Certification and licensing of public health professionals in Taiwan

This Viewpoint reviews the debate about whether the professionalization of public health practice should be approached through a certification and licensure system. It introduces the recent attempt at professionalizing public health in Taiwan with the newly enacted Public Health Specialists Act of 2020, regulating the Public Health Specialist (PHS) through a state-mandated certificate. The Viewpoint discusses the implications of this new PHS Act on Taiwan’s public health education and professionalization. The PHS model in Taiwan is one of the first of its kind around the globe. Advocates of public health professionalization and public health educators could benefit from Taiwan’s experience.