Transdisciplinarity of India’s master’s level public health programmes: evidence from admission criteria of the programmes offered since 1995

Abstract Introduction In the Indian subcontinent, Master’s-level Public Health (MlPH) programmes attract graduates of diverse academic disciplines from health and non-health sciences alike. Considering the current and futuristic importance of the public health cadre, we described them and reviewed t...

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Main Authors: Kumaravel Ilangovan, Sendhilkumar Muthappan, Keerthiga Govindarajan, Vignesh Vairamani, Vettrichelvan Venkatasamy, Manickam Ponnaiah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022-02-01
Series:Human Resources for Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-022-00713-4
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author Kumaravel Ilangovan
Sendhilkumar Muthappan
Keerthiga Govindarajan
Vignesh Vairamani
Vettrichelvan Venkatasamy
Manickam Ponnaiah
author_facet Kumaravel Ilangovan
Sendhilkumar Muthappan
Keerthiga Govindarajan
Vignesh Vairamani
Vettrichelvan Venkatasamy
Manickam Ponnaiah
author_sort Kumaravel Ilangovan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Introduction In the Indian subcontinent, Master’s-level Public Health (MlPH) programmes attract graduates of diverse academic disciplines from health and non-health sciences alike. Considering the current and futuristic importance of the public health cadre, we described them and reviewed their transdisciplinarity status based on MlPH admissibility criteria 1995 to 2021. Methods Using a search strategy, we abstracted information available in the public domain on MlPH programmes and their admissibility criteria. We categorized the admission criteria based on specified disciplines into Health science, Non-health science and Non-health non-science categories. We described the MlPH programmes by location, type of institution, course duration, curriculum, pedagogical methods, specializations offered, and nature of admission criteria statements. We calculated descriptive statistics for eligible educational qualifications for MlPH admission. Results Overall, 76 Indian institutions (Medical colleges—21 and Non-medical coleges—55) offered 92 MlPH programmes (Private—58 and Public—34). We included 89 for review. These programmes represent a 51% increase (n = 47) from 2016 to 2021. They are mostly concentrated in 21 Indian provinces. These programmes stated that they admit candidates of but not limited to “graduation in any life sciences”, “3-year bachelor’s degree in any discipline”, “graduation from any Indian universities”, and “graduation in any discipline”. Among the health science disciplines, Modern medicine (n = 89; 100%), Occupational therapy (n = 57; 64%) is the least eligible. Among the non-health science disciplines, life sciences and behavioural sciences (n = 53; 59%) and non-health non-science disciplines, humanities and social sciences (n = 62; 72%) are the topmost eligible disciplines for admission in the MPH programmes. Conclusion Our review suggests that India’s MlPH programmes are less transdisciplinary. Relatively, non-medical institutions offer admission to various academic disciplines than the medical institutions in their MlPH programmes. India’s Master’s level public health programmes could be more inclusive by opening to graduates from trans-disciplinary backgrounds.
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spelling doaj.art-ad7015623cd3450a8a6ed586c7a1fd962022-12-22T01:35:24ZengBMCHuman Resources for Health1478-44912022-02-0120111110.1186/s12960-022-00713-4Transdisciplinarity of India’s master’s level public health programmes: evidence from admission criteria of the programmes offered since 1995Kumaravel Ilangovan0Sendhilkumar Muthappan1Keerthiga Govindarajan2Vignesh Vairamani3Vettrichelvan Venkatasamy4Manickam Ponnaiah5ICMR-National Institute of EpidemiologyICMR-National Institute of EpidemiologyICMR-National Institute of EpidemiologyICMR-National Institute of EpidemiologyICMR-National Institute of EpidemiologyICMR-National Institute of EpidemiologyAbstract Introduction In the Indian subcontinent, Master’s-level Public Health (MlPH) programmes attract graduates of diverse academic disciplines from health and non-health sciences alike. Considering the current and futuristic importance of the public health cadre, we described them and reviewed their transdisciplinarity status based on MlPH admissibility criteria 1995 to 2021. Methods Using a search strategy, we abstracted information available in the public domain on MlPH programmes and their admissibility criteria. We categorized the admission criteria based on specified disciplines into Health science, Non-health science and Non-health non-science categories. We described the MlPH programmes by location, type of institution, course duration, curriculum, pedagogical methods, specializations offered, and nature of admission criteria statements. We calculated descriptive statistics for eligible educational qualifications for MlPH admission. Results Overall, 76 Indian institutions (Medical colleges—21 and Non-medical coleges—55) offered 92 MlPH programmes (Private—58 and Public—34). We included 89 for review. These programmes represent a 51% increase (n = 47) from 2016 to 2021. They are mostly concentrated in 21 Indian provinces. These programmes stated that they admit candidates of but not limited to “graduation in any life sciences”, “3-year bachelor’s degree in any discipline”, “graduation from any Indian universities”, and “graduation in any discipline”. Among the health science disciplines, Modern medicine (n = 89; 100%), Occupational therapy (n = 57; 64%) is the least eligible. Among the non-health science disciplines, life sciences and behavioural sciences (n = 53; 59%) and non-health non-science disciplines, humanities and social sciences (n = 62; 72%) are the topmost eligible disciplines for admission in the MPH programmes. Conclusion Our review suggests that India’s MlPH programmes are less transdisciplinary. Relatively, non-medical institutions offer admission to various academic disciplines than the medical institutions in their MlPH programmes. India’s Master’s level public health programmes could be more inclusive by opening to graduates from trans-disciplinary backgrounds.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-022-00713-4Public healthOne healthEducationPublic health practiceInterdisciplinary placementUniversities
spellingShingle Kumaravel Ilangovan
Sendhilkumar Muthappan
Keerthiga Govindarajan
Vignesh Vairamani
Vettrichelvan Venkatasamy
Manickam Ponnaiah
Transdisciplinarity of India’s master’s level public health programmes: evidence from admission criteria of the programmes offered since 1995
Human Resources for Health
Public health
One health
Education
Public health practice
Interdisciplinary placement
Universities
title Transdisciplinarity of India’s master’s level public health programmes: evidence from admission criteria of the programmes offered since 1995
title_full Transdisciplinarity of India’s master’s level public health programmes: evidence from admission criteria of the programmes offered since 1995
title_fullStr Transdisciplinarity of India’s master’s level public health programmes: evidence from admission criteria of the programmes offered since 1995
title_full_unstemmed Transdisciplinarity of India’s master’s level public health programmes: evidence from admission criteria of the programmes offered since 1995
title_short Transdisciplinarity of India’s master’s level public health programmes: evidence from admission criteria of the programmes offered since 1995
title_sort transdisciplinarity of india s master s level public health programmes evidence from admission criteria of the programmes offered since 1995
topic Public health
One health
Education
Public health practice
Interdisciplinary placement
Universities
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-022-00713-4
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