What I learned in each class I took in my MPH program

I did it so you don’t have to! In honor of completing my MPH today, read below and earn a(n honorary) Master’s in Public Health in Health Policy and Management from one of the top schools in the nation, too!
Pre-Program

• Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health: Yep. Keep doing public health.

Fall 2013

• Statistical Methods in Health Policy and Management: If the p is low, the H0 must go!
• Healthcare Policy and Structure in the US: The ACA is complicated, and states should expand Medicaid.
• Lean Six Sigma Part I: “Poka yoke” is fun to say and so is “STOP THE LINE!”
• Leadership Practicum/AKA Journaling/AKA Book Club (Deep Change by Robert E. Quinn): Deep change is hard and most CEOs that actually accomplish it have to break the law to do it.

Spring 2014

• Leadership and Workforce Management Strategies in Healthcare Organizations: Hiking to the south pole is hard and psychological safety among coworkers is important.
• Intro to Financial and Managerial Accounting for Healthcare Organizations: Don’t sell this book on Amazon until after you finish Capstone.
• Book Club (Drive by Daniel H. Pink): I am motivated by ice cream.

Summer 2014

• Principles of Epidemiology: While very cool, there is a lot of math.
• Health Economics: Something about utility curves–they look like smiles!
• Book Club (Political Savvy by Joel M. DeLuca): I was burnt out at work.
• BONUS Book Club (The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni): To establish trust among a team, host a series of retreats in the mountains. Also, don’t be a dick.

Fall 2014

• Healthcare Strategy and Marketing: TAM, SWOT, competitive analysis, female sexual dysfunction, etc.
• Environmental Health: Group work with undergrads and residential students is the worst.
• Program Evaluation I: Ask not, “did it work?” but, “is it working?”
• Lean Six Sigma II: Kaizen!!! Go to the gemba!!!
• Book Club (The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal): I shop when I’m stressed and gee, I’ve been shopping a lot lately.

Spring 2015

• Program Evaluation II: Logic models are your friend.
• Public Health Quality and Information Management: Flying paper airplanes is fun. Also, BIG DATA.
• Public Health Informatics and Quality Applications: Lightning talks are fun. Also, BIG DATA.
• Book Club (Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman): Don’t trust your gut. Also, trust your gut.

Summer 2015

• Health Law: Driving your big rig, drunk and with your feet, down the highway while listening to Willie Nelson’s greatest hits on an 8-track is bound to end poorly for the trucking company, regardless of whether you are actually employed by them.
• Capstone: This course is for Master’s of Healthcare Administration students and you CAN write a business plan in one week.
• Book Club (The Psychology of Persuasion by Kevin Hogan): Women are manipulative hussies and no means yes.

*tosses cap*