Department of Health Policy and Management at UNC Gillings

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Department of Health Policy and Management at UNC Gillings We train the next generation of leaders in public health management, policy development, and research This page is actively monitored for relevance.

The Gillings School’s top-ranked Department of Health Policy and Management
trains the next generation of leaders in management, policy development and
research to address the complex challenges of improving population health
locally, nationally and globally. We’re working to ensure that all people –
irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation,
geography, religion or economics – have access to high-quality,
affordable health care. Thank you for liking the Health Policy & Management at UNC Gillings School
of Global Public Health, a page of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This page highlights information about the people and programs at Carolina. Consistent with UNC-Chapel Hill’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment
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Interested in helping shape how healthcare organizations serve their communities? Explore your next step with UNC Gillin...
10/21/2026

Interested in helping shape how healthcare organizations serve their communities? Explore your next step with UNC Gillings’ residential Master of Healthcare Administration.

Our program connects healthcare management coursework with practical experience through a summer internship and an applied capstone, helping students prepare for leadership in healthcare.

Considering Fall 2027 entry? Join UNC’s MHA Program Team and current MHA students for a prospective student webinar to learn more about the residential program and the application process.

📅 Tuesday, October 27, 2026
🕕 6–7 p.m. ET
💻 Join on Zoom: https://unc.zoom.us/j/93649016042
Meeting ID: 936 4901 6042

Hosted by the Department of Health Policy and Management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Major Monday Program Spotlight!The Residential Master of Health Care Administration (MHA) at UNC Gillings prepares stude...
10/19/2026

Major Monday Program Spotlight!

The Residential Master of Health Care Administration (MHA) at UNC Gillings prepares students for careers in health-care management and consulting through a blend of classroom learning, applied experience and individualized support.

Build your future in healthcare leadership!

Across two years, students develop 24 targeted competencies spanning the demands of today’s healthcare workplace and the challenges ahead.

The UNC MHA experience includes:
• Team-based learning in a curated cohort.
• Connections with executive alumni leaders and opportunities for innovation.
• Individualized coaching, feedback and rigorous self-reflection.
• A summer internship and an applied Capstone experience.
• Faculty who bring expertise as researchers, practitioners and healthcare leaders.

From accounting, operations and data analysis to health economics, law, human resources and finance, students build the knowledge and skills to lead within a complex healthcare system.

Want to know about our programs? Check out the website at:
https://sph.unc.edu/hpm/hpm-degrees-and-certificates/

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Major Monday Program Feature!The Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) major in Health Policy and Management at UN...
10/12/2026

Major Monday Program Feature!

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) major in Health Policy and Management at UNC Gillings gives students a strong public health foundation, an in-depth understanding of the U.S. health system, and analytical, teamwork and management skills.

Students learn to advance health equity and strengthen access to the resources people need to be healthy—preparing for careers as health leaders, managers, policymakers, practitioners, clinicians and researchers.

What makes the HPM experience distinctive?
• A close-knit cohort of about 45 students admitted each year.
• An applied, project-based curriculum emphasizing collaboration and teamwork.
• Support from a dedicated faculty mentor, academic coordinator and career services coordinator.

Students generally apply during their sophomore year at UNC and, if admitted, begin HPM coursework in the fall of their junior year.

Want to know about our programs? Check out the website at:

https://sph.unc.edu/hpm/hpm-degrees-and-certificates/

During his practicum with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, Casen Whitehead examined how task forces convene pro...
10/09/2026

During his practicum with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, Casen Whitehead examined how task forces convene professionals and perspectives from across the state to support efforts to improve health and health care delivery for North Carolinians.

His process evaluation focused on the Veterans’ Health Task Force. Casen conducted qualitative interviews with members from varied backgrounds to understand task force operations and how participants perceived the work’s potential to enable meaningful change.

Through thematic analysis, Casen identified three overarching themes across respondents. Further analysis and interpretation informed organizational recommendations intended to help NCIOM consider improvements to future task force processes. These findings reflect participant perspectives and proposed recommendations, rather than changes already adopted or implemented by NCIOM.

Want to know more about our programs? Check out the website:

https://sph.unc.edu/hpm/hpm-degrees-and-certificates/

When high school students in Tarboro kept asking whether physical activity could help with stress, Leah Frerichs listene...
10/09/2026

When high school students in Tarboro kept asking whether physical activity could help with stress, Leah Frerichs listened—and helped shift the work toward the mental health priorities they identified.

We’re celebrating Frerichs, recipient of Carolina’s 2026 Edward Kidder Graham Faculty Service Award. She is the Joan Heckler Gillings Endowed associate professor of health policy and management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and associate director of UNC’s Center for Thriving Communities.

Through Project GRACE, a community-academic partnership addressing health disparities among African American youth in rural eastern North Carolina, Frerichs works alongside young people and community partners to understand the challenges they face. In the Young Visionaries club, students created a video outlining their plans for a peer mediator program at their school.

That commitment to shared expertise also shapes her mentorship of Carolina graduate students: build relationships, show up reliably, slow down, share power and expect to be corrected.

Congratulations, Leah, on this recognition of your service and community partnerships across North Carolina!

Read the full story by Jennie Harper, University Communications and Marketing:

https://www.unc.edu/posts/2026/10/08/leah-frerichs-keeps-communities-at-the-center/

Want to know more about the various degrees and programs in our department? Check out our page:

https://sph.unc.edu/hpm/hpm-degrees-and-certificates/

Meet HPM alumnus Saif Khairat, PhD, MPH ’17, Carolina’s chief artificial intelligence officer and vice provost for AI. H...
10/08/2026

Meet HPM alumnus Saif Khairat, PhD, MPH ’17, Carolina’s chief artificial intelligence officer and vice provost for AI. He helps shape the University’s AI strategy and connect expertise across schools and disciplines in support of AI for Public Good. That mission centers the responsible invention, use, and governance of AI to advance knowledge, health, opportunity, and quality of life in North Carolina and beyond.

Khairat is the Beerstecher-Blackwell Distinguished Professor in the UNC School of Nursing, director of the NIH-funded Center for Virtual Care Value and Excellence, and associate director of the Carolina Health Informatics Program. His research includes more than 140 papers across more than 50 peer-reviewed journals and conferences, and he has secured over $10 million in federal research grants as principal investigator. He also advises the World Health Organization on digital health and AI policy and has been inducted as a fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics.

His focus at Carolina? Advancing AI in ways that are responsible, practical, collaborative, and grounded in public service.

Join us in recognizing a UNC Gilling's HPM graduate whose work connects public health, technology, and University leadership.

Want to know more about our programs? Check out our website:
https://sph.unc.edu/hpm/health-policy-and-management-home/

Meet HPM alumna Ellie Duwel, a Health and Benefits Analyst at Mercer!Ellie works with multiple clients throughout the ye...
10/06/2026

Meet HPM alumna Ellie Duwel, a Health and Benefits Analyst at Mercer!

Ellie works with multiple clients throughout the year to help them manage and improve their employee health benefits offerings. Her role brings together internal Mercer teams, client contacts, and insurance carriers to keep projects on track.

She credits HPM with helping her develop the communication and project management skills she uses every day. Through team projects, including Capstone, Ellie learned to build project plans, communicate clearly, and manage timelines. Her foundation in health insurance and policy also helps her understand client needs and offer meaningful guidance.

“The HPM program gave me a solid foundation for this fast-paced, client-facing role, especially when it comes to communication and project management.”

Want to know about our programs? Check out the website at:

https://sph.unc.edu/hpm/hpm-degrees-and-certificates/

What happens after a consulting project ends? For Shoko Kashiwagi, that question shapes how she thinks about lasting pub...
10/05/2026

What happens after a consulting project ends? For Shoko Kashiwagi, that question shapes how she thinks about lasting public health impact.

Based in Tokyo, Shoko helps clients implement systems and tools that support smoother work and better communication. Her Gillings MHA experience broadened her view of the contributions she could make through consulting, while conversations with MPH classmates brought new perspectives on communities and equity.

In The Pivot, she shares how those experiences inform her work with AI and health systems. There’s also a glimpse of life outside work: coffee, quiet evenings, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Swipe through her story. Read the full feature:
https://sph.unc.edu/the-pivot-with-shoko-kashiwagi/

During her internship with MUSC Health P*e Dee Division, Trinity Stewart gained a close look at hospital operations and ...
10/02/2026

During her internship with MUSC Health P*e Dee Division, Trinity Stewart gained a close look at hospital operations and the decisions that shape care for patients, caregivers, and communities.

Her work spanned several ongoing initiatives: contributing to a handoff process for Behavioral Care Pavilion patients, project managing work associated with building a breast imaging center, and developing a plan for the inaugural MUSC P*e Dee Community Ambassadors program. Each project showed her how operational planning and community engagement can support services closer to home.

The experience also confirmed that healthcare is where Trinity wants to build her career. Working alongside leaders and teams who kept patients and caregivers at the center strengthened her passion for serving others through healthcare leadership.

Want to Learn More About The Programs at HPM? visit our website:

https://sph.unc.edu/hpm/hpm-degrees-and-certificates/

Coffee in hand. Health policy on the mind.Happy International Coffee Day from UNC’s Department of Health Policy and Mana...
10/01/2026

Coffee in hand. Health policy on the mind.

Happy International Coffee Day from UNC’s Department of Health Policy and Management! Today, we’re celebrating the conversations that happen over a cup, whether you’re catching up with a classmate or talking through an idea that started in the classroom.

HPM community, what’s your go-to coffee order, and who’s joining you for a coffee break? Tell us below!

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Chapel Hill, NC
27599

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+19199667350

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