Restricted accessReview articleFirst published online 2026-1
Development of Health Promotion Policy Fellowship—Required Competencies,Admission and Completion Requirements,and Implementation Process: A Scoping Review
Fellowship programs provide structured training that blends theoretical learning with practical application to build professional expertise. In the Philippines, such programs are typically associated with clinical practice, with limited focus on policy development. However, the evolving health landscape and the Department of Health’s (DOH) Health Promotion Framework Strategy 2030 underscore the need for strong health promotion policies and skilled professionals to lead them. To respond to this need, the National Institutes of Health at University of Philippines Manila, in partnership with the Department of Health, is developing a fellowship program aimed at producing health promotion policy specialists. This scoping review lays the groundwork by synthesizing global and local literature on relevant competencies, selection criteria, and program implementation strategies to inform the fellowship’s design.
PotvinLJonesCM.Twenty-five years after the Ottawa charter: the critical role of health promotion for public health. Can J Public Health. 2011;102(4):244-248. doi:10.1007/BF03404041
2.
BrownsonRCHaire-JoshuDLukeDA.Shaping the context of health: a review of environmental and policy approaches in the prevention of chronic diseases. Annu Rev Public Health. 2006;27:341-370. doi:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.27.021405.102137
3.
HillADe ZapienJGStatenLK, et alFrom program to policy: expanding the role of community coalitions. Prev Chronic Dis. 2007;4(4):A103. Accessed September 3, 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17875247
4.
LiFMaoLChenP.Physical activity and prevention of chronic disease in Chinese youth: a public health approach. J Sport Health Sci. 2019;8(6):512-515. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2019.06.008
5.
BarryMM.Transformative health promotion: what is needed to advance progress?Glob Health Promot. 2021;28(4):8-16. doi:10.1177/17579759211013766
ArioARBulageLKadoberaD, et alUganda public health fellowship program’s contribution to building a resilient and sustainable public health system in Uganda. Glob Health Action. 2019;12(1):1609825. doi:10.1080/16549716.2019.1609825
9.
KimballAMHarperDCreamerK, et alStrengthening public health leadership in Africa: an innovative fellowship program. Acad Med. 2019;94(8):1146-1149. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000002707
10.
WeberEChaoJKoyamaASinertR.Pediatric emergency medicine fellowship education on adolescent sexual health care. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2022;38(3):97-103. doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000002612
11.
McCarthyAM. Benefits and challenges of a nurse-midwife fellowship: a review of the Ruth B. Stifel fellowship program at the midwife center for birth and women’s health. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2015;60(3):263-266. doi:10.1111/jmwh.12303
12.
DOH. Framework for advancing health through evidence-assisted decisions with Health Policy and Systems Research Program. 2017. https://app.doh.gov.ph:1024/Rest/GetFile?id=337134 (accessed July 25, 2025).
13.
D’Agostino McGowanLStaffordJDThompsonVLJohnson-JavoisBGoodmanMS.Quantitative evaluation of the community research fellows training program. Front Public Health. 2015;3:179. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2015.00179
14.
LemeryJSorensenCBalbusJ, et alScience policy training for a new physician leader: description and framework of a novel climate and health science policy fellowship. AEM Educ Train. 2019;3(3):233-242. doi:10.1002/aet2.10323
15.
BulageLArioARKabwamaSN, et alDocumentation and dissemination of scientific evidence by the Uganda public health fellowship program: experiences and lessons learnt, 2015–2020. Hum Resour Health. 2021;19(1):128. doi:10.1186/s12960-021-00665-1
16.
HenryAAInglesDJDuLVermundSHHeimburgerDCAliyuMH.Expanding global health engagement through fogarty fellowship programs. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2021;106(2):419-423. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.21-0311
17.
KrohnKMYuGLieberMBarryM.The Stanford global health media fellowship: training the next generation of physician communicators to fight health misinformation. Acad Med. 2022;97(7):1004-1008. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000004630
18.
ArkseyHO’MalleyL.Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005;8(1):19-32. doi:10.1080/1364557032000119616
19.
LevacDColquhounHO’BrienKK.Scoping studies: advancing the methodology. Implement Sci. 2010;5:69. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-5-69
MadausGFScrivenMSStufflebeamDLStufflebeamDL. The CIPP model for program evaluation. In: MadausFFScrivenMStufflebeamDL, eds. Evaluation Models: Viewpoints on Educational and Human Services Evaluation. Kluwer; 1983:117-141.
OuzzaniMHammadyHFedorowiczZElmagarmidA.Rayyan—a web and mobile app for systematic reviews. Syst Rev. 2016;5:210.
24.
KirkpatrickDL.Techniques for evaluation training programs. J Am Soc Train Dir. 1959;13:21-26.
25.
TriccoACLillieEZarinW, et alPRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018;169(7):467-473.
26.
TorresSRichardLGuichardAChiocchioFLitvakEBeaudetN.Professional development programs in health promotion: tools and processes to favor new practices. Health Promot Int. 2017;32(3):587-598.
27.
PatjaKHuis In’t VeldTArvaD, et alHealth promotion and disease prevention in the education of health professionals: a mapping of European educational programmes from 2019. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):778.
28.
KaperMSWinterAFde BevilacquaR, et alPositive outcomes of a comprehensive health literacy communication training for health professionals in three European countries: a multi-centre pre-post intervention study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(20):3923. doi:10.3390/ijerph16203923
29.
NetherwayJSmithBMonforteJ.Training healthcare professionals on how to promote physical activity in the UK: a scoping review of current trends and future opportunities. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(13):6701. doi:10.3390/ijerph18136701
30.
FlorindoAAAndradeDRGuerraPH, et alPhysical activity promotion by health practitioners: a distance-learning training component to improve knowledge and counseling. Prim Health Care Res Dev. 2018;19(2):140-150.
31.
DavisKSwarbrickPKrzosIMRuppertSO’NeillS.Health literacy training: a model for effective implementation and sustainability. Psychiatr Rehabil J. 2015;38(4):377-379.
32.
ShlaferRJMcReeALGowerALBearingerLH.Better communication for better public health: perspectives from an interdisciplinary training program. Health Promot Pract. 2016;17(2):165-168.
33.
NicholsNMcFarlaneKGibsonPMillardFPackerAMcDonaldM.Skills, systems and supports: an aboriginal community controlled health service (Apunipima) approach to building health promotion evaluation capacity of staff. Health Promot J Austr. 2018;29(1):18-22.
34.
TremblayMCRichardLBrousselleABeaudetN.Learning reflexively from a health promotion professional development program in Canada. Health Promot Int. 2014;29(3):538-548.
35.
TremblayMCRichardLBrousselleABeaudetN.How can both the intervention and its evaluation fulfill health promotion principles? An example from a professional development program. Health Promot Pract. 2013;14(4):563-571.
36.
RichardLTorresSTremblayMC, et alAn analysis of the adaptability of a professional development program in public health: results from the ALPS study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2015;15:233.
37.
MelaririHIKalindaCChimbariMJ.Training, attitudes, and practice (TAP) among healthcare professionals in the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, South Africa: a health promotion and disease prevention perspective. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(11):e0259884.
38.
SalinasJMuñozCAlbagliAArayaGVioF.The contribution of distance education to health promotion in Chile. Health Promot Int. 2017;32(5):913-921.
39.
BiehlVGerlingerTWieberF.Professional characteristics of health promotion: a scoping review of the German and international literature. Int J Public Health. 2021;66:1603993.
40.
WilkinsALoboRCGriffinDMWoodsHA.Evaluation of health promotion training for the Western Australian aboriginal maternal and child health sector. Health Promot J Austr. 2015;26(1):57-63.
41.
Al-YateemNRossiterRSlewa-YounanS, et alExperiences of a mental health promotion, prevention, and early-intervention training program targeted to school nurses in the United Arab Emirates. Int Nurs Rev. 2023;70(3):372-382.
LeavyJESchwarzmanJSmithJA, et alOnline journal clubs: a new opportunity for the professional development of the health promotion community. Health Promot J Austr. 2021;32(2):155-157.
44.
NaccarellaLButterworthIMooreT.Transforming health professionals into population health change agents. J Public Health Res. 2016;5(1):643.
ZimmermanWDPergakisMBGormanEF, et alScoping review: innovations in clinical neurology education. Neurol Educ. 2023;2(1):e200048. doi:10.1212/ne9.0000000000200048
47.
NouriV.Redefining learning outcomes in higher education through centers for teaching and learning. Adult Educ Crit Issue. 2025;4:93-106. doi:10.12681/haea.39856
48.
Battel-KirkBSendallMC. The IUHPE health promotion accreditation system: development and experiences of implementation. In: AkermanMGonçalves GermaniACC, eds. International Handbook of Teaching and Learning in Health Promotion. Springer International Publishing; 2022:543-562.
49.
DuongHChangP.Topics included in health literacy studies in Asia: a systematic review. Asia Pac J Public Health. 2024;36(1):8-19. doi:10.1177/10105395231220473
50.
BakerPRACarrollJADemantD. Innovative strategies for public health training in the Asia pacific: insights from experience and evidence. Asia Pac J Public Health. 2025;37(1):30-34. doi:10.1177/10105395241301817
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
