Graduate programs: what is their contribution to the training of the public health workforce?
OBJECTIVE
To determine characteristics of community health/preventive medicine and community health education graduate programs.


METHODS
Forty-eight graduate programs were identified as potential respondents and sent a written survey to complete.


RESULTS
Forty programs responded; 82% of programs accredited or applying for accreditation responded. During the 1998-1999 period, 3456 students were enrolled and 773 students graduated from these programs, 91% earning the master of public health (MPH) degree. Two thirds of students were employed while enrolled in these programs.


CONCLUSIONS
Graduate programs train a significant number of public health students, meeting the needs of health professionals with flexible course formats in locations where schools of public health are not available.
Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. mary_davis@unc.edu
Mary V
MV
Davis
Suzanne
S
Dandoy
William W
WW
Greaves
D000068:Accreditation; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000193:education; D003479:Curriculum; D004500:Education, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D014481:United States