New dimensions of public health: their impact on the evaluation and selection of health personnel. II. A manpower strategy for public health.

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Abstract
At present when almost every field dependent upon trained manpower suffers continuing acute personnel shortages, rational resolutions may be sought for any individual field only in relation to its objectives. Public health, which shares with other health services a very limited potential for replacing manpower with capital, is faced with the necessity of redefining its essential goals, concentrating its resources upon high priority programs, and revising its methods in a broad systems approach. Ad hoc measures, such as vigorous recruitment and expansion of traditional training facilities, development of subprofessional categories, and devising new positions through technology will not suffice in a highly competitive labor market. Outstanding problems identified in the public health field are: persistance of anachronistic functions, procedures, and staffing patterns; functional fragmentation; and severe limitation of career opportunities for the less-than-optimally trained. For public health to meet contemporary challenges, the following are recommended: definitive withdrawal from direct provision of clinical services; development of effective internal and external coordinating mechanisms; extension of opportunities for professional leadership to non-physicians with corresponding adjustments in the educational structure.

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