UNC preps students for future of health care

Jonathan Oberlander is enjoying his job more than usual — and now he has more people to share it with.

“There’s no better time to teach about health policy than fall 2009,” said Oberlander, associate professor of social medicine and health policy and management. “There never has been as exciting a time.”

That excitement has translated into increased enrollment for the Department of Health Policy and Management. Students said they’re eager and prepared to work in whatever system emerges from reforms.

The national debate over health care reform in U.S. Congress and the White House is a frequent topic of conversation in Gillings School of Global Public Health classrooms.

A major health care reform bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday evening. The U.S. Senate is now discussing its own version under immense pressure from the White House.

“Every class session, we discuss some aspect of policy and almost always relate the discussion to what’s going on in D.C.,” said Ned Brooks, a clinical associate professor of health policy and management.

Peggy Leatt, associate dean for academic affairs at the school, wrote in an e-mail that health policy courses have increased in popularity as a result of the health care debate and the resulting coverage.

Enrollment in the health policy and management department has increased almost 18 percent in the past four years. Total enrollment in the school of public health has increased only 5 percent in the same time frame.

The school is equipping students with a broad knowledge base. Courses cover an array of topics including finance and law.

“What we try to do is provide our students with a skill set and a certain competency so that they will be able to perform effectively in whatever system evolves,” said clinical associate professor Dean Harris.

This year, two courses were combined in an effort to give students a holistic view of policy and management.

Brooks, who teaches the newly combined Research Management and Ethics in Health Policy course, said the consolidation is more effective because it broadens the scope of knowledge for students. He said the emphasis is on practical education.

“It’s not really ivory tower stuff over here,” Brooks said. “Our goal is to produce graduates who will hit the ground running and make a difference in people’s health.”

Jason DePlatchett, a first-year master’s student in the health care administration program, said he feels lucky to be studying health policy now.

“It’s kind of fun to be on the front lines,” he said.

He added that with any reform, he thinks the job market will grow.

“There will be more to manage,” he said. “There will be more patients. There will be a whole lot more paperwork.”

Potential future forms of health care delivery, such as the medical home approach, would increase collaboration between physicians and refocus work on their specific skill sets. The proposed insurance reform bills would increase the number of people with access to doctors.

Elise Lockamy, a first-year master’s student in the master of public health program, said although the changes to the field are still unknown, she and others are excited about what is to come.

“We are excited to see what things there are for us to do,” Lockamy said. “No matter what reform looks like, we know that there is something for us.”



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.