The health policy comprehensive course is the capstone course in the series of 3 health policy courses for PhD students in IHPME. The comprehensive course is primarily intended to capture the 'breadth' dimension of the field, and to complement the 'depth' expected in the thesis. This is not a 'taught' course. Students are expected to lead discussion of the readings with the course instructor serving as a resource for the class.

Objectives: the comprehensive examination provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate their competence in the field of health policy. Specifically, the student is expected to demonstrate: 1) A comprehensive understanding of a range of conceptual and theoretical issues relevant to health policy (including appropriate citations to the literature covered). 2) A comprehensive understanding of the structure and ongoing evolution of health systems in Canada. 3) A developed ability to apply relevant concepts and theories to topical issues in health policy. 4) An ability to present ideas clearly and cogently.