Evaluating the efficacy of public health and community medicine programs at the university of Texas southwestern medical school

Introduction: Time devoted to public health education has been decreasing in medical school curricula. In 2000, the CDC and the AAMC established the cooperative agreement calling for increased “collaboration between academic medicine and public health.” In 2005, UT Southwestern established the Community Action Research Track (CART) program to address public health and community medicine. The specific aims of this study were to 1) evaluate the process and impact of the CART program; and 2) assess the student body's interest in expanding public health education and community engagement.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed interest in public health and community engagement among 690 medical students and among 35 CART students using online surveys.

Results: Of the 690 students, 292 responded (response rate 42%). Fifty percent of all students were interested in an expanded program that incorporates public health, prevention, and community engagement in the medical school curriculum. Of the 35 enrolled in the CART program, 15 responded (response rate 43%). Although 60% of CART students were satisfied with the program, the majority of the weaknesses identified with the program were attributed to a lack of sustainable funding.

Discussion: Students are interested in incorporating public health and community medicine into the medical school curriculum. Recommendations include establishing an inter-professional collaboration between the UT Southwestern Medical School, the Dallas County Public Health Department, and the UT School of Public Health. Other recommendations include expanding the CART program by integrating core principles of public health and prevention, community based participatory research, and community service learning.