Master Of Public Health Graduates Research Articles

Employer Demand and Desired Skills for Public Health Graduates: Evidence From Job Postings.

Objectives. To determine whether job postings from employers seeking master of public health (MPH) graduates require skills aligning with Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) competencies. Methods. I analyzed a data set of 70 343 job postings in the United States for MPH graduates from Lightcast, a data vendor that collects, cleans, and analyzes millions of job postings per year. I contrasted skills from the postings with CEPH competencies. Results. Most postings were from for-profit industry, academia and research, or hospitals and health care, with only 12% from government. The skills from job postings aligned well with CEPH competencies, but some CEPH competencies did not appear in the top skills in job postings. Conclusions. Although accredited public health degree programs provide key competencies demanded by employers, they can improve graduate employability by ensuring that their graduates also obtain specific technical skills listed in job postings. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(12):1388-1393. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307834).

The effect of training medical students in the community area in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in China: a community-based study

BackgroundCommunity practice training is an important part of education in medicine, public health, social medicine, and other disciplines. The objective of this study is to explore the effect and importance of the community practice of Master of Public Health graduates on community residents’ health during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic.MethodsThis study used a pretest-posttest design. A total of 152 participants with age ≥ 60 years were selected using a multistage sampling method from Hangzhou in China. Baseline and endline data were collected using structured questionnaires by face-to-face interviews. All psychological and behavioral measurements were performed using standardized instruments and showed good reliability and validity. A total of 147 participants were included in the analysis. The chi-square and rank sum tests were used to compare the difference between baseline and endline for categorical variables. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between community practice training and changes in psychology and behavior.ResultsThe result of chi-square test revealed a statistically significant difference in participants’ eating habits from baseline to endline. Participants reported that the self-perceived health status was different between endline and baseline by the rank sum test. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that community practice training was significantly associated with increased self-efficacy scores, cognitive function and eating habits, with odd ratios of 1.08, 0.90 and 1.93, respectively.ConclusionsCommunity practice training was associated with changes in health behavior and psychology of community residents. Our results suggested enhanced community practice training for students under the Master of Public Health program.

Overview of the Health Communication Curriculum in Canadian Master of Public Health Programs.

Competency-based public health education ensures practitioners are well equipped to positively influence the health of the public. The Public Health Agency of Canada's Core Competencies for Public Health has named communication as an essential competency area for practitioners. However, little is known about how Master of Public Health (MPH) programs in Canada support trainees in developing the recommended core competencies in communication. Our research aims to provide an overview of the extent to which communication is embedded in the curriculum of MPH programs in Canada. We conducted an online scan of Canadian MPH course titles and descriptions to determine how many MPH programs offer communication-focused courses (ie, health communication), knowledge mobilization courses (eg, knowledge translation), and other courses that may support communication skills. Two researchers coded the data; discrepancies were resolved via discussion. Of the 19 MPH programs in Canada, less than half (n = 9) offer courses specifically focused on communication (ie, health communication); these courses are mandatory in only 4 programs. Seven programs offer knowledge mobilization courses; none are mandatory. Sixteen MPH programs offer a total of 63 other public health courses that are not focused on communication but contain communication terms (eg, marketing, literacy) in their course descriptions. No Canadian MPH program has a communication-focused stream or option. Canadian-trained MPH graduates may not be receiving sufficient communication training to equip them for effective and precise public health practice. This is particularly concerning, given that current events have underlined the importance of health, risk, and crisis communication.

A perspective on Master of Public Health (MPH) Graduates in India: Current role and way head

The public health sector of any country deals on the forefront and utilizes the multidisciplinary approach. In India the Masters of Public Health graduates are trained in unstandardized manner and lack a regulatory body. The gap created in serving the unserved can easily be fulfilled by utilization of this workforce in systematic manner, The emerging competition in the field, undervalued sector in terms of monitory benefits, poor demand and limited training institutions for MPH graduates along with the contribution of MPH during COVID 19 pandemic has been emphasized in the article. The perception of those working in the field has been highlighted with the way ahead of MPH program in India.

Aligning Public Health Training and Practice in Evaluation: Implications and Recommendations for Educators

Objective. This study aimed to understand the extent to which master of public health (MPH) graduates engage in evaluation on the job, to learn how MPH graduates implement evaluation, and to hear from MPH graduates about how their academic training prepared them for the evaluation work they perform. Methods. Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Evaluation Framework, this convergent mixed-methods study included an online survey with 89 public health practitioners and follow-up interviews with 17 survey respondents. The study was performed in the United States during summer 2020. Results. In addition to participating in evaluation activities related to all six Centers for Disease Control and Prevention framework steps, MPH graduates engage in evaluation capacity building, evaluating for health equity and social justice, and funding activities. Participants noted a disconnect between academic preparation and community practice, were least confident in focusing the evaluation design, and most often used surveys to collect data. Conclusions. Public health practitioners commonly engage in evaluation activities but do not feel fully prepared to do so given their MPH training. Many opportunities exist to enhance graduate/postgraduate training through connecting public health with the broader professional practice of evaluation.

Dual MD-MPH Degree Students in the United States: Moving the Medical Workforce Toward Population Health.

A growing need exists to train physicians in population health to meet the increasing need and demand for physicians with leadership, health data management/metrics, and epidemiology skills to better serve the health of the community. This study examines current trends in students pursuing a dual doctor of medicine (MD)-master of public health (MPH) degree (MD-MPH) in the United States. We conducted an extensive literature review of existing MD-MPH databases to determine characteristics (eg, sex, race/ethnicity, MPH area of study) of this student cohort in 2019. We examined a trend in the MD community to pursue an MPH career, adding additional public health and health care policy training to the MD workforce. We conducted targeted telephone interviews with 20 admissions personnel and faculty at schools offering MD-MPH degrees in the United States with the highest number of matriculants and graduates. Interviews focused on curricula trends in medical schools that offer an MD-MPH degree. No literature describes the US MD-MPH cohort, and available MD-MPH databases are limited and incomplete. We found a 434% increase in the number of students pursuing an MD-MPH degree from 2010 to 2018. The rate of growth was greater than the increase in either the number of medical students (16%) or the number of MPH students (65%) alone. Moreover, MD-MPH students as a percentage of total MPH students more than tripled, from 1.1% in 2010 to 3.6% in 2018. As more MD students pursue public health training, the impact of an MPH degree on medical school curricula, MD-MPH graduates, and MD-MPH career pursuits should be studied using accurate and comprehensive databases.

Exploring student persistence to completion in a Master of Public Health programme in South Africa

Background. Student persistence can be defined as the continuation of student enrolment and progression towards the completion of a qualification. Despite the increased number of postgraduate enrolments, attrition from postgraduate programmes is estimated at 40 - 50% in most countries globally. The throughput for Master of Public Health (MPH) programmes in South Africa (SA) ranged from 25% to 60% between 2009 and 2014. MPH students study primarily part-time and reside off campus. Objective. To explore the phenomenon of persistence to completion in an MPH programme in SA. Methods. A constructivist approach was adopted to understand the phenomenon of student persistence among MPH graduates. Data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews with graduates who completed the MPH degree between 2006 and 2014. Interviews were conducted from August 2015 to the end of October 2015. Each interview was audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was implemented. Results. The findings indicated that personal, social, work and academic characteristics influenced student persistence to completion. Career advancement, the status that comes with an MPH qualification and being a first-generation postgraduate student provide internal and external motivations that have an impact on student persistence. An interplay between self-efficacy and social capital positively influences student persistence to completion. Conclusion. Student persistence to completion is influenced by multifaceted factors. Motivation, self-efficacy and social capital play a vital role in fostering persistence among part-time mature postgraduate students.

Public Health Graduates and Employment in Governmental Public Health: Factors That Facilitate and Deter Working in This Setting.

Previous surveys of public health graduates examine where they work; however, little is known about public health graduates' employment decisions or the factors that facilitate interest or deter interest in working in governmental public health settings. The purpose of the current pilot study was to build on the information previously collected in graduate surveys by expanding questions to undergraduates and asking about decisions and factors that influence choices of employment. A pilot survey of graduates of public health programs was conducted. Respondents provided information about their degree programs, year of graduation, and current employment. Questions asked where they applied for jobs, factors they considered, experiences with the application processes, and so forth. Descriptive statistics were calculated using frequencies and proportions. Open-ended responses were qualitatively reviewed and general themes were extracted. Employment preferences were ranked the highest for not-for-profit organizations (ranked first among 21 of 62, 33.9%), followed by governmental public health agencies (ranked first among 18 of 62, 29.0%). Among master of public health graduates, 54.7% sought employment within this setting, although only 17.0% of those employed full time at the time of the survey were employed within a governmental public health agency. Job security (84.7%), competitive benefits (82.2%), identifying with the mission of the organization (82.2%), and opportunities for training/continuing education (80.6%) were the most influential, positive factors garnering interest in working in governmental public health. Factors that were the biggest deterrents included the ability to innovate (19.2%), competitive salary (17.8%), and autonomy/employee empowerment (15.3%). Approximately half of the respondents applied for a job within governmental public health in anticipation of or since graduating. However, only a quarter of employed respondents are currently working within governmental public health, suggesting a missed opportunity for recruiting the other quarter who applied and were interested in governmental positions.

A Framework for Practice-Based Teaching in Public Health.

To prepare master of public health graduates for successful application of public health competencies in their careers, accredited schools of public health must identify the knowledge, technical and professional skills needed for practice, and provide opportunities for application of these skills in public health settings. Practice-based teaching (PBT) is a pedagogical approach where students learn through course instruction while working on a real problem and producing implementable deliverables for a public health agency. Currently, no framework exists for designing, implementing, and evaluating the pedagogy. This article defines PBT for public health and presents a novel 5-step framework, PBT STEPS, to guide faculty in development of a practice-based curriculum for public health education, including (1) securing partnerships, (2) training and technology, (3) engagement and implementation, (4) presenting deliverables, and (5) sizing up the results. PBT has been implemented using PBT STEPS in both domestic and global courses, teaching a variety of technical competencies. Collaborating agencies for PBT courses have ranged from small community-based organizations to large departments of public health, to international nongovernmental organizations and to private hospitals. Each step is described and illustrated through a practical example from a past PBT course. The practical example was evaluated through a mixed-methods approach to assess outcomes for students and collaborating agencies. All students (n = 12) reported significant increases in ability with the technical and professional competencies addressed in the course, and all agencies (n = 3 representing 5 distinct projects) reported utility of the final deliverables to the agency and populations served. Evidence-informed, feasible, and innovative solutions created through PBT collaboration provide significant benefits to the agency and the communities they serve while successfully training students for the public health workforce. Utilizing the PBT STEPS framework allows for successful and productive academic and community collaborations.

Current status of master of public health programmes in India: a scoping review.

There is a recognized need to improve training in public health in India. Currently, several Indian institutions and universities offer the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme. However, in the absence of any formal body or council for regulating public health education in the country, there is limited information available on these programmes. This scoping review was therefore undertaken to review the current status of MPH programmes in India. Information on MPH programmes was obtained using a two-step process. First, a list of all institutions offering MPH programmes in India was compiled by use of an internet and literature search. Second, detailed information on each programme was collected via an internet and literature search and through direct contact with the institutions and recognized experts in public health education. Between 1997 and 2016-2017, the number of institutions offering MPH programmes increased from 2 to 44. The eligibility criteria for the MPH programmes are variable. All programmes include some field experience. The ratio of faculty number to students enrolled ranged from 1:0.1 to 1:42. In the 2016-2017 academic year, 1190 places were being offered on MPH programmes but only 704 students were enrolled. MPH programmes being offered in India have witnessed a rapid expansion in the past two decades. This growth in supply of public health graduates is not yet matched by an increased demand. Despite the recognized need to strengthen the public health workforce in India, there is no clearly defined career pathway for MPH graduates in the national public health infrastructure. Institutions and public health bodies must collaborate to design and deliver MPH programmes to overcome the shortage of public health professionals, such that the development goals for India might be met.

Tracking Master of Public Health graduates: Linking higher education and the labour market

Background . Master of Public Health (MPH) students come from a wide range of health professional backgrounds. Graduate programmes in public health should equip alumni with knowledge and skills to analyse and integrate health research findings, and have a practical approach to current public health issues. In South Africa (SA), there is a need for health professionals with an adaptable public health approach who can contribute meaningfully to addressing public health problems and transforming the health sector. The role and relevance of graduate public health training in the SA healthcare system have not yet been reported. Tracking of graduates is important to assess the effectiveness of study programmes, graduates’ worth for the healthcare labour market, and their contribution towards improving the healthcare system. Objective . To describe the professional backgrounds of MPH graduates from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, SA and the role of their learning in their current public health practice. Methods. An emailed, self-administered questionnaire survey of graduates (N=61) was conducted in 2013. Results. Forty-five (73%) of the 61 contactable public health graduates from the past 10 years returned the completed questionnaire; 28 (63%) are working in the public sector and 9 (22%) at academic institutions. Graduates reported that research skills, critical analysis, report writing, and leadership and management were acquired in the MPH programme. Most reported that they were able to integrate the knowledge and skills acquired from the MPH degree in their current workplace. Conclusion. The MPH degree equips graduates with skills that contribute to addressing some of the public health problems in SA.

Preparing Master of Public Health Graduates to Work in Local Health Departments.

To identify key competencies and skills that all master of public health (MPH) graduates should have to be prepared to work in a local health department. In 2011-2012, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene administered electronic surveys to 2 categories of staff: current staff with an MPH as their highest degree, and current hiring managers. In all, 312 (77%) staff members with an MPH as their highest degree and 170 (57%) hiring managers responded to the survey. Of the respondents with an MPH as their highest degree, 85% stated that their MPH program prepared them for work at the New York City Health Department. Skills for which MPH graduates most often stated they were underprepared included facility in using SAS® statistical software, quantitative data analysis/statistics, personnel management/leadership, and data collection/database management/data cleaning. Among the skills hiring managers identified as required of MPH graduates, the following were most often cited as those for which newly hired MPH graduates were inadequately prepared: quantitative data analysis, researching/conducting literature reviews, scientific writing and publication, management skills, and working with contracts/requests for proposals. These findings suggest that MPH graduates could be better prepared to work in a local health department upon graduation. To be successful, new MPH graduate hires should possess fundamental skills and knowledge related to analysis, communication, management, and leadership. Local health departments and schools of public health must each contribute to the development of the current and future public health workforce through both formal learning opportunities and supplementary employment-based training to reinforce prior coursework and facilitate practical skill development.

Using consensus methods to develop a country-specific Master of Public Health curriculum for the Republic of Maldives.

BackgroundOver the last four decades, the health status of Maldivian people improved considerably, as reflected in child and maternal mortality indicators and the eradication or control of many communicable diseases. However, changing disease patterns are now undermining these successes, so the local public health practitioners need new skills to perform effectively in this changing environment. To address these needs, in 2013 the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Maldives National University developed the country’s first Master of Public Health (MPH) program.MethodsThe process commenced with a wide scoping exercise and an analysis of the curricular structure of MPH programs of high-ranking universities. Thereafter, a stakeholder consultation using consensus methods reached agreement on overall course structure and the competencies required for local MPH graduates. Subsequently, a working group developed course descriptors and identified local public health research priorities, which could be addressed by MPH students.ResultsTen semistructured interviews explored specific training needs of prospective MPH students, key public health competencies required by local employers and preferred MPH training models. The recommendations informed a nominal group meeting, where participants agreed on MPH core competencies, overall curricular structure and core subjects. The 17 public health electives put forward by the group were prioritized using an online Delphi process. Participants ranked them by their propensity to address local public health needs and the locally available teaching expertise. The first student cohort commenced their MPH studies in January 2014.ConclusionConsensus methods allowed a broad stakeholder engagement with public health curriculum development and the creation of a country-specific curriculum, informed by local realities and needs.

Interdisciplinary Synergy in the Teaching of Applied Community-Based Research Methods

The public health human power is one of the most diverse in race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, and sexual orientation. Another area of diversity is the disciplinary background of its workers. Environmental, behavioral, biostatistical, health education, epidemiological, and health policy practitioners converge into the Master of Public Health (MPH) track offerings of our MPH program. The applied community-based participatory research class is a third semester course that is taken only after students have completed the core curriculum. We explain the design and organization of this course, to offer it as a model of interdisciplinary approaches, with experiential, learn-by-doing components that can be replicated and incorporated into public health research methods, as well as to share our own methodological crossovers with mixed methods and theoretical models in our public health research together. Semistructured interviews were applied to elicit feedback from MPH graduates who took the course, and describe the utility of the class. We learned that the MPH graduates found the class useful for short- and medium-term research outcomes.

Using core competencies to build an evaluative framework: outcome assessment of the University of Guelph Master of Public Health program.

BackgroundMaster of Public Health programs have been developed across Canada in response to the need for graduate-level trained professionals to work in the public health sector. The University of Guelph recently conducted a five-year outcome assessment using the Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada as an evaluative framework to determine whether graduates are receiving adequate training, and identify areas for improvement.MethodsA curriculum map of core courses and an online survey of University of Guelph Master of Public Health graduates comprised the outcome assessment. The curriculum map was constructed by evaluating course outlines, assignments, and content to determine the extent to which the Core Competencies were covered in each course. Quantitative survey results were characterized using descriptive statistics. Qualitative survey results were analyzed to identify common themes and patterns in open-ended responses.ResultsThe University of Guelph Master of Public Health program provided a positive learning environment in which graduates gained proficiency across the Core Competencies through core and elective courses, meaningful practicums, and competent faculty. Practice-based learning environments, particularly in collaboration with public health organizations, were deemed to be beneficial to students’ learning experiences.ConclusionsThe Core Competencies and graduate surveys can be used to conduct a meaningful and informative outcome assessment. We encourage other Master of Public Health programs to conduct their own outcome assessments using a similar framework, and disseminate these results in order to identify best practices and strengthen the Canadian graduate public health education system.

Using business plan development as a capstone project for MPH programs in Canada: validation through the student perspective.

Master of Public Health (MPH) programs have been developed across Canada as a response to the need for adequately trained individuals to work in the public health sector. Educational institutions that deliver MPH programs have a responsibility to ensure that graduates of their program have the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes to begin a successful career in public health. The Public Health Agency of Canada has created the core competencies for public health to guide the development, delivery and evaluation of MPH programs. In Canada, a capstone project is the recommended method of evaluating the MPH graduate’s ability to demonstrate proficiency in the public health core competencies. A business plan that develops the framework for a public health program is an ideal capstone project currently used in practice within the University of Guelph MPH program. This group assignment incorporates all 36 of the public health core competencies while providing students with a real-world public health experience, and should be considered for inclusion within MPH programs across Canada. Business planning provides students the opportunity to engage in practice-based learning, applying theoretical knowledge to practice. Further, the ability to develop realistic but financially feasible public health problems is an invaluable skill for MPH graduates. As the development of programs becomes more restricted and the continuation of other programs are under constant threat, the ability to develop a sound business plan is a required skill for individuals entering the public health sector, and will ensure students are able to maximize outcomes given tight fiscal budgets and limited resources.

Designing the Framework for Competency-Based Master of Public Health Programs in India

Competency in the practice of public health is the implicit goal of education institutions that offer master of public health (MPH) programs. With the expanding number of institutions offering courses in public health in India, it is timely to develop a common framework to ensure that graduates are proficient in critical public health. Steps such as situation assessment, survey of public health care professionals in India, and national consultation were undertaken to develop a proposed competency-based framework for MPH programs in India. The existing curricula of all 23 Indian MPH courses vary significantly in content with regard to core, concentration, and crosscutting discipline areas and course durations. The competency or learning outcome is not well defined. The findings of the survey suggest that MPH graduates in India should have competencies ranging from monitoring of health problems and epidemics in the community, applying biostatistics in public health, conducting action research, understanding social and community influence on public health developing indicators and instruments to monitor and evaluate community health programs, developing proposals, and involving community in planning, delivery, and monitoring of health programs. Competency statements were framed and mapped with domains including epidemiology, biostatistics, social and behavioral sciences, health care system, policy, planning, and financing, and environmental health sciences and a crosscutting domain that include health communication and informatics, health management and leadership, professionalism, systems thinking, and public health biology. The proposed competency-based framework for Indian MPH programs can be adapted to meet the needs of diverse, unique programs. The framework ensures the uniqueness and diversity of individual MPH programs in India while contributing to measures of overall program success.

Public Health Ethics Education in a Competency-Based Curriculum: A Method of Programmatic Assessment

Public health ethics began to emerge in the 1990s as a development within bioethics. Public health ethics education has been implemented in schools of public health in recent years, and specific professionalism and ethics competencies were included in the Master of Public Health (MPH) competency set developed nationally and adapted by individual schools of public health around the country. The University of Texas School of Public Health approved the present set of MPH competencies in 2005. After 4 years of experience, we now report information measuring the extent to which “Professionalism and Ethics” competencies and subcompetencies are being met in the MPH degree program. To this end we have audited the MPH “Professionalism and Ethics” competency forms for FY2009 MPH graduates (n = 61). Eight courses, including required MPH core courses plus the practicum and culminating experience, were found to have substantial professionalism and ethics content. Further, 67.2% of graduates met eight or more of the 13 competencies and subcompetencies, but only 36.1% met all thirteen, indicating a need to identify topic areas to be added to, or enhanced in, the MPH curriculum. In addition, these findings will inform ongoing efforts to enhance ethics education in our health science center. Assessment of these competencies and subcompetencies is an essential step in strengthening ethics education at our institutions and in better preparing our graduates for a challenging future. We report our efforts here to demonstrate one way of carrying out programmatic assessment of ethics education in a school of public health.

New competencies for public health graduates: a useful tool for course design

The objective of this paper is to provide a brief overview and context for the new Australian Network of Public Health Institutions (ANAPHI) Foundation Competencies for Master of Public Health Graduates in Australia, and to outline the current status of the quality agenda for public health training and competency standards for Master of Public Health (MPH) education in Australia. We summarise the complex history and process of developing competency standards for Master of Public Health courses in Australia, including the logic for a competency-based set of training guidelines. An abridged example of a competency and its underpinning knowledge is provided. This set of competency standards will be useful for MPH course designers, and critical to maintaining the standard of MPH courses in the current (and changing) health policy context, both in Australia and internationally.

Assessing the Legal and Ethical Preparedness of Master of Public Health Graduates

We explored the relationship between the preparedness of master of public health (MPH) graduates in public health law and ethics and their completion of courses in these areas. We reviewed accredited public health schools and programs to assess the supply of required and elective courses in law and ethics. In addition, we conducted an Internet-based scenario survey of MPH graduates. Survey results were analyzed, and relationships between scenario responses and completion of law and ethics courses were assessed. Of the 93 programs and schools reviewed, 14% required a course in ethics and 16% required a course in law. The majority (range = 55%-76%) of the survey respondents indicated being "prepared" or "very prepared" for each of the 9 public health scenarios. There were no significant relationships between scenario responses and completion of an ethics course. Responses to 2 scenarios (one involving food code violations and one involving a prison population) were significantly related to participants' completion of a course in law. Few public health schools and programs require graduate courses in ethics and law. Most MPH graduates report being prepared to address public health challenges. Additional research is necessary to improve techniques for measuring preparedness.