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| Carolyn Robinson (Dec '16) |
So, what
exactly is a “Dual Professional?” When
asked this question it is easy to rattle off terms and phrases in hopes of
generating a satisfactory, surface answer such as “one who studies two
complimentary disciplines,” “one who possesses expertise in two areas of
study,” or “ one who’s job covers two areas of study, often with a goal of
using each to the other’s benefit.” These
answers alone do not do the term “Dual Professional” justice, nor do they
satisfy many people’s curiosity when I explain that I am earning both my
Master’s in Social Work and my Master’s in Public Health, a dual degree. The
first question from many people when I say this is often a skeptical “So, what exactly can you do with that?” or even a
blunt “Why? How do these two fields go together?” When in truth, those who hold MSW/MPH degrees
are just a fraction of the group who represent those classified as Dual
Professionals. And being a Dual
Professional encompasses a lot more than the surface definition provided
above. In order to more thoroughly
understand what it means to be a Dual Professional, it helps to break down and
to understand the process of getting to be a one.
Scanlon (2011) does a good job in
breaking down the path to dual professionalism by using two key elements, the
terms “becoming” and “professional” (p. 13).
While these terms cannot define one path to dual professionalism, as each
individual’s path will most likely differ, they do offer a good perspective on
how dual professionalism comes about in general terms. Scanlon (2011) uses the term “becoming” to
emphasize that dual professionals in every discipline are not instantaneously
produced. Being a dual professional is a
process that happens over time, which allows those who are and aim to be dual
professionals to develop this in themselves along their own path (p. 8). Along this path, dual professionals are able
to draw from numerous areas to develop themselves, including the expertise they
acquire in their studies, their own professional experiences, both positive and
negative, and learn from how these have shaped their paths, and be open minded
and willing to continue to learn.
Scanlon (2011) refers to this continual learning as “lifelong
professional learning,” making it appear
that a dual professional is never maxed out on what they are able to learn, but
instead is always finding ways to grow. Scanlon’s
(2011) explanation of what a “professional” is centers around the idea of
knowledge, and what a professional knows, that shapes their identity as a
professional in the field or fields they are working in (p. 17). This relates well to the aspects of
“becoming” and continuously learning, as knowledge would be a vital and useful
product of this process, but in reality, knowledge appears to be only a small
piece of what being a professional involves.
I do agree with much of what Scanlon
(2011) says and appreciate the illustration of how the terms “becoming” and
“professional” contribute to the concept of a dual professional. There are
other aspects that I think should be included in explaining what it means to be
a dual professional. With that said,
though, this list could arguably go on indefinitely, as it is difficult to
encompass all that is involved with being a dual professional or working in
interdisciplinary fields, and again, no two people’s paths are exactly the
same, therefore much of what this means is left to individual interpretation. Based on my personal path, this is what I
believe to be important.
First and foremost, I believe that
working professionally in a field, one needs training and knowledge of what
they are doing to be successful. This does not simply mean knowledge in the
specific area of one’s interest but in broader areas of the field. This is true in both the Social Work and
Public Health curriculums. In Social
Work, students are required to take classes that span from examining the
individual, to looking at the community and how Social Work plays a role in
that too, as well as many areas in between.
In Public Health students are required to complete an introductory course
in each of the five concentrations that the school offers, not simply the
student’s own area of focus, with the goal of each student gaining a more
complete understanding of the field of Public Health as a whole and what all it
encompasses. In addition, field work is
required in both Social Work and Public Health which offers additional
opportunities to apply one’s knowledge, and gain confidence in the fields and
further develop one’s interests.
Next, in order to be a successful
professional, it is important to be a good representative of your area of study. Being knowledgeable of one’s field or fields
certainly goes hand in hand with representing it well, but in addition, I
believe the representation goes even further to include promoting the field in
a positive light, advocating for policies that will further enhance the field
and those who benefit from it, increasing awareness for the field or fields you
are working in and the causes it promotes, especially because many people are
not familiar with the field of Public Health, and are often unaware of what
Social Workers do, aside from the stereotypical “baby snatching,” which is an
outdated mentality, even down to being a responsible employee of the company or
organization that is employing you. Being a good steward of a profession also
includes carefully abiding by the field’s code of ethics, which help guide each
individual on how to conduct themselves to justly and appropriately represent
the field. Next, in any profession it is important to
maintain a sense of open mindedness.
While it is probably important in any area, I am currently speaking on
it in relation to Public Health and Social Work, as these are both rapidly
growing fields, therefore, with expansion can bring about change. Keeping an open mind and being receptive to
new ideas will help further enhance and improve these ever-growing areas of
study.
These elements discussed above are,
in my opinion, important characteristics in maintaining professionalism in a
particular field of study, being a dual professional adds on further responsibilities
and challenges in maintaining professionalism, as now one is responsible for
representing multiple fields at the same time.
These additional responsibilities come with needing to be a good
representative of both fields together, both to the public sector and
representing each field well to the other field and in a way that shows how the
two will compliment one another, highlighting the benefits of each. A dual
professional needs a solid foundation of knowledge for both areas of study.
Additionally, one is required to simultaneously uphold both codes of ethics
equally.
So my own definition of a dual
professional would be an individual who holds degrees in two complimentary
fields, who works to integrate them in their chosen career in order to better serve
the targeted population. Often a dual
professional draws from both fields in order to bridge a gap between the two
with the goal of improving these fields both independently and together. This individual is responsible for upholding
the standards and ethics of each field and from this broader knowledge is able
to advocate for policies to improve the lives of those served in ways that a
professional in only one field might not.
Along with this definition, my answers to the two popular questions I often
receive when saying that I am studying to earn a dual degree, I believe help
enhance my definition of what a dual professional is. First, “So, what exactly can you do with an MSW/MPH?” Having a dual degree will only help and not
hurt my ability to practice well in both fields. Taking coursework in both fields broadens the
horizons of degree holders, offering more choices for career paths than for
those with only one degree. Having both
degrees also allows the degree holder a more well-rounded perspective even if
working in one field exclusively. Next,
“Why? How do those two fields go together?” While these two fields are not the
same, they absolutely are complimentary to each other. Public health is much more scientifically
based and community focused, while social work works more directly with people,
both on an individual and community level. Social Work tends to offer solutions to issues
that people are experiencing, yet Public Health works to establish preventive
measures to those same problems so that it prevents the issues from reoccurring
in the future. Social Work is also
believed to offer a better sense of communication to the field of Public
Health. And finally, why is it important
for people to pursue such a degree? According
to Brownson (2013) over half of those working in the Public Health field do not
hold a professional degree or appropriate training in the area they are working
in. Knowing this statistic, it is
difficult to argue against needing more trained professionals in the field.
Learn more
about Carolyn Robinson.
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