The article outlines the initial perceptions of student specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN) (health visitors, school nurses and sexual health advisers) on the role of the qualified health visitor, school nurse and sexual health advisor. It considers how students undertaking the BSc (hons)/Post Graduate Diploma specialist community public health nursing programme conceptualise their future public health role. The paper identifies themes drawn from a class-based teaching session with a large group of SCPHN students using the medium of art and student drawings. This was followed by classroom discussion and a subsequent mapping exercise. Several themes emerged with emphasis on the personal attributes and role of the public health nurse. The paper concludes that SCPHN students have a relevant knowledge base upon which to develop their future public health roles, as well as identifying clear gaps in their knowledge base at the early stage of the SCPHN programme.