Community Impact
Solutions to today's health problems increasingly rely on improving knowledge and changing behavior. To combat AIDS, heart disease, cancer, drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness and diseases related to nutritional disorders, public and community health officials must change people's health practices and attitudes. Osteopathic physicians, trained in a tradition of caring, responsive, people-oriented medicine, are uniquely suited for leadership in community education and public health.
An Integrated Program
Now, a unique PCOM program lets you combine your osteopathic education at PCOM with a master's degree in public health at Temple University. PCOM's flexible curriculum allows you to complete this dual degree program in five academic years and two summer sessions.
Master's Degree in Public Health Requirements
The master of public health program gives you a thorough preparation in the organization, administration and economics of public and private health care. You learn to design and evaluate community health policies and education programs. The program involves 12 courses with two semesters of supervised field work.
Course work includes:
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Core courses: Historical and philosophical foundations of health education, health behavior, health administration, medical care organization, program planning and evaluation, teaching models, epidemiology, research methods, biostatistics, environmental health.
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Elective Courses: You take half of your electives outside the Department of Health Education and half within the department. PCOM courses qualify as electives.
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Field Work: In the first term, you analyze the needs and resources of a public health agency. In the second term, you serve a residency at an agency and participate in a bi-weekly seminar. All MPH courses are held in the evening at Temple University's main campus.
Admission Requirements
You apply to the MPH program in your first year of medical school. MCAT scores are accepted in lieu of the GRE exam. You need to be in good standing with an undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or above and MCAT scores in the 50th percentile or above. Admission may be conditional upon successful completion of second semester medical studies.
Tutition and Financial Aid
Tuition charges are equal to one additional year of PCOM tuition. You pay all costs to PCOM on the regular schedule, and PCOM pays the MPH tuition and fees directly to Temple University.
Application Information
For more information and an application packet, contact Robert Cuzzolino, EdD, Vice President for Graduate Programs, (215) 871-6770. For questions about the public health curriculum, contact Temple University's Department of Health Education, (215) 787-8726.
Health for the Whole Community
The dual degree in public health and osteopathic medicine will give you the medical and public health background, perspective and skills to address the crucial issues health professionals face today. Graduates with a DO/MPH degree enjoy new opportunities in community health agencies, the public health policy field and the growing fields of occupational and environmental health.
