Sarah Lawrence established the first and only master's program in health advocacy and continues to prepare students to play a significant role in shaping the future of this field. The program integrates analytical discussion of issues that face the nation's health care system with hands-on experiential fieldwork assignments. Through course work in a wide variety of subjects—including physiology, history, law, health policy, and ethics—students acquire a broad background to help keep them flexible as the profession evolves. The program balances seminar-based studies with on-site supervised training in three field placements, each successive placement solidifying the student's expertise in a chosen career path. Together the seminars and field placements ready students to influence health policy at the system level and to serve individuals in need of health care advising and advocacy. Nationally recognized guest lecturers further supplement the program's offerings.
Graduate Profiles: Meet Our Alums
Ethlouise Banks
Patient Representative, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Corrective action is at the heart of Ethlouise's work. At her hospital, patients are not always able to advocate for themselves effectively; they need help making their voices heard. "When I can help with something really egregious, like educating a doctor or nurse who didn't treat a patient right," Ethlouise says, "that makes it all worthwhile."
Read more about Ethlouise and other Health Advocacy graduate stories»
Health Advocacy Bulletin
Health Advocacy Bulletin is the official Journal of the Health Advocacy Program at Sarah Lawrence College. Archived issues from the most recent issue back to the Fall 1997 issue are available for download in PDF format. Back issues and subscriptions are also available in hard copy format.
Health Advocacy Student Profiled Online
New Hampshire's Keene Sentinel profiles Health Advocacy graduate student Susan Kingsbury, discussing the many twists and turns in her life that were the impetus for enrolling in the program and pursuing a career as a health advocate.
Apply to the Program
February 1, 2011 is the preferential deadline for application to the 2011-2012 academic year. Rolling applications will be accepted after that date until the entering class is filled.