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SPOTLIGHT ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH IN CROATIA

Croatian Chamber of Health Professionals
Member of IFEH

 

History of Environmental and Public Health Profession in Croatia

Croatian Chamber of Health Professionals (CCHP)

The founders of the CCHP are:

–Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Croatia,

–Croatian Sanitary Association,

–Croatian Society of Medical Radiology Engineers,

–Croatian Association of Occupational Therapists and

–Croatian Association of Laboratory Medicine.

CCHP is autonomous and independent professional organization with the status of legal persons with public authorities.

CCHP represents the interests of the health workers engaged in sanitary (environmental and public health) engineering, health radiology and technology activities, the activity of occupational therapy, and medical laboratory diagnostic.

Chamber has the following powers:

• It keeps a register of its members,
• issues, renews and revokes the license for independent work of its members in the framework of which the content, deadlines and verification process expertise and competence in relation to the renewal of licenses for independent work,
• provides expert supervision over the work of its members,
• provides a life-long learning and education (congresses, seminars, workshops)

EDUCATION

Environmental and Public Health Technician
Education of Environmental and Public Health professionals in Croatia starts in High school. Four year schooling program is provided in six Health and Medical schools across the Croatia in Zagreb, Varaždin, Osijek, Rijeka, Split and Šibenik

After four years of schooling, Environmental and Public Health Technician title is awarded and with this level of education technicians are capable to assist Bachelors and Masters of Environmental and Public Health in every day work.

Bachelor of Environmental and Public Health
Education program for getting Bachelor degree in Environmental and Public Health is provided in Zagreb at College of Applied Health Studies and in Rijeka at University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine.

After 3 years of studying and acquiring 180 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) students are given a title: Professional (Zagreb) or University (Rijeka) Bachelor of Environmental and Public Health

These professionals have competencies to deal with and to solve all variety of environmental and public health problems such as:

• Enforcement of Environmental and Public Health supervision,
• Participation in the production, processing, packaging and distribution, preparation and use of safe and nutritious food,
• Work in the epidemiological team
• Work on implementing health education to people who work in the production or distribution of food and objects of common use,
• Work in units for microbiological examination of food and objects of common use,
• Work in units for chemical testing of food and objects of common use,
• Testing of energy, nutritive, mineral and vitamin value of meals for different age groups,
• Work in units for microbiological testing of drinking, surface and waste water, sea water and water for recreation,
• Work in units for chemical testing of drinking, surface and waste water, sea water and water for recreation,
• Work in the units for testing waste, soil, air and ecotoxicology,
• Work in units of Sanitary Technology
• They are studying public health issues and setting priorities for the development of health care of the population,
• Work with the techniques and applications of molecular biotechnology in order to control the potential risks of their use,
• Work in units for the implementation of disinfection, fumigation and vector disease control (DDD)
• Work in production, transportation, use and disposal of toxic and other hazardous substances,
• Implementing measures for food safety and hygiene,
• The implementation of measures to protect nature and the environment,
• Implementation of measures and monitoring in occupational health and safety
• Implementation of preventive sanitary supervision during construction,
• Implementation of the internal control of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and collaboration with experts from other fields in the implementation of this monitoring.

Master of Environmental and Public Health
Education program for getting Master degree in Environmental and Public Health is also provided in Zagreb at College of Applied Health Studies and in Rijeka at University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine.

After 2 years of studying and acquiring 300 ECTS (120 ECTS + 180 ECTS from Bachelor program) students are given a title: Master of Environmental and Public Health

Masters of Environmental and Public Health can now deal also with scientific approach for solving environmental and public health issues and problems.

By finishing each one of these three education cycles there is obligation to do 12 months obligatory internship according to 'Internship regulation for health professionals, Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia 02/11'.

After internship every Environmental and Public Health professional has to pass Professional Exam organised by the Ministry of Health, Republic of Craoatia and the exam has two parts:

1. General (Constitution; Health Care Law and Health Insurance Law; Labor relations and Pension Insurance Law)

2. Professional (Epidemiology and Hygiene; Microbiology; Health Ecology)

With finishing Professional exam Environmental and Public Health professional are now able to register at CCHP and get License for independent work as an Environmental and Public Health professional, without it you are not able to work as an Environmental and Public Health professional.

So to become EPH professional in Croatia according to 'Law of Health Professions, Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia 87/09' you have to do these steps:

Education cycle → Internship → Professional Exam → License of CCHP → EPH Professional

For those willing to pursue a career in educating new Environmental and Public Health professionals there is also a PhD program.

PhD in Environmental Health Engineering
Education program for getting PhD in Environmental and Public Health is provided in Rijeka at University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine.

Program lasts for three years and PhD students are awarded with extra 180 ECTS and now they have 480 ECTS (180 ECTS (Bachelor) + 120 ECTS (Master) + 180 ECTS (PhD)).

After the successful submission of their PhD thesis they are awarded title: PhD in Environmental Health engineering, Doctor of biomedical and health sciences, field of public health and health protection, branch of health ecology

Potential employers

• Environmental Health Officers (Sanitary inspection)
• Public Health Institutes (Epidemiology Department; Health Ecology Department; Microbiology Department; Pest Control Department)
• Universities and schools
• Environmental protection agencies
• Health inspection
• Inspection of environmental protection
• Consulting firms (food safety, water supply, pollutants monitoring, occupational health saftey…)
• Private environmental laboratories
• Private monitoring firms
• Private pest control firms
• Health promotion and prevention
• Shopping centers
• Water supply (laboratory, inspection, hydrotech)
• Environmental protection
• Environmental and health projects
• Hospitals (Sterilisation Units, Food Units, Waste Management Units)
• Waste Management
• Centers for renewable energy (waste 2 energy systems)

Contacts:

Croatian Chamber of Health Professionals
www.hkzr.hr

Bruno Cvetkovic
Council President for Environmental and Public Health Professionals
Department for Environmental and Public Health Professionals
(+385) 91 336 2568

Dario Brdaric
Commission President for supervision, professional issues and quality
Department for Environmental and Public Health Professionals
(+385) 95 819 9707

August 2013.