Hospital and Health System Preparedness Graduate Credit Certificate Program

The Graduate Certificate in Hospital and Health System Preparedness provides students with knowledge and skills to protect the critical infrastructure of hospitals, medical facilities, and emergency management systems. The effective protection of critical infrastructure will allow medical facilities and emergency management systems to remain functional in the midst of natural disasters and intentional and unintentional incidents. The curriculum will emphasize a systems-based and an all-hazards approach to preparedness. Graduates will be experienced in development and revision of an emergency operations plan, both at facility- and community-level, and exercises to test and evaluate the plan. Graduates will be expected to understand and use an evidence-based approach in designing emergency operations plans and procedures. Graduates are employed by public health, hospitals and healthcare facilities, military and law enforcement, and emergency management services. The certificate is intended for students who seek to further their career in:

• Facility management and services
• Healthcare administration and management
• Emergency management and services
• Infection and quality control

Effective Semester: Summer 2019
Expiration Semester: Summer 2024

Admission Requirements

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies. International applicants may be required to satisfy an English proficiency requirement; see GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

Applicants are required to submit a resume, statement of purpose, 3 letters of recommendation and GRE scores. Applicants may request a waiver from the GRE requirement if they meet one of the following criteria:

• 3.00 undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) either overall or in the last 60 credits;
• 5+ years of professional work experience;
• 3.00 GPA upon completion of a graduate certificate; or
• successful completion of a graduate or professional degree.

Certificate Requirements

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in Graduate Council policy GCAC-212 Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Programs.

This 15-credit graduate certificate requires the following courses:

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Learning Outcomes

1. PHP ORG: Students will be able to identify major organizations, agencies, and policies that substantially affect the practice of public health preparedness.
2. PHP APP: Students will be able to identify, design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based approaches to public health preparedness.
3. PHP EPI: Students will be able to apply basic epidemiologic principles and methods to public health preparedness.
4. PHP HOSP ERP: Students will be able identify and evaluate hospital vulnerabilities and to develop a hospital emergency response plan.
5. PHP EXER: Students will be able to plan, implement and evaluate exercises for public health preparedness.
6. PHP BIORISK: Students will be able to identify laboratory biorisks and develop and evaluate biorisk security procedures and protocols.
7. PHP LEAD: Students will demonstrate effective leadership and team-based practices and procedures.

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