Milwaukee Health Department

It has the oldest public health lab in America and has been a leader in outbreak response in a number of high-profile outbreaks, including the following:

• Largest waterborne outbreak in U.S. history (cryptosporidium, 1993)
• First detection of monkeypox in the western hemisphere (2003)
• Statewide pertussis epidemic (2004)
• Regional mumps outbreak (spring 2006)
• National E-coli spinach contamination (fall 2006)

Additionally, Milwaukee Health Department senior managers and administrators have expertise and extensive experience in emergency preparedness and bioterrorism, health policy and research, home and environmental health, and health communications.

The Milwaukee Health Department collaborates with a network of public- and private-sector stakeholders to tackle health disparities in Milwaukee. Established partnerships exist with major health systems in the region, federally qualified health centers, the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and faith- and community-based organizations

MHD also has close ties to major research and academic institutions in southeastern Wisconsin including the Center for Urban Population Health, the Medical College of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

The Milwaukee Health Department is divided into laboratory and epidemiology services, health operations and administration. Within these sections educational opportunities exist for students in the following areas:

• Maternal and child health
• Men’s health
• Disease control and prevention
• Epidemiology
• Consumer environmental health
• Home environmental health
• Health policy and research
• Health communications

Students will not only have the opportunity to work closely with leaders in these various fields of public health, but also with fellows from the UW Population Health Fellowship and CDC Public Health Prevention Services programs.