Professional development through planning for and/or participating in an accreditation/approval review.

The quality of delivery of health education services is connected to landmark events in the history of health education. Quality assurance is one type of professional development in which practicing health education specialists engage. This article presents the steps of an accreditation/approval process, brief overviews of the major accreditation/approval systems, and the opportunities within the accreditation/approval process for professional development.

Marketing health educators to employers: survey findings, interpretations, and considerations for the profession.

In July 2007, a market research report was produced by Hezel Associates on behalf of five sponsoring health education profession member organizations and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. The purpose of the survey was to learn about current or potential employers' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward health educators and the health education profession and their future hiring practices. This article presents the background leading up to the production of this report, the major findings of the survey of employers, recommendations from the market research group regarding core messages, and implications for the profession having discovered for the first time information about employers' understanding of professionally prepared health educators. The article discusses the umbrella and key messages that may be incorporated into a marketing plan and other recommendations by the firm that should assist health educators in marketing the profession. Furthermore, this article presents reactions by leaders in this field to these messages and recommendations and concludes with next steps in this project and a call for the overall need to market the profession of health education.

Reflections from the ivory tower.

One health educator reflects on a career shift from public health practitioner to college faculty. The opportunity arose through informal Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) networking. Similarities between the practitioner and academic roles are noted in relation to politics, mentoring, service on committees, presentations, consultation, and chain of command. Notable differences are discussed in areas of hiring and job security, work rules, teaching versus administration, molding students versus reshaping adults, degree of focus on health content versus program process, amount of bureaucracy and red tape, and degree of freedom to advocate. Recommendations are included for successful transitions. Both roles have unique rewards.