Role of the doctorate in public health program, UWI, in strengthening public health capacity in the Caribbean

ABSTRACT This paper describes the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program at The University of the West Indies and its role in building public health capacity in the English-speaking Caribbean. DrPH reports, student assessments and external reviews were used to describe the development of the DrPH program. The program was established in 2009 as a part-time competency-based program over 4–7 years delivered by face-to-face and distant learning modules, electives, field placements, and research leading to a thesis. DrPH scholars have made significant contributions to public health in the Caribbean through their assignments, field placements and research, which are designed to address the needs of Caribbean countries while building the students’ core competencies in public health. As of May 2025, 83 scholars in 12 cohorts have enrolled with 32 graduates, nearly all of whom have remained in the Caribbean in senior technical positions. A Master of Applied Public Health was approved in 2024 as an exit strategy for students who complete Part 1 courses of the DrPH, the end of year-2 examinations (45 credits), and a 6-month field placement but are unable to complete the research thesis. The high retention of graduates in the Caribbean, their placement in senior positions, and actual policy and system outputs have strengthened the capacity of the public health sector. Caribbean health ministers have recommended that the DrPH, or its equivalent, become the required standard for specialist public health consultant practice in the Caribbean. This requirement needs to be implemented to build effective public health capacity in the Caribbean.