The secretary of health shall provide an in-service public health orientation program for the benefit of provisionally qualified local health officers.

Such program shall consist of—

(1) A three months course in public health training conducted by the secretary either in the state department of health, in a county and/or city health department, in a local health district, or in an institution of higher education; or

(2) An on-the-job, self-training program pursuant to a standardized syllabus setting forth the major duties of a local health officer including the techniques and practices of public health principles expected of qualified local health officers: PROVIDED, That each provisionally qualified local health officer may choose which type of training he or she shall pursue.