A Management Toolkit for Master of Public Health (MPH) Students

Public health is the field of study concerned with the health and welfare of a population. Students of public health can receive formal academic training at the baccalaureate, masters, and/or doctoral levels. Master of Public Health (MPH) students must complete forty-five (45) graduate hours of schooling to earn their degree. Upon graduation, it is earnestly hoped that MPH graduates will be fully prepared to handle the variety of public health challenges that await them in the workplace. So, it beckons the question, “Are MPH graduates academically ready for the demands of the public health work environment?” To investigate this query, an extensive literature review was conducted. The review uncovered some startling findings. Numerous public health professionals with many years of experience in the field report that many MPH graduates are inadequately prepared to serve in managerial roles. To address this void in training, a management toolkit/learning module was designed to augment MPH public health training. The one-hour PowerPoint toolkit covers eleven management subtopics ranging from strategic planning to team building to public health economics. Each subtopic is segmented into definitions, constructs/theories, examples in public health, and suggested readings for further study. The toolkit offers basic management skills for MPH students in a convenient and enlightening format, encouraging additional study of the subject, while raising the potential for graduates’ success in the workplace