A statistically significant increase was found in students' self-perceived knowledge for every competency (p-value < 0.05).
Overall, comparing pre to post results, both groups showed a significant increase in the mean knowledge (quiz) scores and for 5/7 self-assessed competencies (p < 0.05).
Females scored higher than males in all seven domains of the self-assessed key public health competencies (NS) and emotional intelligence competences (P = 0.022).
In the relationship stressors category, the relationship stress from supervisors had a significant negative correlation with work competency (-0.254, p < 0.05; -0.238, p < 0.05; -0.358, p < 0.01), work personality (-0.263, p < 0.05) and work goals (-0.266, p < 0.05).
Females scored higher than males in all seven domains of the self-assessed key public health competencies, but this gender-difference was statistically significant for the "professionalism" competency only (P = 0.04).
Furthermore, with the exception of the "colleagiality and reflection" and "deal and respond to changes", students with mixed job preferences exhibited the highest scores, whereas students with "staff" preferences displayed the lowest scores of specific public health competencies (all p-values were statistically significant, or borderline statistically significant).
In comparison, the ratings by graduates of the conventional curriculum indicated deficits in all competencies except for "Research competence" (Δ +0.19, p < 0.001).
The Framework (NRC, [2012]) 'stresses the importance of developing students' knowledge of how science and engineering achieve their ends while also strengthening their competency with related practices' (p 41) so as to 'help students become more critical consumers of scientific information' (p 41).
There was evidence of a correlation between the overall public health competencies and the overall emotional intelligence competencies (r = 0.61, P < 0.001).
