Health professions education focus of new master’s degree
Vanderbilt will soon offer a new Master of Health Professions Education degree that brings together three of the University's highly regarded and internationally recognized entities — the School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Peabody College of Education and Human Development.
The MHPE degree will welcome its inaugural class this fall and will help health education professionals develop the necessary skills to lead through a rapidly changing health sciences environment.
“This program gives students a science behind the education so they can practice their area of expertise in a scholarly way,” said John Shatzer, Ph.D., MHPE program director.
John Shatzer, Ph.D.
“Teaching is a learnable skill and is why Peabody is a strong partner in our program. They are current in educational theory and principles that will help create the bridge between the learning sciences and teaching practice.”
The MHPE degree emphasizes curriculum and evaluation, educational leadership and scholarship designed to provide the necessary tools to be excellent educational practitioners.
Michael McLendon
“We are excited about collaborating with our colleagues in nursing and medicine to integrate our knowledge with theirs in service to the health professions," said Michael McLendon, associate dean and chief of staff for Peabody.
Linda Norman, DSN
“Peabody faculty have lent their expertise around the scholarship and practice of professional education, drawing on our long history of research in the learning sciences.”
The program is geared toward working health education professionals but also permits trainees at various levels to earn this degree in anticipation of a career with an emphasis on education. Students who enroll should possess terminal degrees in one of the health professions or biomedical sciences.
“The curriculum is designed for people who are interested in being faculty leaders in education,” said Linda Norman, DSN, senior associate dean for Academics at VUSN.
“One of the important aspects of this program is the focus on the science of education specifically related to the clinical nature of health professions education. We look forward to participating in this program of study.”
The program follows an Executive MBA weekend format with each course meeting three weekends per semester and supported by distance learning technology.
The 36-credit hour curriculum will emphasize learning and instruction, curriculum development, continuous quality improvement, organizational leadership and innovation and research design and analysis. Degrees will be awarded by the School of Medicine.
Interested applicants should contact mhpe@vanderbilt.edu or call 936-8555.