Department of Public Health
Teaching Activities
The Department of Public Health provides undergraduate instruction in a wide range of subjects (a total of 52), within the General Medicine and Dentistry programs, including their English-language variants. It is also actively involved in teaching the course Epidemiology and Public Health in the Optometry program at the Faculty of Science, Palacký University. Additionally, the Department is responsible for teaching, examination and scheduling all instruction within the Public Health program.
Courses taught and guaranteed by the Department focus on:
- Epidemiology and Hygiene
- Preventive Medicine
- Public Health
- Organization and Financing of Healthcare
- Health Law
- Communication and Basics of Ethics in Healthcare
Elective Courses:
- Economics of the Medical Profession
- Clinical Ethics
- Communication with Patients with Disabilities
- Communication with Hearing-Impaired Individuals
- Accompanying the Dying and Bereaved
- Strategies for Effective Team Management
- Diseases of Affluence – Medical and Economic Aspects
Instruction is enriched by professionals from practice, including staff from Regional Public Health Authorities, the Ministry of Health, hospital and insurance management, practicing physicians, and lawyers specializing in health law.
Research Activities
The Institute of Public Health is actively engaged in scientific research across a broad spectrum of areas related to population health and healthcare practice.
One line of research focuses on hand hygiene, including quality control and the prevention of pathogen transmission. In collaboration with Olomouc University Hospital, we are conducting a study on the transmission of infectious agents in hospital settings using microbiological swabs.
Another area of research involves participation in a project carried out in cooperation with the Faculty of Physical Culture at Palacký University Olomouc, which explores children's resilience in the context of the digital age. In parallel, we contribute to population-based studies investigating glucose metabolism disorders, with particular emphasis on early detection methods.
A further research stream addresses burnout syndrome among healthcare professionals and the development of effective strategies to support their wellbeing. We also examine the motivations of medical students to pursue a career in medicine, drawing on generational theories, particularly those concerning Generation Z.
The institute is also involved in research on neurodegenerative diseases, with a primary focus on innovative strategies for early diagnosis. Last but not least, we explore the ethics and moral competencies of medical students — a line of inquiry that contributes significantly to the professional development of future physicians and the cultivation of ethical standards in healthcare practice.
Through these activities, the Institute of Public Health consistently bridges theoretical knowledge with the evolving needs of clinical and public health practice.
International Collaboration
ASPHER – Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region
ASPHER is a key independent European organization dedicated to improving and protecting public health by strengthening education and professional training for public health specialists, both in practice and research.
The primary aim of this collaboration is to support the professionalization of the public health workforce in Europe, while respecting the diversity of national and regional contexts in which each school of public health operates.
The teaching of Public Health at the Faculty of Medicine, Palacký University Olomouc, is aligned with ASPHER’s core competencies for public health professionals.