Introduction to learning and teaching health economics

Health Economics (HE) is still considered a relative newcomer in the world of economics. While most academic programs leading to undergraduate or graduate level HE specializations are housed in economics departments, a large percentage of HE courses often reside outside of economics departments, in schools of public health, health professions, health sciences, nursing, pharmacy, business, or public/health administration. Within this context, we present a volume of some of the best teaching practices that have evolved in the HE field over the past decade. We expect that the volume will serve instructors with or without professional training in HE, and that its practical applications will encompass HE courses taught in various economics and non-economics undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. We seek to expand applicability beyond North America and Western Europe, to address issues in both less developed health economies and more advanced ones.