Skills and abilities needed by environmental health science and protection professionals in the public sector. (Practical Stuff!).

* The National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC) accredits undergraduate environmental health science programs in the United States.

* EHAC guidelines describe the core and technical courses students should take to earn a bachelor of science degree in environmental health science.

* The accreditation guidelines were recently reviewed.

* As part of that review, the author

-- examined existing environmental health priorities in publichealth agencies,

-- reviewed entry-level job postings, and

-- surveyed more than 120 public-health professionals across the country.

* Some environmental issues are becoming more important than others.

* Drinking-water quality remains one of the most important environmental issues to the American public.

* Wastewater and food safety continue to be priorities.

* Environmental health issues of the future are likely to include

-- environmental justice;

-- market-based incentives;

-- technology;

-- globalization;

-- global warming;

-- weapons of mass destruction;

-- emerging infectious diseases;

-- bioterrorism; and

-- increasing urbanization, population growth, and land use change.

* These issues are not emphasized in the current accreditation guidelines.

* Undergraduate environmental health curricula should ensure that graduates possess knowledge about both basic and emerging environmental health issues.

* Survey participants also were asked to identify characteristics that make an applicant most attractive as a potential environmental health employee.

* The results suggest that students who graduate from accredited programs must be skilled interpersonal communicators with a broad base of technical knowledge.

* Problem solving and the ability to think critically also are imperative.