Health Education in Higher Education: What Is the Future?

Overview & Synopsis

This article presents the reflections of Kelli R. McCormack-Brown, recognized as the 2011 American Association for Health Education (AAHE) Scholar at the American Association for Health Education conference in 2013. Recognition of peers is the highest honor a health educator can receive and is the culmination of many years of challenges and triumphs throughout one's health journey. The author also reviews the future of health education in higher education by reporting what is happening with health education baccalaureate programs and accreditation. The "2012-2013 Occupation Outlook Handbook" reports continued employment growth for health educators, but the author asks: Can we improve undergraduate health education programs? One means of improving health education programs is to provide undergraduate research opportunities for students. Undergraduate research experiences spark the enthusiasm and light the fire for students who may never have thought about research or furthering their career along that pathway. The author also adds that as important as undergraduate and master's programs are for preparing future health education practitioners and beginning to stir the desire in these young professionals for scholarship and the creation of new knowledge, doctoral programs are essential to the future of health education research, practice, and policy. She encourages all to reflect on their strong health education history and foundation as they look to the future, noting there are many choices ahead and, like fellow health education colleagues before, they will be challenged with making important decisions that will impact the profession's future.