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Become a Leading Health Professions Educator and Scholar

The Master of Science in Health Professions Education program is specifically designed for educators in the health professions. The curriculum is designed for physicians, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and other health professionals who want to excel in leadership, research, innovation, curriculum design, program evaluation and learning outcomes assessment. The Health Professions Education Department is part of the School of Healthcare Leadership. 

  • Build skills in teaching and assessment
  • Generate publishable scholarship
  • Assess and advance educational change
  • Engage in a cohort-based interprofessional experience
  • Connect with an international network of peers and alumni
  • Achieve your goals with 1-on-1 mentoring from expert faculty

Take advantage of our comprehensive curriculum and our unique partnerships to concentrate your study in any of the following areas:  

  • Teaching and Learning
  • Research
  • Policy and Management
  • Simulation-based Education
  • Simulation Operations
  • Combine courses to create a customized concentration
  • Leadership
 
Headshot of Natasha Alfonso in a lab coat

"I did not expect the amount of caring, concern and attention given by faculty in this online format. I have previously thought of the online format as inferior to in-person activities because of the lack of human connection. However, I now know that not to be true and it is still very possible to create an engaged community online with people you have never met because of the ability of the instructors to fully engage. Despite the variety of different topics discussed, at the core of each of these sessions was the modeling of the human element of teaching. The passion for their topic, the interest in discussing further, the respect for students, and the genuine curiosity in the opinions of others are evident."

Natasha Afonso, MS-HPEd
 
 
100%
of graduates said "Yes" when asked, "Was the investment you made to get an HPEd degree or certificate worth it?"
 
92%
said an increase in the quality of their teaching was a direct result of our HPEd program.
 
86%
said they enjoyed higher job satisfaction after earning their HPEd degree.
 

The IHP Advantage: MS in Health Professions Education

Customize Your Program

You will work with an advisor to focus your program of study on different aspects of our program’s goals related to: developing and strengthening your skills in teaching and learning; or generating scholarship that will address gaps or implementing and leading change—or personalized combinations of each. 

Flexible, Part-Time Format

Blended instruction balances the flexibility of distant learning with onsite opportunities to develop a community of interest with like-minded scholars. Your courses are largely project-based so that you can advance your skills and apply the information you are learning as you learn it. 

Lead Change

Improve your ability to recognize innovation opportunities, and build skills to facilitate and lead change in health professions education—enhanced  by engaging in interactive study with an interprofessional, international community of colleagues. Achieve synergies based on our partnerships with the Center for Medical Simulation and the Harvard Macy Institute.

 

A Flexible, Customizable Curriculum

The MS in Health Professions Education consists of:

10 Online Courses

  • 10 asynchronous, 3-credit semester-long online courses (30 credits total)
  • 8 required courses and 2 electives
  • Courses from partner organizations can often be substituted

3 On-Site Seminars

  • 3 days per seminar, at the Institute’s Boston campus (virtual during COVID-19 restrictions)
  • 1 credit per seminar (3 credits total)

Students can be located anywhere in the world and can take up to five years to complete the program.

Below is one possible and common timeline for starting and completing the program.

Year One

Fall
Spring
Summer
  • 3-day on-site Innovations Seminar in Boston* (September)
  • 2 semester-long online asynchronous courses
  • 2 semester-long online asynchronous courses
  • 3-day on-site Scholarship Seminar in Boston* (June)
  • 1 semester-long online asynchronous course

Year Two

Fall
Spring
Summer
  • 2 semester-long online asynchronous courses
  • 2 semester-long online asynchronous courses
  • 3-day on-site Capstone Seminar in Boston* (June)
  • 1 semester-long online asynchronous course

* Virtual on Zoom while COVID-19 restrictions are in place, meaning participants must be available all-day for the 3 days, but do not need to travel to Boston.

Scholarly Project: As you begin the program, you will identify an area of interest for your scholarly project. Throughout your study, you'll explore the issue in depth, develop a curriculum plan to address it, and capture what you've learned in a publication-ready manuscript, in lieu of a master's thesis. Scholarly projects can cover a wide range of topics. View some examples.

Download the two-page guide to Health Professions Education Programs

View the full MS-HPEd Curriculum

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Costs & Funding

To learn more about costs, click the "Tuition and Fees" button below and refer to the Center for Interprofessional Studies and Innovation section of the main tuition and fees page.

 

Learn from Experts. Meet Our Faculty.

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Podcast: What's Your Delta? MGH Institute's 3 Tips for Faculty Development

This podcast is brought to you by the Master of Science and PhD in Health Professions Education Programs at MGH Institute of Health Professions.  Thought leaders and IHP employees Drs. Janice Palaganas and Peter Cahn discuss popular topics in faculty development and offer 3 tips for each episode.

View all episodes.

Podcast: Interprofessional Innovations in Health Professions Education

The Interprofessional Innovations in Health Professions Education podcasts are recorded monthly, and hosted by Dr. Janice Palaganas. These sessions highlight student research from both the MS and PhD programs in Health Professions Education at The IHP. Guests are students working in their degrees at The IHP.

Additional Resources

Check out a podcast episode by some of our MS-HPEd students focusing on educational technology adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic in three groups of learners: (1) classroom (2) clinical workplace, and (3) procedures, along with wellness tips for teachers and learners.

Recent Student Publications:

Dadario, N., Bellido, S., Restivo, A., Kulkarni, M., Singh, M., Yoon, A., . . . Jafri, F. (2021). Using a Logic Model to Enable and Evaluate Long-Term Outcomes of a Mass Casualty Training Program: A Single Center Case Study. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2021.66

Jafri, F. N., et al. (2020). A Microdebriefing Crisis Resource Management Program for Simulated Pediatric Resuscitation in a Community Hospital: A Feasibility Study. Simulation in Healthcare: Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. https://doi.org/10.1097/sih.0000000000000480.

Klein, R., et al. (2020). Association of gender with learner assessment in graduate medical education. JAMA network open, 3(7), e2010888-e2010888. http://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.10888.

Jafri F. N., et al. (2021). “The Addition of High-Technology Into the Stop the Bleed Program Among School Personnel Improves Short-Term Skill Application, Not Long-Term Retention.” Simulation in Healthcare: Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. 16 Feb. https://doi.org/10.1097/sih.0000000000000546.

Polansky, M. N., et al. (2021). Exploring Residents' Perceptions of PA and NP Roles and Barriers to Collaboration. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, 34(5), 42–43, 48-50. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.jaa.0000742972.71042.72

 

More Information: MS in Health Professions Education

FAQs

I’m interested in your MS in Health Professions Education, but have a pretty busy life right now! What is your quick "elevator pitch" for someone like me?

This is a mostly online program designed for those who want to advance their knowledge, skills and careers as educators in the health professions. The carefully designed, project-based curriculum is intended to be both flexible in its design—providing a variety of combinations of online learning and webinars, brief face-to-face onsite intensives, and Harvard Macy Institute and Center for Medical Simulation in-person intensives—and flexible in the amount of time available to complete the program.  

What is the time commitment required for the program in terms of number of hours per week?  

Most of our scholars continue to work full time while completing their study, and many have young families or other responsibilities. The weekly work effort expectation varies depending on the course and one’s familiarity with its content and literature. Learning about a concept for the first time will take longer than reading about one with which the student is already familiar. Having said that, most people dedicate 3-6 hours per week for each three-credit course. Those who can protect dedicated time each week for their studies are more successful.

How much does the program cost?

Please visit the MGH Institute's main tuition and fees page for the most up to date information about costs. We can help you estimate costs for your financial planning, so just let us know how we can help if you have further questions.

Are there prerequisites or other requirements?

Prospective applicants should be credentialed health professionals and hold at least a Bachelors degree.

How do I apply?

Please visit our application requirements page for more information on how to apply.

What if I have more questions?

You can contact us at any time. We answer questions from students every day and are more than happy to assist you via email or phone (617) 724-6362. Please let us know how we can help you!

Learn About Our Health Professions Teaching and Learning Certificate

Many of our scholars begin our health professions education program by earning a Health Professions Teaching and Learning Certificate of Completion. 

Learn more about our certificate option

Health Professions Education Program Manual

The HPEd Program Manual expands on policies in the IHP Catalog.

Program Manuals

Contact Us

If you have any questions or would like to speak with someone about our program, please email us at anytime.