Doctoral education in executive format, or fitting the Procrustean Bed: an exercise in organizational change

Doctoral education in health administration has been heavily influenced by the model of the traditional academic research Doctor of Philosophy. This powerful traditional template has been appropriate for the advancement of research and scholarship in health systems administration, but not necessarily for the advancement of the field of practice. With the advent of executive doctoral programs that feature larger student cohorts, routinized curricula, and student bodies comprised of experienced professionals, the expectations for doctoral study in health systems administration are being tested as new models evolve. Faculty are reluctant to depart from the traditional doctoral forum, but will do so based upon demonstrated advantages in the area of publication opportunities, student responsiveness, and financial inducements. This paper examines the program in an executive format conforming to the existing degree offerings of the School of Public Health, and the process of balancing the traditional academic expectations with the executive format of content delivery.