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

Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH)Department of Health Policy and Management

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/