Spiritual_Wellness_Holistic_Health_and_the_Practic

304 Philosophical Foundations of Health Education
Closure
After the students had time to reflect on the panelists ’ responses to their presentations,
they appreciated the aims of those panelists. The shock value stemming from the “ outrageous
” behavior of the panelists effectively underscored the importance of using
communication techniques that are appropriate for a particular audience, in a way that
a typical lecture could not.
CONCLUSIONS
This article has described a program that assures practice in presenting public health
information in a political environment. This program enables students to experience
the political nature of public health and the various aspects of the political process. It
is based on the premise that although a sound research and knowledge base are necessary
for public health practitioners, they are not sufficient for developing leadership
skills applicable to public health.
Through description of the model that provides the structure for the program, this
article has highlighted the process of preparing students to assume public health leadership
positions. The importance of issues preparation, communication, exposure to
the political environment, and the application of these skills in a political context has
been illustrated.
Opportunities to interact with local and state politicians, participate in political
activities, and to support a political agenda provide students with essential political
experience. This interaction also enables local and state political leaders to share first -
hand knowledge and experience with the students, and demonstrates the reality of the
political process. It demonstrates to students the importance of political survival and
the inability of legislators to focus on all of the important public health issues.
REFERENCE
Legnini, M. W. (1994). Developing leaders vs. training administrators in the health services. American Journal
of Public Health, 84 , 1569 – 1573.