YSPH case studies bridge theory and practice

Teaching with case studies is an effective way faculty engage students at the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH). Working with case studies allows students to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges, preparing students to make decisions in ambiguous situations when clear answers are not available. This ability to think about how problems might occur in the real world shows that students can transfer their knowledge to a variety of contexts, which is essential for their future careers.

“The inherent ambiguity requires that students are willing to try out ideas and explore strategic thinking, an important aspect of leadership development for real-world scenarios,” said Kaakpema “KP” Yelpaala, MPH ’06, lecturer and senior fellow in public health (health policy) and faculty director of the Future of Health Innovation Hub.

Case studies are either traditional or raw. Traditional cases are created by experts who provide detailed, structured scenarios based on real-life dilemmas. These cases include enough background information to ensure that even students who are new to the field can engage meaningfully with the problem.

Raw cases, on the other hand, present students with primary sources and data similar to what a real-world decision-maker would use. This approach helps students develop their research, as well as synthesis and analytical skills as they navigate complex information and devise solutions.

“While traditional case studies are incredibly impactful in the classroom, they require intensive research, active collaboration, and significant infrastructure,” said Yelpaala, who teaches the case-based course, The Future of Health: Emerging Themes in Health Innovation. “The need for intensive research is evidenced by the Harvard Business School gold standard model for case studies,” Yelpaala noted. “This is not a common model in schools of public health, though the model is a core part of pedagogy in business and public policy programs.”

Lecturer Zerrin Cetin, MBA/MPH ’15, runs class discussions as though they are board meetings. “Cases are designed to put theory into practice and give students the opportunity to apply critical thinking to their area of study,” said Cetin, who teaches the case-based course, Designing Health Systems of Tomorrow.

Dr. Susan Nappi, DrPH, MPH ’01, executive director of the YSPH Office of Community & Practice, and Randi McCray, associate director of school community & culture, are co-instructors of a new case-based course, Leadership in Public Health Practice. They recently developed six raw case studies with the YSPH Office of Academic Affairs.

“Cases are much less ‘precious’ than I previously thought,” said Nappi. “They serve as a valuable tool to connect my students to my public health practice work. And after having developed my own, I realize that developing raw case studies is within reach of any YSPH instructor.”

When teaching case studies, it’s important to establish a learning environment where students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and making mistakes, Yelpaala said. “One thing that I emphasize to students early in the semester is that it’s important and expected that their opinions will change over time. My classroom is a safe space where they can express their thoughts one day and change their minds as they gain more information and insight,” he said.

Mike Honsberger, PhD, is director of YSPH academic affairs.