MGH Institute of Health Professions
Boston, MA
Overview
The Institute was founded in 1977 by the Massachusetts General Hospital and maintains a close affiliation with the hospital while being separately incorporated. The Institute's faculty members are engaged in teaching, clinical practice, and research. As model practitioners, faculty members integrate theory with the care of patients, evaluation of that care, and the design and implementation of student research to improve health care. Students test theories through clinical application with faculty assistance. Interdisciplinary study is an integral part of the Institute's educational philosophy.
Total enrollment for fall 2003 was 620. With many of these students making career changes, the student body is composed of highly talented individuals from diverse backgrounds who wish to become leaders in the health professions.
Graduates of the Institute are equipped to meet the challenges of managed care in a variety of settings: major teaching hospitals, ambulatory health-care environments, educational institutions, hospital-based systems, and private practice. Many continue their education at the doctoral level.
The Community
Located along the waterfront of the historic Charleston Navy Yard, which is conveniently near the edge of Boston Harbor and Massachusetts General Hospital, the Institute offers students a stimulating environment. There are numerous opportunities for extracurricular activities-theaters, museums, concerts, and professional sports events. Boston has an excellent public transportation system and is located in proximity to rivers, lakes, mountains, and parks.
Programs of study and degree requirements
The graduate programs offered at the Institute combine a rigorous academic curriculum with clinical practicums in multiple settings, designed to prepare graduates for leadership positions in their respective professions. Founded by, and affiliated with, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, the Institute offers an interdisciplinary curriculum as well as different tracks and specialties within a field. Opportunities for postprofessional certification (Certificates of Advanced Study) exist in several of the programs.
The Master of Science in Nursing degree program accepts both college graduates without a nursing background and nurses with bachelor's degrees in nursing or other fields. For students without a nursing background, the program requires three years of full-time study and consists of generalist and advanced practice nursing courses. There is also a new admission pathway for associate degree and diploma RNs who have completed selected additional general education requirements prior to matriculating into the program. Both the entry-level and the RN programs offer opportunities to develop specializations in a variety of areas: women's health, gerontology, HIV/AIDS, and psychiatric-mental health. Acute-care, pediatric, adult, and family nurse practitioner tracks allow all students to prepare for certification; an acute-care track is offered to RN students. RN students may complete the program on a full- or part-time basis, with courses offered in the daytime and evening and during the summer.
Graduate programs in physical therapy offer both entry-level and postprofessional (advanced) curricula. The Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) program, which prepares students who hold a bachelor's degree in another field to become physical therapists, is a full-time, two-year program, followed by a one-year clinical internship. The Post-Professional Master of Science in Physical Therapy program, offered on a full- or part-time basis, admits U.S.-licensed physical therapists who have had at least one year of clinical experience. Specialty areas include cardiopulmonary, neurologic, and orthopedic physical therapy, or a student may design an individualized program of study. A clinical preceptorship and thesis are required. Other postprofessional study options are a Certificate of Advanced Study, an International Scholars program designed for practicing physical therapists from other countries, and a transitional D.P.T. program for U.S. licensed therapists who want to obtain the D.P.T. credential.
The Master of Science degree program in speech-language pathology offers a curriculum based on a solid foundation in the normal processes and disorders of human communication across the life span. The Graduate Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders prepares students to provide speech-language pathology services in multiple settings, including acute care, rehabilitation, long-term care, community clinics, and both special and regular public schools. Unique features of the program include the opportunity to pursue additional certification in written language (reading) and cross-registration with the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
The Master of Science degree program in clinical investigation is a three-semester program (based on full-time study; part-time study takes longer) that prepares health-care professionals and other qualified students to be team members and leaders in clinical research through participation in the development of new and improved therapies and interventions, implementation of clinical trials, data management, regulatory affairs, medical writing, outcomes research, and study oversight. Features of this program include a distance learning option and the Certificate of Advanced Study option.
Facilities & Resources
Clinical and research opportunities are provided at MGH and in more than 500 other major health-care centers and community settings in the greater Boston area. Through MGH's Treadwell Library, with major basic science, medical, and nursing collections, students may access online computer databases and an extensive reference and periodical collection. Students working on research projects may also access the Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. In addition, the Institute houses the Ruth Sleeper Learning Center, which provides computers and modern technology for interactive learning.
Expenses and Aid
Tuition for the 2004-05 academic year is $707 per credit hour, with the number of credits dependent on individual program requirements. Fees include a general student fee and an anatomy fee for the entry-level program in physical therapy. Books and supplies are estimated to cost about $1200.
Financial Aid:
Financial assistance is supplemental to the student's financial resources. Whenever possible, financial need is met through a combination of sources that may include federal loans, partial scholarships, graduate assistantships, and federal traineeships.
Housing/Living Expenses:
The Institute does not provide housing for students; however, the Office of Students Affairs does provide limited assistance to students who are relocating. Rents in the area vary. It is estimated that annual expenses for a single student living alone in Boston run $13,000 a year.
How to Apply
All applicants must submit a completed application along with a $50 fee, official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, GRE General Test scores (taken within the last five years), three letters of recommendation, and a biographical summary with a statement of purpose and career objectives. International applicants and applicants who did not receive their undergraduate degree from an English-speaking institution must have their degree transcript evaluated by an American credentialing agency. They are also required to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.
Who to Contact
Office of Student Affairs
MGH Institute of Health Professions
Boston, Massachusetts 02114-0016
617-726-3140
E-mail: admissions@mghihp.edu
The Faculty
• NURSING
• Linda Andrist, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Debra Bradford, Associate Professor; M.S., Boston College.
• Christine Bridges, Clinical Assistant Professor; D.N.Sc., Boston University.
• Cheryl Cahill, Amelia Peabody Professor of Nursing Research; Ph.D., Michigan.
• Emily Chandler, Clinical Associate Professor; Ph.D., Claremont.
• Margery Chisholm, Professor and Director; Ed.D., Boston University.
• Inge Corless, Professor; Ph.D., Brown.
• John P. Deckro, Clinical Assistant Professor; M.S., Simmons.
• Marianne Ditomassi, Assistant Professor; M.S., M.B.A., Loyola Chicago.
• Jeanette Ives Erickson, Clinical Assistant Professor; M.S., Boston University.
• Patricia Fitzgerald, Clinical Instructor; M.S.N., Salem State.
• Joan Fitzmaurice, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Boston College.
• Elizabeth Friedlander, Clinical Assistant Professor,; M.S., Simmons.
• J. Alex Hoyt, Instructor; M.S., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Veronica Kane, Clinical Assistant Professor; M.S., Yale.
• Ursula A. Kelly, Clinical Assistant Professor; M.S., Boston College.
• Ellen Long-Middleton, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Boston College.
• Arlene Lowenstein, Professor Emerita; Ph.D., Pittsburgh.
• Patricia Lussier-Duynstee, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Massachusetts Lowell.
• Maureen Marre, Clinical Instructor; M.S., Massachusetts Boston.
• Talli McCormick, Clinical Assistant Professor; M.S.N., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Janice Bell Meisenhelder, Associate Professor; D.N.Sc., Boston University.
• Jacqueline Myers, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., George Mason.
• Patrice Nicholas, Associate Professor; D.N.Sc., Boston University.
• Nancy C. O'Rourke, Clinical Instructor; M.S., Simmons.
• Joanne O'Sullivan, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Boston College.
• Alexandra Paul-Simon, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Boston College.
• Katharine F. Simmonds, Clinical Instructor; M.S.N., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Kathleen H. Solomon, Clinical Assistant Professor; M.S., Massachusetts Lowell.
• Sharon Sullivan, Clinical Instructor; M.S., Boston University.
• Nancy Terres, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Tufts.
• John Twomey, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Virginia.
• Maria Winne, Clinical Instructor; M.S., Massachusetts Boston.
• Karen A. Wolf, Clinical Associate Professor; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Stress and coping, menstrual cycle, HIV/AIDS, fatigue, family studies, maternal-infant relationships, diagnostic reasoning, pain, gerontology, spirituality, high-risk newborns, ethics, quality of life, women's health issues, cultural diversity.
• PHYSICAL THERAPY
• Donna L. Applebaum, Clinical Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., Lesley.
• Marianne Beninato, Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth.
• Joann Brooks, Clinical Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.P.H., Boston University.
• Kathleen Grimes, Clinical Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., Virginia Commonwealth.
• Bette Ann Harris, Clinical Associate Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Anne McCarthy Jacobson, Clinical Instructor (D.P.T.); M.S., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Colleen Kigin, Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., Boston University.
• Aimee Klein, Clinical Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., Boston University.
• Mary Knab, Clinical Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., Texas Woman's.
• David Krebs, Professor (D.P.T.); Ph.D., NYU.
• Claire McCarthy, Associate Professor; M.S., Boston University.
• Theresa Hoskins Michel, Clinical Associate Professor (D.P.T.); D.Sc., Rocky Mountain University of Health Studies.
• Leslie Portney, Professor and Director, Professional Program (D.P.T.); Ph.D., Boston University.
• Michael Puniello, Clinical Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Linda A. Steiner, Clinical Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Michael G. Sullivan, Clinical Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., Suffolk.
• Patricia E. Sullivan, Associate Professor (D.P.T.); Ph.D., Boston University.
• Mary P. Watkins, Clinical Associate Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., Boston University.
• Cynthia Coffin Zadai, Assistant Professor (D.P.T.); M.S., Northeastern.
• Physical therapy management of pain, epidemiology of physical disability among the elderly, study of cost effectiveness of physical therapy clinical interventions, quantitative analysis of posture and gait in the elderly and in the neurologically impaired, disability assessment in the elderly, determinants of falls in the elderly, benefits of exercise in cardiopulmonary patients, effectiveness of strengthening programs in the elderly, health promotion and education.
• COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
• Denise Ambrosi. Clinical Instructor; M.S., Texas at Dallas.
• Julie Atwood, Professor; M.Ed., Boston University.
• Lynne Davis, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Ohio State.
• Gail Gedachian, Clinical Instructor; M.S., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Charles Haynes, Associate Professor; Ed.D., Harvard.
• Robert Hillman, Professor; Ph.D., Purdue.
• Pamela Hook, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Northwestern.
• Kevin Kearns, Professor and Program Director; Ph.D., Kansas.
• Gregory L. Lof, Assistant Professor and Associate Director; Ph.D., Wisconsin-Madison.
• Jennifer Mackey, Clinical Instructor; M.A., San Diego State.
• Lesley Maxwell, Clinical Assistant Professor; M.S., Boston University.
• Sharon Nellis McLean, Clinical Instructor; M.S., Penn State.
• Marjorie Nicholas, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Emerson.
• Mary K. Riotte, Clinical Instructor; M.S., Connecticut State.
• Howard Shane, Professor; Ph.D., Syracuse.
• Sharyn Tucceri, Clinical Instructor; M.S., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Carmen Vega-Barachowitz, Clinical Instructor; M.S., Florida State.
• Anne M. Waters, Clinical Instructor; M.S., MGH Institute of Health Professions.
• Sharon Weiss-Kapp, Clinical Instructor; M.Ed., Northeastern.
• Developmental and acquired disorders of voice, speech, language (spoken and written), swallowing.
• CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
• Paul Boepple, Professor; M.D., Vermont.
• Cheryl Cahill, Amelia Peabody Professor of Nursing Research; Ph.D., Michigan.
• Mary Carey, Professor and Academic Dean; Ph.D., Minnesota.
• David Krebs, Professor; Ph.D., NYU.
• Amy Rutstein-Riley, Instructor and Associate Director; M.P.H., Boston University.
• Management of clinical research studies, outcomes research including pharmacoeconomics, operations research in data management and analysis, clinical trials research in various therapeutic areas.
• MEDICAL IMAGING
• Kimberly Metcalf, Assistant Professor; Ed.D., Nova Southeastern.