Recorded presentation

Amy F. Lee, MD, MPH¹, Nancy A. Myers, RN, MEd, CPHQ², and C. William Keck, MD, MPH². (1) Northeastern Ohio Universities Master of Public Health, 4209 State Route 44, PO Box 95, Rootstown, OH 44272, 330-325-6164, afl@neoucom.edu, (2) Division of Community Health Sciences, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, 4209 State Route 44, Rootstown, OH 44272

The Northeastern Ohio Universities Master of Public Health program is a five-institution program, which started fall 1999 and was accredited October 2003. A sixth partner is projected to join pending Ohio Board of Regents approval by the end of 2004. The program currently offers a generalist MPH degree. Plans to develop joint degrees and incorporation into a preventive medicine residency are in progress. Several components are important in building and maintaining this multi-institution partnership: a collaborative culture, communication, centralization, and consideration. We built the program with the understanding that successful academic partnerships already existed among our institutions and assumed that that we were a continuation of this culture. Constant and frequent communication to as many parties as possible is achieved through meetings, newsletters, phone calls, and e-mail. Initial contacts should include university officials, to achieve initial buy-in. Centralization of certain aspects of the program has helped us maintain a sense of identity and allowed us to achieve a successful accreditation decision. Consideration of all partners' needs and perspectives has contributed to maintenance of the program. Each of the institutions has had to demonstrate flexibility on both minor and major issues. This presentation will review the development of the program, key strategies used to facilitate its success, challenges along the way, and the navigation of a successful CEPH accreditation review process.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this session, participants will be able to list important components of building a successful partnership graduate degree program.

Keywords: Public Health Education,

Related Web page: www.neoucom.edu/MPH

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation