Health Policy & Management (HPM)

Our mission is simple: to lead in the effort to produce better, fairer, and more efficient ways to protect and preserve health. HPM research and teaching are grounded in the belief that policymakers need to understand how health systems work, and managers need to understand the macro policy environment in which they operate.

• Our students receive robust mentorship, gaining access to four formal advisors, including academic and faculty advisors and peer and alumni mentors, during the program. We also offer countless opportunities to network and connect.
• Professional development is paramount here and includes a program designed to prepare students with skills necessary for success at work. Further, our unique Health System Simulation lets students experience the challenges of executive leadership and strategic decision making in a competitive, multi-hospital environment. In our Consulting Practice, students solve strategic, policy, marketing, or operational problems for a client organization, gaining experience comparable to the project-based dynamics of professional consultants.
• The department leads the entrepreneurship efforts at the Columbia Mailman School. These initiatives connect at the intersection of innovation, education, health systems, and public health. Collaborative projects, mentorship opportunities, and access to a vast network of industry leaders enable students to refine their entrepreneurial skills, translate ideas into impactful ventures, and expand skills and approaches to solving healthcare challenges.

HPM students come from all over the world to be trained as effective, collaborative, and ambitious public health leaders. They place a high value on experiential learning and professional opportunities, seeking to make a real impact on healthcare and public health systems upon graduating.