly defined profession attracts talent, builds public trust, and strengthens collaboration across sectors.

The authors argue that broader adoption of certification can help achieve these goals. When academic and practice leaders work together to support certification, they help reinforce the standards that protect public health.

Twenty years after the creation of NBPHE, the path forward is clear.

Public health already acts as a profession. Now it is time for the field to fully embrace the structures that define one.

By supporting certification and strengthening professional standards, the public health community can ensure that its workforce receives the recognition, trust, and credibility needed to protect the health of communities everywhere.