Established in 2022 with support from the Florida Department of Health, Driving Impact through Strategic Training in Applied Public Health (DISTA) offers a competency-based, multidisciplinary, and tiered training curriculum for Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) and other public health professionals at every stage of their careers. Originally the Disease Intervention Specialist Training Academy, DISTA’s initial training program was developed for and offered to disease intervention professionals in Florida. As the curriculum expanded and was offered to the broader public health workforce, DISTA became Driving Impact through Strategic Training in Applied Public Health, a reflection of DISTA’s purpose, goals, and values.

DISTA is based at the University of South Florida with contributing faculty and staff from the University’s Morsani College of Medicine, College of Public Health, College of Nursing, and College of Behavioral and Community Sciences.

Purpose

Develop public health professionals who can be catalysts/facilitators for all people to thrive in their communities through their disease prevention and control efforts.

Goals

• Engage the workforce, and foster a supportive culture and pride.
• Train professionals to be catalysts for a healthy community.
• Provide comprehensive, consistent, tiered training for all staff.
• Increase outbreak response capacity with cross-training for all.

Who Should Participate?

DISTA is designed for:

• Public health professionals interested in strengthening their expertise in disease intervention, contact tracing, and outbreak response.
• New Disease Intervention Specialists and public health professionals looking to build foundational knowledge and skills.
• Disease Intervention Specialists and public health professionals seeking career advancement through specialized leadership training.
• Pre-health students interested in building communication skills and strengthening patient-provider interactions.