The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program at the University of Toronto: Early observations from Canada's first professional public health doctorate

SettingThe Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) at the University of Toronto.InterventionThe DLSPH entered its inaugural cohort of Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) students in 2021. Development and launch of the program stemmed from the school's strategic plan to offer advanced public health training and was the first such university offering the DrPH in Canada. This paper reflects on the overarching launch experience of the program and its innovation in practice.OutcomesEarly interest in the program is strong and the entry requirement for at least 5 years of real-world experience drives the program's distinction in Canada. The inaugural cohort was instrumental in constructive criticism and harvestable suggestions via evaluations, reflections, and appreciative inquiry-a likely result of the lived professional experiences of students who enrolled in this program. A key feature is the hybrid nature of the program consisting of a series of in-person on-campus forums ("burst weeks") over the first half of the degree requirements. In addition to allowing in-person components of the core course, agenda components continually evolve to meet students' stated needs and competencies.ImplicationsThe deliberate focus on the foundational competencies of leadership was fostered through classes on leadership of self as well as leadership and governance of organizations. Special lectures are curated to ensure that new and emerging concepts challenging society and today's public health leaders are addressed in an ongoing leadership series. The focus is not on developing new leaders but on catalyzing the leaders who constitute this professional cohort to higher levels of responsibility. ContexteL'& Eacute;cole de sant & eacute; publique Dalla Lana (DLSPH) de l'Universit & eacute; de Toronto.InterventionLa DLSPH a accueilli sa premi & egrave;re cohorte d'& eacute;tudiants en doctorat en sant & eacute; publique (DrPH) en 2021. Le d & eacute;veloppement et le lancement de ce programme d & eacute;coulent du plan strat & eacute;gique de l'& eacute;cole visant & agrave; offrir une formation avanc & eacute;e en sant & eacute; publique, marquant ainsi la premi & egrave;re initiative de ce type au Canada. Cet article propose une r & eacute;flexion sur l'exp & eacute;rience g & eacute;n & eacute;rale de lancement du programme et son caract & egrave;re innovant dans la pratique.R & eacute;sultatsL'int & eacute;r & ecirc;t initial pour le programme est fort, et l'exigence d'au moins cinq ann & eacute;es d'exp & eacute;rience pratique distingue ce programme au Canada. La premi & egrave;re cohorte a jou & eacute; un r & ocirc;le cl & eacute; dans la formulation de critiques constructives et de suggestions exploitables gr & acirc;ce aux & eacute;valuations, r & eacute;flexions et approches d'enqu & ecirc;te appr & eacute;ciative, un r & eacute;sultat probable des exp & eacute;riences professionnelles v & eacute;cues par les & eacute;tudiants inscrits. Une caract & eacute;ristique essentielle est la nature hybride du programme, comprenant une s & eacute;rie de forums en personne sur le campus (<< semaines intensives >>) au cours de la premi & egrave;re moiti & eacute; des exigences du dipl & ocirc;me. En plus de permettre des composantes en pr & eacute;sentiel pour le cours principal, les & eacute;l & eacute;ments de l'agenda & eacute;voluent continuellement pour r & eacute;pondre aux besoins et comp & eacute;tences exprim & eacute;s par les & eacute;tudiants.ImplicationsL'accent intentionnel mis sur les comp & eacute;tences fondamentales en leadership a & eacute;t & eacute; renforc & eacute; par des cours ax & eacute;s sur le leadership personnel ainsi que sur le leadership et la gouvernance des organisations. Des conf & eacute;rences sp & eacute;ciales sont organis & eacute;es pour aborder de mani & egrave;re continue les nouveaux concepts et enjeux & eacute;mergents auxquels font face la soci & eacute;t & eacute; et les leaders actuels de la sant & eacute; publique. L'objectif n'est pas de former de nouveaux leaders, mais de catalyser les membres de cette cohorte professionnelle pour atteindre des niveaux plus & eacute;lev & eacute;s de responsabilit & eacute;.