title: The changing pattern of doctoral education in public health from 1985 to 2006 and the challenge of doctoral training for practice and leadership.
abstract: We examined trends in doctoral education in public health and the challenges facing practice-oriented doctor of public health (DrPH) programs. We found a rapid rise in the numbers of doctoral programs and students. Most of the increase was in PhD students who in 2006 composed 73% of the total 5247 current public health doctoral students, compared with 53% in 1985. There has also been a substantial increase (40%) in students in DrPH programs since 2002. Challenges raised by the increased demand for DrPH practice-oriented education relate to admissions, curriculum, assessment processes, and faculty hiring and promotion. We describe approaches to practice-based doctoral education taken by three schools of public health.
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Health Department, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118-2526, USA. declercq@bu.edu
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Declercq
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: Suzanne Havala
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hobbs
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guyer
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D015142:Baltimore; D001900:Boston; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection; D004500:Education, Graduate / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D005178:Faculty; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D017145:Models, Educational; D009657:North Carolina; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012106:Research / Q000193:education; D012581:Schools, Public Health / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D012952:Societies; D040443:Students, Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States