Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #102757

Babette J. Neuberger, JD, MPH, School of Public Health, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1603 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, Arden Handler, DrPH, Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1603 W. Taylor, Rom 655, Chicago, IL 60612, 312-996-5954, handler@uic.edu, and Bernard J. Turnock, MD, MPH, School of Public Health, University of Illinois, Chicago, 1603 West Taylor Street (M/C 923), Chicago, IL 60612.

Over several academic years, the UIC SPH Committee on Educational Programs (CEP) examined the school's doctoral degree programs and concluded that the school's DrPH Program, similar to that at many schools of public health, is based largely on the traditional academic model for the PhD degree and that the similarities between the two programs are substantially greater than the differences. CEP then examined DrPH Program models from other schools of public health, focusing on identifying innovative models, especially those that might be more practice-based than a traditional academic model patterned after the PhD degree.

In view of these examinations, CEP advanced a new framework for the DrPH degree program that more clearly differentiates the DrPH and PhD degree programs and better aligns the DrPH program with its aspirations of preparing doctoral level public health professionals for leadership roles by focusing on experienced public health practitioners. Distinguishing features of the new DrPH degree program include: - A target population of experienced public health practitioners (minimum of 3 years of significant management or leadership experience). - A required series of leadership and integrative seminar courses (4 courses, each course is 3 semester hours). - Elimination of the preliminary examination, to be replaced by performance in the integrative seminar series and completion of a portfolio. - A practice-based thesis with a wide range of options. - School-wide program administration and monitoring of student progress through the use of a portfolio focusing on DrPH degree program competencies.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, learners will be able to

• identify issues that arise in the process of revising and refocusing DrPH degree programs
• describe strategies and activities to resolve these issues

Keywords: Public Health Education, Public Health Curriculum

Related Web page: www.uic.edu/sph/degrees_drph.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation