Sexual and/or Reproductive Health programs?

[claritaosita]

Hi, I've done a fair amount of research into Maternal and Child Health programs, but I'm looking at switching my focus slightly, to Sexual and/or Reproductive Health, and possibly Health Education (with a focus on repro). Does anybody know of programs with that focus? I'm looking for masters programs. I've found a couple of options - Johns Hopkins, Columbia (Sociomedical Sciences with a Repro Health certificate), and I think an International Health program at BU with a repro health concentration (though I'm not sure I want to focus internationally; still undecided there).

I don't know if I haven't found other programs because I'm not searching the right way, or if they just don't exist? I did see one at the School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in London, too, but I remember ruling that out for some reason.

Any ideas? Thank you!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Kalla]

At BU, their Maternal and Child Health (MPH) concentration has several areas of emphasis:

Reproductive and Women's Health
Child and Adolescent Health
Family and Community Health
MCH Epidemiology
Policy Making and Advocacy for Women, Children, and Families

Reproductive and Women's Health would be closest to what you are describing I believe? You can find out more info here http://sph.bu.edu/Degree-Programs-a...ternal-a-child-health/menu-id-617114.html#rwh

 

[JMM051]

http://www.sph.emory.edu/cms/depart...entration/reproductive_health_population.html

 

[edelfo]

Hi, I've done a fair amount of research into Maternal and Child Health programs, but I'm looking at switching my focus slightly, to Sexual and/or Reproductive Health, and possibly Health Education (with a focus on repro). Does anybody know of programs with that focus? I'm looking for masters programs. I've found a couple of options - Johns Hopkins, Columbia (Sociomedical Sciences with a Repro Health certificate), and I think an International Health program at BU with a repro health concentration (though I'm not sure I want to focus internationally; still undecided there).

I don't know if I haven't found other programs because I'm not searching the right way, or if they just don't exist? I did see one at the School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in London, too, but I remember ruling that out for some reason.

Any ideas? Thank you!

I am going to attend SMS at Columbia with a certificate in sexual and reproductive health, and I'm really excited about their program. I know that their program sees sexuality as a factor of people's lives across the gender spectrum, not just women's. It's also one of the only programs with a developed focus on transgender health.

 

[Vegmonster]

Transheath, that's so incredibly important I'm jealous!

 

[Etude]

Hi, I've done a fair amount of research into Maternal and Child Health programs, but I'm looking at switching my focus slightly, to Sexual and/or Reproductive Health, and possibly Health Education (with a focus on repro).

I am curious about why you're considering switching your focus. What is it about MCH that is not quite the right fit for your interests?

I applied mostly to MCH departments, and recently was speaking with a former coworker (we were in the sexual health education field) about my options. She went on to get an MPH from Columbia's Population and Family Health Department, with a concentration in Sexuality and Health.

During our conversation, she strongly emphasized the difference between MCH and Sexual Health, and cautioned me not to pursue the former if I was really interested in the latter. I was a bit surprised, because I had always assumed that the two were so closely related as to be almost interchangeable; I had grouped them together in my mind under the general category of sexual/reproductive health. But she told me that MCH tends to be much more focused on issues such as maternal morbidity & mortality and access to emergency obstetric care, whereas Sexual Health deals more with diverse sexuality, structural inequalities and health disparities, etc.

What struck me the most was that she thought that Sexual Health would be more conducive to the study of family planning/unintended pregnancy prevention—my primary area of interest—than MCH would. I never would have guessed this.

Does anyone out there agree or disagree with her assertion?

 

[RH2011]

Hi, I've done a fair amount of research into Maternal and Child Health programs, but I'm looking at switching my focus slightly, to Sexual and/or Reproductive Health, and possibly Health Education (with a focus on repro).

I am curious about why you're considering switching your focus. What is it about MCH that is not quite the right fit for your interests?

I applied mostly to MCH departments, and recently was speaking with a former coworker (we were in the sexual health education field) about my options. She went on to get an MPH from Columbia's Population and Family Health Department, with a concentration in Sexuality and Health.

During our conversation, she strongly emphasized the difference between MCH and Sexual Health, and cautioned me not to pursue the former if I was really interested in the latter. I was a bit surprised, because I had always assumed that the two were so closely related as to be almost interchangeable; I had grouped them together in my mind under the general category of sexual/reproductive health. But she told me that MCH tends to be much more focused on issues such as maternal morbidity & mortality and access to emergency obstetric care, whereas Sexual Health deals more with diverse sexuality, structural inequalities and health disparities, etc.

What struck me the most was that she thought that Sexual Health would be more conducive to the study of family planning/unintended pregnancy prevention—my primary area of interest—than MCH would. I never would have guessed this.

Does anyone out there agree or disagree with her assertion?

Etude, I really think it depends on your future goals and which programs you like the best. I will be going to Emory next year in the Global Health department w/ a concentration on reproductive health and pop studies.. In this case it is heavy in pop dynamics (such as maternal mortality etc) which is completely opposite of what she said. For me personally the difference between MCH and reproductive health is that MCH is more all encompassing. Reproductive health is just one facet of MCH which also includes child health, obstetrics etc. I think most people interchange them and thats why its hard to find many programs actually called reproductive health.. It was hard for me to find a program that had a specific reproductive health focus that was more medical/demographic based and wasnt "sexuality" based. But theres programs out there that focus on all aspects it just depends on how much you're willing to spend time to research the diff in school and money to pay for them as Ive found most of them (the better ones at least) are private.

 

[claritaosita]

At BU, their Maternal and Child Health (MPH) concentration has several areas of emphasis: [cut for length ]

http://www.sph.emory.edu/cms/depart...entration/reproductive_health_population.html

Thank you, guys! I've seen the BU program but I'll look more closely at it. I'm not sure how I missed the Emory one, since I've looked into their programs before...

I am going to attend SMS at Columbia with a certificate in sexual and reproductive health, and I'm really excited about their program. I know that their program sees sexuality as a factor of people's lives across the gender spectrum, not just women's. It's also one of the only programs with a developed focus on transgender health.

Can I ask what you're planning to do once you finish?

I am curious about why you're considering switching your focus. What is it about MCH that is not quite the right fit for your interests?

I used to want to be a midwife (homebirth, traditional, etc), which is what led me to public health and MCH. I was hoping to work on programs, planning, maybe even go into government improving women's access to quality prenatal, labor, and postnatal care, especially access to midwives and better information about the realities of unnecessary c-sections and the ridiculous things hospitals do to laboring women.

But I started to look into sexuality more than just as related to pregnancy. I'm interested in maybe working with Planned Parenthood, the government, or another non-profit on access to information/education about sexuality and reproductive health. I'm thinking about how I was lucky and went to a school with a comprehensive sex ed program, and yet as far as I remember there was no information on LGBTQ issues or anything like that. I'm considering working to improve that sort of thing, but I'm still unsure. That's why I'm looking into sexual/repro health programs.

 

[OneDay81]

You should probably take a lot of policy making electives and ensure you grow a thick skin, since you listed almost everything that politicians seem to be working against when it comes to sexuality and reproduction (why is it their business anyway, I say)

 

[Awapi]

Repro Health/MCH both are popular at Emory, we were approved for a new MCH Certificate program this year. Current first year students can take advantage of as well as incoming students. The Reproductive Health Association is really active and I've heard they're bringing in a "Sexologist" (Dr. Ruth style) on April 11 to address some of the taboo around talking about the act of sex in public health.

 

[Whitney22]

I actually have a similar question. I've been admitted into the clinical social work programs at UNC and UW and will be applying for the MSW/MPH dual degree programs. Both have a MCH program as well as a Health Education and Behavioral Sciences concentration. I'm deciding between the two programs and would like some insight into which program you all feel as though is known for having a strong program, I will be interested Sexual Health Education and Interventions.

 

[claritaosita]

You should probably take a lot of policy making electives and ensure you grow a thick skin, since you listed almost everything that politicians seem to be working against when it comes to sexuality and reproduction (why is it their business anyway, I say)

As for growing a thick skin, that's true for everything and I definitely don't have one - it's something I've been working on for a while!

Whether I decide to go into sexual health and work for sex ed, or into MCH and work for access to midwives, less intimidation of pregnant women, etc, I'm going to have to be very, very mean to politicians.

I actually have a similar question. I've been admitted into the clinical social work programs at UNC and UW and will be applying for the MSW/MPH dual degree programs. Both have a MCH program as well as a Health Education and Behavioral Sciences concentration. I'm deciding between the two programs and would like some insight into which program you all feel as though is known for having a strong program, I will be interested Sexual Health Education and Interventions.

You know, you brought up a very good point - maybe health educations programs are a good idea, too. If you were to go into the Health Education and Behavioral Sciences concentration, are there professors at either of those school with whom you could work on sexual health? Also, congratulations on getting into the MSW programs!

 

[Whitney22]

You know, you brought up a very good point - maybe health educations programs are a good idea, too. If you were to go into the Health Education and Behavioral Sciences concentration, are there professors at either of those school with whom you could work on sexual health? Also, congratulations on getting into the MSW programs!

Thank you! And I haven't researched professors yet! So I will do that today.

 

[kitesurfer]

claritaosita I know I'm very late to this conversation. But regardless of whether you've already completed the program you were seeking, after reading your thread, I think this thread discussing the AMSA SHLC contains exactly the kind of educational information you're looking for.

And if now, years after you started this thread, you've already completed your program, then by participating in SHLC you'd be yet another student expert among a self-selected group of students who are all probably experts in varying degrees on varying sub-topics (eg. LGBTQ and transhealth) within this very important field.

SHLC is a strictly online course, so all you really need is a web browser to participate. I hope to see you there!