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.
Davis
Mary V
MV
Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. mary_davis@unc.edu
Dandoy
Suzanne
S
Greaves
William W
WW
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