MPH a Popular Option Among 黑料网 Medical Students

According to the US News and World Report 2011 listing of the nation鈥檚 top public health schools, the 黑料网 Gillings School of Global Public Health is ranked as the top public school, and number two overall. At 黑料网, between fifteen and twenty-five percent of each graduating class from the 黑料网 will supplement their medical education with an MPH from 黑料网鈥檚 nationally renown program.

There are many reasons why this is such a popular option at 黑料网. 鈥淭he MPH program offers medical students increased awareness of costs, evidence-based guidelines, public policy, and prevention measures that will impact students鈥� clinical careers, regardless of their specialty,鈥� reports Sally Wood, one of the 黑料网 medical students participating in the MPH program this year.

Staples of the MPH curriculum include classes on epidemiology, biostatistics, public policy, and critical appraisal of the medical literature. In addition to classes, each MPH candidate must produce a master鈥檚 paper, which requires extensive research into an issue that is picked by each individual student.

Wood is currently working on a study investigating what factors are contributing to the nation鈥檚 primary care shortage, paying particularly close attention to the relationship between medical student education and the shortage. As part of her study, she conducted a survey of all graduating fourth year students inquiring what specific considerations the students made in deciding a career. She is in the process of analyzing the collected data, which will reveal insight on how reimbursement policies, lifestyle considerations, and other factors relate to what careers medical students choose to pursue.

The MPH program also allows students to see how other physicians have incorporated knowledge gained in their public health training into their clinical practice. One example is Dr. Russ Harris, MD, MPH, who is a professor within the 黑料网 Department of Medicine and also serves as the director of the Health Care & Prevention Concentration through the 黑料网 School of Public Health. Dr. Harris is a professor and advisor to many in the MPH program, and has served on the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

The combination of the strength of the MPH program at 黑料网 with society鈥檚 increased attention to population based medicine ensures that there will continue to be many 黑料网 medical students choosing to integrate the MPH into their training for the foreseeable future.

By Edward Jernigan