Public Health

Contact person:

Dr. Wajid Ahmed

** This elective rotation will offer exposure to public heath practices within Windsor – Essex County Health Unit, including core and optional exposures to community based services (e.g., public health, nurse visits, public health inspections, sexual health clinic, pre and post  natal- clinics.

Residents may develop their own objectives pertaining to public health that will be negotiated and reviewed with the site preceptor. Evaluations will be completed through involvement with a mini project within the rotation. Due to the nature of the task, the minimum rotation length will be two months.

By the end of the elective rotation, residents will demonstrate an understanding of and be able to understand:

  • The organization of public health in Ontario
  • Population health concept and social determinants of health

Surveillance Focused:

Objective:

  • Understand what surveillance activities public health is involved with.
  • FluWatch
  • Reportable diseases
  • Emergency Department Surveillance System

Health promotion focus:

  • Oral health programs overview
    • Participate in oral health assessments in schools
    • Public health concerns with oral health issues (e.g., Flouride)
  • Healthy family program
    • Importance of early child development and its impact due to SDOH
    • Home visit with staff
  • Preventative Medicine Principles
    • Understand the concept of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention
    • Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health Care (CTFPHC)
    • Occupational health and its relevance with public health and health promotion
    • Participate in screening/ HP activities with Comprehensive Workplace Wellness Program

Disease Prevention Focus:

  • Understand the concept of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention
  • Cancer screening- principles of screening and partnerships
  • Falls prevention Clinic
  • Smoking cessation clinics
  • Smoke Free Ontario Act
    • Inspections
    • Test shoppers
    • Electronic cigarettes
    • Marijuana legalization
    • Naloxone program

Health protection focus:

  • Clinic
    • STI clinic- one day a week(0.5 day x2)
    • Case management (HIV, HCV)
    • Contract tracing
    • Law and public health
      • MBTA follow-up
      • Section orders
  • Immunization schedule in Ontario
    • Immunization clinics in school
    • Immunization of school pupils act
    • Cold chain management
    • Adverse events following immunization (AEFI)
    • Food
      • Restaurant investigation
      • Star rating system review
      • Role of CFI, provincial agencies etc.
  • Water
    • Drinking water system
      • Small drinking water system
      • Municipal water treatment plants
      • Adverse water quality incidents and response
      • Inspection
        • Swimming pool
        • Water treatment plant
        • Blue green algae
        • Health hazards
          • Bed bugs
          • Radon
          • Air quality
          • Extreme weather
          • Outbreaks
            • Respiratory outbreaks
            • GI outbreaks
            • Food borne outbreaks
            • Emergency preparedness
              • Role of PHU in emergency
              • Emergency notification system
              • KI distribution- nuclear hazards
              • Other public health hazards
              • IMS training