OHSU School of Nursing: Online Master's of Public Health Program

Online Public Health Programs

The program is based upon the concepts and principles of Primary Health Care. The World Health Organization (1978) defines primary health care as "essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology, made universally available to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and the country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination.

There are two pathways for students interested in public health. In addition to the Master of Public Health, OHSU is now offering a Graduate Certificate in Public Health (GCPH) for those interested in public health but unable to commit to the full MPH program.

Primary health care is both a philosophy of health care and an approach to providing health services. By emphasizing improvement in primary health care accessibility and quality for underserved populations, this degree program prepares graduates to tackle health disparities in a unique way.

Health care disparities threaten efforts to improve health in the US and abroad. The presence of these disparities pose moral and ethical dilemmas that will be among the most important challenges to today’s rapidly changing healthcare systems. The cost of inadequate care may have significant implications for overall healthcare expenditures. Persistent racial and ethnic inequality creates a rift in the social fabric. As long as disparities are present, overall healthcare quality will be poor.

The School of Nursing’s Master of Public Health program is offered in conjunction with the Oregon Master of Public Health Program. The OMPH collaboration includes OHSU, Portland State University and Oregon State University. It combines broad training in public health with specific education in one of the specialty tracks offered at the participating universities. U.S. News and World Report 2004 report ranks the School of Nursing’s program second among the country’s graduate programs in community and public health.

With this degree students are prepared to assume clinical leadership roles in a variety of settings, including but not limited to community health centers and health maintenance organizations, community agencies and health departments, and official and voluntary health agencies and organizations. Graduates are able to ensure the quality of implemented clinical and community care activities, act as a resource for the development of innovative and expanded responses in clinical and community care, coordinate care with regional and county offices, interface with all services involved with the care of patients, and provide counseling and education for families and patients receiving care.