Practice-based Doctoral Dissertations: Lessons Learned from the Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)
Dec 23, 2015
Practice-based Doctoral Dissertations: Lessons Learned from the Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)
Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)Department of Health Policy and Management
Purpose:
• Summarize key features of the UNC Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)
• Describe the dissertation design and process• Report on the results and analysis of completed
dissertations• Assess and discuss implications for program planning
and evaluation
Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)Department of Health Policy and Management
Introduction and Background
• UNC DrPH program launched in 2005 and designed for use with Internet video
• Emphasis on leadership development• Goal: produce top leaders committed to improving the
public’s health• Targets: mid-career health professionals working full-
time domestically and internationally
Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)Department of Health Policy and Management
Introduction and Background
• 3 years; cohort-based• DrPH in Health Administration • Coursework completed in years 1 and 2• Three short visits to Chapel Hill in each of first two years• Dissertation completed in year 3• Since 2005:
– 17 dissertations successfully completed– 47 students at varying stages of dissertation development
Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)Department of Health Policy and Management
Dissertation Design and Process
• Emphasis on practical application of findings of research• Flexible, but highlights a potential strategy for addressing
a health policy issue or organizational problem• Culminates in a plan that applies leadership strategies to
guide implementation of organizational or policy change• The ultimate goal: combine practice-based research with
leadership skills to create a plan that, if implemented, would improve the public’s health
Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)Department of Health Policy and Management
Results and analysis of completed dissertations (n=17)
• Time to degree completion ranged from 2.75 years to 5.5 years; average 3.5 years.
• Content areas ranged widely.• Research aims varied.• Research design and methodologies favored
nonexperimental, descriptive designs and qualitative methods.
• Plans for change favored oral and written presentations to professional colleagues, communication with policymakers (internal and external.)
Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)Department of Health Policy and Management
Discussion and implications
• Curriculum tightly choreographed, efficient.• Designed to facilitate early start on dissertation.• Use of secondary data encouraged.• Frequent use of qualitative methods has resulted in
curriculum tweaks to build those skills.• Pilot testing approaches to support for third year
students.
Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)Department of Health Policy and Management
Plans for long-term evaluation
• Tracking alumni over time;• Assessing mastery of competencies;• Success with which graduates went on to implement
dissertation “plans for change” and impact.
Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)Department of Health Policy and Management
Questions?
www.sph.unc.edu/hpaa/executive_drph/
http://www.sph.unc.edu/docglobal/