Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions about the HPE Graduate Programs admissions process. If you have specific questions not covered below, we invite you to contact us at HPE@usuhs.edu. To watch a recording of a recent information session for prospective applicants, click here.  

1. Are the Graduate Programs in HPE accredited?
The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Currently, there are no specialized accreditation standards for HPE programs.

2. Do faculty members in the Graduate Programs in HPE conduct research in the context of undergraduate medical education (UME) only?
No. The research programs of the faculty in the HPE program are diverse and multidisciplinary. For example, we have faculty who research pre-medical education, undergraduate education in diverse health professions (e.g., medicine, nursing, allied health), postgraduate education (e.g., GME), continuing medical education (CME), as well research in patient safety and health care systems analysis.

We also have faculty who conduct research in,
instructional design,
curriculum design,
simulation-based learning, and
online learning
We encourage you to review our faculty pages to learn more about what types of research we conduct.

3. Do I need to earn the MHPE or MEd-HPE before I apply for the PhD in HPE degree program?
The specific requirements for the PhD in HPE depend on the incoming experience and prior training of each prospective student. In most cases, however, students must earn the MHPE degree or a MEd-HPE, prior to enrolling in the PhD program.

4. How does a Masters in Health Professions Education (MHPE) differ from an Masters in Public Health (MPH)?
A Masters in Health Professions Education (MHPE) is a multidisciplinary degree that prepares health professions with a foundation in educational practice, teaching, assessment, and leadership in health professions education. At USUHS, students can complete a generalist track in HPE, or focus their efforts in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment; Leadership; and/or Scholarship and Research.
In contrast, a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) while also a multidisciplinary degree, focuses on preparing students for public health practice in areas such as epidemiology, statistics, or infectious diseases, as opposed to research or teaching.

5. How many credit hours are required for completion at USUHS?
The graduate programs in HPE at USUHS offer three programs to meet the unique needs of our students. They include, a foundations certificate in HPE, a master's degree in HPE, and a PhD in HPE. 
The IFHPE and FHPE certificates in HPE are comprised of 6 and 13 credits, respectively. 
The MHPE program is comprised of 39 credits, of which 9 credits are dedicated to completion of a master's thesis project.
The MEd-HPE program is comprised of 40 credits of which 10 credits are dedicated to the completion of a culminating project.
The PhD in HPE is comprised of 108 credits, of which 20 credits are dedicated to completion of a dissertation.
*Please note that USUHS graduate courses are based on semester hours.

6. What are my options for completing the certificate, master, or doctoral degree in HPE?
All three programs are designed with the working professional in mind and are mostly completed on a part-time basis. Furthermore, most courses are offered in a distance learning format with mostly asynchronous sessions accompanied by a few scheduled synchronous sessions.

7. What if I am selected for the joint graduate medical education (GME) selection board?
Full time applicants will need to apply through the joint GME selection board. Once selected by the joint GME selection board, applicants then need to apply to the HPE program through USU admissions. If the applicant is currently a board certified health professional (e.g., physician, nurse, dentist), GRE scores are not required and a waiver should be requested. By contrast, part time students can apply directly to the HPE programs by applying to the HPE program through USU admissions. 

8. What is a Master or Doctorate in Health Professions Education (HPE)?
A Master’s or Doctoral degree in Health Professions Education (HPE) is a multidisciplinary degree that prepares health professionals with a foundation in educational practice, teaching, assessment, and leadership in health professions education. Our program prepares our students to:

Address the growing need for innovative educational reform,
Serve as academic leaders (e.g., deans, program directors, department heads), and
Contribute to the continuous advancement of health professions education and research.

9. When can I apply to the HPE program?
HPE degree learners should apply starting the first week of September and no later than Nov. 1 to begin courses in the Summer Term of the following year (mid-May).

10. Who typically enrolls in graduate programs in HPE? Am I eligible?
Our Graduate Programs in Health Professions Education (HPE) are designed to train
physicians
nurses
dentists
pharmacists
physical therapists
optometrists
program directors
department heads
institutional leaders
and those who are committed to working with health professionals as a career (e.g., public health, executive administrators).

To be eligible to enroll in the HPE programs, you must:
Have previously earned a bachelor degree; and
Be Active Duty Military Personnel or a Civilian Federal Employee (*Exceptions to this rule can occasionally be established through an official MOU between USU and an organization that wishes to enroll students in our program.)

11. Why do individuals pursue graduate degrees in HPE?
In both the military health system and the civilian sector there is a growing demand for educators who are formally trained in HPE. Some of the most common reasons for this growing demand include:
Health professionals who want to make education their professional focus.
Institutions who desire high quality instruction and thus prefer or require teaching faculty to hold a degree beyond their professional degree.
Accreditation bodies that have increasingly stringent requirements for demonstration of faculty expertise and excellence in curriculum design, instruction, assessment, and program evaluation. 

12. How much do the degree and certificate programs cost?
Tuition and fees are waived for students; however, in some cases, students may be required to purchase a textbook for a course and/or to cover the author processing charges for their peer-reviewed publication. Master and PhD students are expected to cover the costs for the annual week-long In-Residence meeting, generally held the third week in July. Civilian students do not incur service obligation to the U.S. government after the completion of their graduate studies. Part-time active duty learners do not incur a service obligation; full-time active duty learners do incur a service obligation and are encouraged to speak with their service leadership regarding this service requirement. 

13. How are the MHPE and MEd-HPE different from each other?
All MHPE and MEd-HPE graduates demonstrate proficiency in three competency domains: Education, Leadership, and Research. A key difference between these degrees is that the MEd-HPE program emphasizes the scholarship of teaching and learning (Education and/or Leadership competencies), while the MHPE curriculum requires more extensive mentored preparation in the scholarship of discovery and/or integration (Research competencies), resulting in a peer-reviewed publication (alternate thesis format).

Learners who wish to primarily grow in Leadership and/or Education competencies should consider the MEd-HPE while those primarily interested in pursuing educational research competencies should consider the MHPE.  The MEd-HPE requires 10-credit hours of more extensive mentored preparation
in the scholarship of teaching and learning, resulting in a MEd-HPE Culminating Project that is
applied and will be disseminated through a peer reviewed process.

14. I understand that spots may be limited in the program. What happens if my MEd-HPE/MHPE/PhD application isn’t accepted for any of the open slots?
Each year has become more and more competitive for our degree programs as HPE continues to grow. Acknowledging the skill and talent that qualified learners may bring to HPE, the Admissions Committee often recommends degree applicants for the FHPE. The FHPE certificate coursework is the same for the MHPE and MEd-HPE, and learners are able to learn more about the difference between the two degrees to make a more informed decision should they choose to reapply.

15. Can I apply directly to the PhD program?
Applicants who are interested in the PhD in HPE should either apply to the MHPE first (usual
route), or complete and submit a dissertation proposal form (atypical route). The typical learner first applies for the MHPE and then reapplies for the PhD in HPE after a paper from their thesis has been accepted into a peer reviewed journal and they have submitted a dissertation proposal form. Learners who would like to be
considered for the PhD in HPE without first going through the MHPE must submit a dissertation
proposal form to be considered for this degree.

16. What is the difference between the MEd-HPE, MHPE, and PhD?  How do I decide which one is right for me?
All HPE degrees are designed for individuals planning careers in HPE (medicine, dentistry, nursing, and other health professions) and prioritizes building learners' competence in research, education and leadership within HPE.  The MEd-HPE focuses on broad scholarly and practical experience through the dissemination of a culminating project focused on practical application of leadership and/or educational principles.  The MHPE culminates in a published peer-reviewed research paper and the PhD culminates in 4 published research papers.

17. I want to get the master's degree, but I have many responsibilities that may prohibit me from pursuing the degree at this time. How long will my HPE credits last?  
You will have 5 years from your graduation date to continue your HPE program requirements and still receive credit for coursework completed in your certificate program.

18. Will I incur additional service commitment and/or does the program cost anything?
There is no payback for part time learners. For full time learners there is an active duty commitment depending on which service you are in. For those working at the VA – there is currently only a track for the certificates. We are working on a legislative fix for the degree track. There would be tuition for the degree (no longer on a space available basis), with an estimated cost to be determined.

19. How often do I meet with my instructors throughout the term?
Typically, there are two synchronous sessions for a course, one at the beginning and one at the end of the course. The rest of the course is typically asynchronous where the learner is answering discussion board questions or completing assignments.

20. Are there any in-person commitments?
Degree learners are required to attend In-Residence, a week-long in-person learning experience on the USU campus that takes place the 3rd week of July each year.

21. I already have a master’s degree.  Can I get credit for courses?
Very rarely. The objectives of our courses are focused on health professions education and do not frequently align with the objectives of courses offered in other master’s programs.  At times, we do offer practicum credit for completed professional development certificates or related courses from other master’s programs.

22. I’m working on a project and it could be a good master's thesis. Can I get started on my research now? 
The courses are designed to give you the skills necessary for research. Additionally, once core coursework is complete we have designed a series of experiences to help you meet faculty and get started on your research.  In short, while we encourage you to keep thinking about your research and fleshing out details as soon as possible you should not begin your research until you have worked with a research advisor on the design.

23. What is the workload for a typical course?  
The time a learner can expect to spend on a course will vary, but for a 12-week term a learner can expect to spend 6 – 9 hours of work per week on one course. For a compressed 6-week term, a learner should expect to spend 12-18 hours per week on one course.