Year 4: Master of Public Health

Students interested in a dual MD/MPH degree at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison typically earn the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in their fourth year.

The Master of Public Health curriculum follows guidelines for accreditation, developed by the Council on Education for Public Health, and addresses the five core areas essential to public health

• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology
• Environmental Health Sciences
• Health Services Administration
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

It is recommended that students complete their MPH degree between their third and fourth years of medical school. Students would take a leave from medical school beginning July 1, enroll in the Master of Public Health for 12 months (July 1 to June 30), and then return to medical school.

During this time, they will complete about 30 credits of course work required for the Master of Public Health degree with the remaining 12 credits being taken during medical school.

Medical students will generally enter the Master of Public Health program with some elective credit already fulfilled. Their enrollment into the MPH program during their first summer begins with taking elective courses. The core Master of Public Health courses, along with any additional elective credits needed, are taken during the academic year.

Master of Public Health Curriculum (42 Credits)

Core Courses (20 Credits)

• PHS 780, Public Health: Principles and Practice (3)
• PHS 650, Health Management and Policy (3)
• PHS 797, Introduction to Epidemiology (3)
• BMI 511, Introduction to Biostatistical Methods for Public Health (3)
• PHS 471, Introduction to Environmental Health (3)
• PHS 650, Social and Behavioral Sciences for Public Health (3)
• PHS 650, Introduction to Public Health Seminar (1)
• PHS 650, Field Work Seminar (1)

Elective Courses (16 Credits)

Elective courses are intended to deepen a student's knowledge in one or more areas of public health: Epidemiology

• Epidemiology
• Health policy/administration
• Biostatistics
• Global health
• Health communication
• Environmental health
• Cultural competence

Field Experience (6 Credits)

• PHS 788, Public Health Field Experience (6)

MD/MPH students complete the Master of Public Health program in an accelerated fashion, during one calendar year or four semesters (summer, fall, spring and summer). Because of this accelerated pace, the MD students must begin to think about their field experiences much earlier in the MPH Program than other students.

It is highly recommended that MD/MPH students take the Field Experience Seminar during their first summer in the program. It is typically offered during the Summer Public Health Institute.

MD/MPH students may begin their field experience as early as during the fall semester, but should begin no later than the spring semester during the Master of Public Health year.

There may be some courses taken during medical school that could count either in hours or credits toward the MPH Field Experience. These include:

• The fourth-year community preceptorship, which can count for two credits of Master of Public Health field experience and/or 135 hours
• The fourth-year public health electives, including PHS 911-916 courses at the Division of Public Health, Population Health Policy Institute and State Laboratory of Hygiene, which may also be used toward the MPH field work or as elective credits
• An independent study, research or practice-related, begun during the first summer of the program that can count as MPH elective credits

MD/MPH students should meet with the MPH student services coordinator and/or the associate director to discuss an individual plan for their field experience shortly after matriculating into the MPH program to determine the best program plan.

Capstone Project

Each Master of Public Health student must complete a culminating experience as the final requirement for the MPH degree. The culminating Master of Public Health experience is a non-thesis capstone project.

The capstone project represents the culmination of a major practice or research activity and consists of a formal written paper or manuscript that will become part of the public health archives, a formal public presentation open to students and faculty and an oral defense consisting of questions by the student's committee. The capstone project is an opportunity to integrate coursework and field experience into a singular applied project that demonstrates proficiency.

The nature of the capstone project should be consistent with the student's career goals, and it should be viewed as a culminating display of ability, demonstrating that the Master of Public Health graduate is prepared to become a professional in the field of public health.

The excellence in writing and oral presentation requirements reflects competencies that are essential to success in the field of public health. The manuscript format for the capstone project is intended to familiarize students with the rigors of preparing manuscripts for professional journals.