Georgia trains public health professionals who then emigrate, join clinical services, or work in silos disconnected from the population health agenda. PHIG examines the structural gap between public health education and public health practice in Georgia.
“A country that trains public health graduates who cannot find employment in the public health system has not built a public health system. It has built a credential factory.”
Pkhakadze G. Public Health Education in Georgia: A Systems Analysis. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2025.[1]
Introduction
Public health as a discipline occupies an ambiguous position in Georgia’s health system architecture. The four-year Master of Public Health (MPH) programme, offered primarily by David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU) and Tbilisi State Medical University (TSMU), graduated approximately 180 students annually in 2024.[2] Yet public health positions in the civil service, the NCDC, municipal health services, and the private health sector absorb fewer than 30 of those graduates directly into public health roles.[3] The remainder either emigrate, enter clinical practice (for those with medical backgrounds), or work in health management positions without formal public health mandate.
| Indicator | Value | Source | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual MPH graduates (all institutions) | ~180 | MoE data 2024 | N/A |
| Public health sector positions (Georgian government) | ~400 total | MoLHSA 2024 | Growing |
| New PH positions filled annually | ~30 | PHIG estimate | vs. 180 graduates |
| NCDC professional staff (non-clinical) | 214 | NCDC 2024 | Stable |
| MPH graduate emigration rate (est.) | ~35% within 5 yrs | PHIG survey 2024 | N/A |
| DTMU School of PH — enrolled students (2024/25) | 94 | DTMU registry | N/A |
| % MPH curricula with practice placement | 22% | PHIG survey | EU: 78% |
Sources: Ministry of Education 2024; MoLHSA 2024; NCDC 2024; PHIG survey.[1,2,3]
Curriculum Gaps
PHIG’s 2024 review of MPH curricula at DTMU and TSMU — the two largest public health schools — identified consistent gaps against the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) competency framework. Health economics was under-represented in both programmes. Leadership and management skills were addressed theoretically but without structured experiential learning. Health information systems and data science modules were absent or elective. Most critically, community-based practice placements — a cornerstone of MPH programmes in the UK, Germany, and Nordic countries — were absent or minimal in both institutions.[4,5]
Figure 1. MPH Curriculum Coverage vs. ASPHER Core Competencies: DTMU 2024 (% coverage per domain)
Sources: DTMU programme documentation 2024; ASPHER Competency Framework 2020; PHIG review.[4,5]
| Reform Element | Current Gap | Proposed Solution | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice placement requirement | Absent in 78% of programmes | Mandatory 3-month placement in MoLHSA, NCDC, or municipality | 2026 onwards |
| Health economics module | Under-represented | Mandatory 30-credit module with Georgian case studies | 2025–2026 |
| Data science and HIS competency | Elective or absent | Mandatory computational skills module | 2026–2027 |
| ASPHER institutional membership | Not a member | Apply for ASPHER affiliation (DTMU and TSMU) | 2025 |
| PHIG practicum partnership | Informal | Formal MOU: DTMU/TSMU × PHIG practicum programme | 2025 |
| Public health civil service track | No defined track | Introduce graduate-entry PH civil service stream | 2027–2028 |
Sources: PHIG 2025; ASPHER; MoE Georgia.[1,4]
Figure 2. MPH Graduate Destination 5 Years After Graduation: DTMU Cohorts 2018–2020 Survey
Source: PHIG Alumni Destination Survey: DTMU MPH Cohorts 2018–2020 (n=312, response rate 78%).[1]
Conclusion
Georgia’s public health education system produces graduates against a demand and deployment environment that cannot absorb them in public health roles. The result is brain drain, credential inflation, and a public health workforce gap that grows despite a functioning education pipeline. The solution requires simultaneous action on supply (curriculum reform aligned with ASPHER standards) and demand (defined public health civil service career tracks, NCDC expansion, mandatory public health advisory functions in all municipal governments). PHIG proposes to serve as the practicum anchor institution for both DTMU and TSMU MPH programmes beginning 2025–2026, providing structured placements in epidemiology, health systems research, and international programme management.
References
- Pkhakadze G. Public Health Education in Georgia: Supply, Demand, and Systemic Mismatch. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2025.
- Georgian Ministry of Education. Higher Education Statistics 2023/24. Tbilisi: MoE; 2024.
- National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health. Workforce Data Report 2024. Tbilisi: NCDC; 2024.
- Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region. Public Health Core Competencies 2020. Brussels: ASPHER; 2020.
- Bjegovic-Mikanovic V, Vukovic D, Otok R, et al. Education and training of public health professionals in the European Region. Public Health Rev. 2014;35(1):4.
- DTMU School of Public Health. Programme Self-Assessment Report 2024. Tbilisi: DTMU; 2024.
Public Health Institute of Georgia
