Only 47 Public Health Masters Registered in Taiwan; MOHW Pledges to Announce Broader Practice Site Definitions in Early June
Six years after the Public Health Professional Act came into force, data from the Taipei City Public Health Master Association shows that only about 47 individuals are currently registered to practice. The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Department of Medical Affairs stated that it expects to announce the definition of institutions and places eligible for practice registration in early June, with implementation possible in as little as two months.
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- 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 20:58
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Six years after the Public Health Professional Act was implemented, data from the Taipei City Public Health Master Association indicates that only about 47 individuals are currently registered to practice. The Department of Medical Affairs at the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) stated that it expects to announce the definition of institutions and places eligible for practice registration in early June, with the new rules potentially taking effect in as little as two months.
Liu Yu-ching, Deputy Director of the MOHW's Department of Medical Affairs, stated today that for the section of the Public Health Professional Act concerning "other institutions and places recognized by the competent authority"—beyond medical, health care, or long-term care institutions, and public health master offices—a clearer scope will be defined. A public notice is expected in early June, and if there is broad consensus, it could be formally implemented in as little as two months.
Six years have passed since the third reading of the "Public Health Professional Act." Today, Democratic Progressive Party legislators Liu Chien-kuo and Wang Jeng-shyu co-convened a public hearing on "How to Utilize Public Health Masters to Build a Resilient Taiwan," inviting representatives from the Taiwan Public Health Association, Taipei City Public Health Master Association, Federation of Public Health Students in Taiwan, public health academia, and local health systems.
Chiu Yu-jung, deputy chairperson of the Taipei City Public Health Master Association, pointed out in a presentation that the limited scope of practice registration venues has prevented many public health masters working in fields such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from legally completing their practice registration. According to the association's data, about 396 people in the country have obtained public health master qualifications, but only about 47 have completed practice registration, indicating a significant gap between the system's design and practical needs.
During the meeting, representatives from local governments including Taichung City, Changhua County, New Taipei City, and Taipei City all expressed their needs and difficulties. Hsiao Hui-ling, Deputy Director-General of the Changhua County Public Health Bureau, said that there is currently no clear channel for formally hiring public health masters, and most are hired on a project basis. She suggested adding public health-related categories to the elementary civil service examinations and local government special examinations, classifying public health masters as medical personnel, and creating positions for them in public health centers.
Lin Ming-cheng, Deputy Director-General of the MOHW's Centers for Disease Control, also stated that the CDC has opened vacancies three times in the last six months hoping to hire public health masters. However, they have faced obstacles such as the requirement for professionals and technicians transitioning to civil service to have two years of registered practice experience, and the inability to register public health masters after hiring, forcing them to use contract-based employment. To date, only one public health master has been hired.
Liu Chien-kuo made five conclusions. First, regarding practice venues for public health masters, he asked the MOHW to complete its review and initiate the public notice process within two months. Second, he asked the MOHW to study central and local government planning for hiring public health professionals within one month and to propose including "Public Health Master" in the appendix of the "Standards for the Configuration of Job Titles, Official Ranks, and Staffing in Various Agencies," and requested the Ministry of Civil Service to proceed with related work within the following two months.
Liu added that third, regarding the legal status of public health masters, he asked the MOHW to study the feasibility of including them as medical personnel within three months. Fourth, he requested the MOHW's Health Promotion Administration to promptly amend the "Guiding Examples for the Organizational Regulations of Health Bureaus' Affiliated Health Centers or Health Service Centers" to explicitly include public health masters. Fifth, he asked the Ministry of Examination to study the feasibility of establishing a "Civil Service Public Health Master" job category within three months and to submit a written report.
Liu Yu-ching, Deputy Director of the MOHW's Department of Medical Affairs, stated today that for the section of the Public Health Professional Act concerning "other institutions and places recognized by the competent authority"—beyond medical, health care, or long-term care institutions, and public health master offices—a clearer scope will be defined. A public notice is expected in early June, and if there is broad consensus, it could be formally implemented in as little as two months.
Six years have passed since the third reading of the "Public Health Professional Act." Today, Democratic Progressive Party legislators Liu Chien-kuo and Wang Jeng-shyu co-convened a public hearing on "How to Utilize Public Health Masters to Build a Resilient Taiwan," inviting representatives from the Taiwan Public Health Association, Taipei City Public Health Master Association, Federation of Public Health Students in Taiwan, public health academia, and local health systems.
Chiu Yu-jung, deputy chairperson of the Taipei City Public Health Master Association, pointed out in a presentation that the limited scope of practice registration venues has prevented many public health masters working in fields such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from legally completing their practice registration. According to the association's data, about 396 people in the country have obtained public health master qualifications, but only about 47 have completed practice registration, indicating a significant gap between the system's design and practical needs.
During the meeting, representatives from local governments including Taichung City, Changhua County, New Taipei City, and Taipei City all expressed their needs and difficulties. Hsiao Hui-ling, Deputy Director-General of the Changhua County Public Health Bureau, said that there is currently no clear channel for formally hiring public health masters, and most are hired on a project basis. She suggested adding public health-related categories to the elementary civil service examinations and local government special examinations, classifying public health masters as medical personnel, and creating positions for them in public health centers.
Lin Ming-cheng, Deputy Director-General of the MOHW's Centers for Disease Control, also stated that the CDC has opened vacancies three times in the last six months hoping to hire public health masters. However, they have faced obstacles such as the requirement for professionals and technicians transitioning to civil service to have two years of registered practice experience, and the inability to register public health masters after hiring, forcing them to use contract-based employment. To date, only one public health master has been hired.
Liu Chien-kuo made five conclusions. First, regarding practice venues for public health masters, he asked the MOHW to complete its review and initiate the public notice process within two months. Second, he asked the MOHW to study central and local government planning for hiring public health professionals within one month and to propose including "Public Health Master" in the appendix of the "Standards for the Configuration of Job Titles, Official Ranks, and Staffing in Various Agencies," and requested the Ministry of Civil Service to proceed with related work within the following two months.
Liu added that third, regarding the legal status of public health masters, he asked the MOHW to study the feasibility of including them as medical personnel within three months. Fourth, he requested the MOHW's Health Promotion Administration to promptly amend the "Guiding Examples for the Organizational Regulations of Health Bureaus' Affiliated Health Centers or Health Service Centers" to explicitly include public health masters. Fifth, he asked the Ministry of Examination to study the feasibility of establishing a "Civil Service Public Health Master" job category within three months and to submit a written report.