Developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but with applications that go far beyond, Oakton College's Public Health Contact Tracer Program trains students to monitor the contacts of people infected with dangerous diseases, notify them of potential exposure and link them to community resources for testing and care. In doing so, the contact tracers support public health strategies and help to slow or even stop outbreaks in the community.
Having witnessed how quickly a virus like COVID-19 can spread, it's likely the demand for well-trained and dedicated contact tracers will only grow. Contact tracers have already helped stop the spread of devastating diseases like SARS and Ebola, and they will undoubtedly play a vital role in combating other outbreaks.
In Oakton's specially designed Public Health Contact Tracer Professional Program—the first credit-based program of its kind offered at a community college in Illinois—you can earn a professional certificate in this field in just one semester with 13 credit hours. Our contact tracer courses help you develop skills in communication and counseling/interviewing. You will also gain experience with implementing and foundational knowledge for implementing contact tracing tools and systems.
The Public Health Contact Tracer Professional program provides training for individuals interested in supporting public health strategies to mitigate disease in the community. Contact tracers identify, interview and provide instructions to individuals with infection or disease. Tracers link individuals with symptoms to community resources for testing and care.