This scholarly concentration provides foundational knowledge in public health including:
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an understanding of the U.S. health system
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trends impacting public health
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causes of death and disability
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historical contributions of public health to life expectancy and quality of life
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key terms and concepts
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assessing and impacting public and population health at the local, state, and national levels
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health system organization
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local and global factors that determine health at a population level
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evidence-based interventions and evaluations
Students should participate in both IMPRS and the Public Health Scholarly Concentration ONLY if they have the same mentor (or mentoring team) and project. There is insufficient time in the summer between the first and second years of medical school to do both.
Students who participate in the scholarly concentration can choose to enroll in IU School of Medicine's MD-MPH combined degree program. The two courses taken in the scholarly concentration will count towards the required coursework for the MPH, and the scholarly concentration project can be expanded to a master's thesis. Further information can be obtained from Bill Tierney, MD, director of the MD-MPH combined degree program.
Location
All concentration coursework can be completed online. The scholarly project work occurs in Indianapolis or a mutually agreed upon site.
Curriculum and Timeline
Students completing the Public Health concentration fulfill the same core curriculum as students in other concentrations. The didactic components provide a strong academic and experiential foundation in public health that will be vital for completion of the core curriculum project and product.
“Being in the Public Health Scholarly Concentration program has provided me with invaluable interdisciplinary education. From learning basic introduction to public health to the overview of healthcare systems in America, I know I will carry this knowledge forward with me to provide better care for and with my patients."
