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A new four-tier approach for integrating public health training into medical school education
Giang T. Nguyen, MD, MPH, MSCE, FAAFP,
Dept of Family Medicine & Community Health, Center for Public Health Initiatives, and Penn Medicine Program for LGBT Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Heather A. Klusaritz, MSW, PhD,
Dept of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Katherine Margo, MD,
Family Medicine & Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
The integration of public health and primary care is a crucial step in promoting health at the individual and community levels. In a world where public health issues are increasingly relevant to the practice of clinical medicine, integration of public health education is critical in medical training, as highlighted by the Association of American Medical Colleges in their Population Health Competencies for Medical Students (2012). These competencies are a product of collaboration between the AAMC and CDC to improve medical student education in population health, public health, and prevention. While completing degrees in both medicine and public health is ideal, the combined degree approach is not appropriate or feasible for all medical students. This presentation will discuss a new model being implemented at one medical school, to promote the integration of public health education into the medical school curriculum at multiple levels. This model assures each student graduates with at least, a solid foundation and at best, comprehensive training, in public health. Our four-tier approach includes: (1) foundational training in public health fully integrated into the education of all medical students, (2) enhanced training through optional credit and non-credit learning opportunities, (3) a public health certificate program, and (4) a combined MD-MPH degree. Implementation of this program began in August 2012, and we will discuss the elements of each tier, the process of operationalizing the tiers into the medical curriculum, creating buy-in from the various stakeholder groups, challenges faced during this process, and potential approaches to addressing those barriers.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related education
Learning Objectives:
Define a new four-tiered model for integrating public health and medical education.
List two or more challenges faced in the process of integrating public health and medical education.
Discuss approaches to address barriers to the integration of public health training into medical school curricula.
Identify strategies to address institutional barriers to the integration of public health training into medical school curricula.
Keyword(s): Education, Public Health Curriculum
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the chair of the MD-MPH Advisory Committee my institution and I co-lead the efforts to integrate public health and primary care education for medical students at my school. I am a core faculty member in our MPH program and have both and MD and MPH degree.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
