{"id":17721,"date":"2010-08-20T11:18:13","date_gmt":"2010-08-20T15:18:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/?page_id=17721"},"modified":"2026-05-05T11:39:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T15:39:42","slug":"medicine-and-public-health","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/sph\/programs\/medicine-and-public-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Medicine &amp; Public Health (MD\/MPH)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"sidebar\">\n<h3>Contact<\/h3>\n<p>For contact information, please visit the School of Public Health <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/education\/degrees-and-programs\/dual-degree-programs\/mdmph\/\">website<\/a> and the <span>BU Chobanian &amp; Avedisian School of Medicine<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/busm\/admissions\/degree-programs\/\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The MD\/MPH dual degree program at <span>BU Chobanian &amp; Avedisian School of Medicine<\/span> and School of Public Health is designed for students who envision a medical career that incorporates public health and medicine. The MD\/MPH program prepares physicians for academic careers or for practice in today\u2019s healthcare environment. Interested students are encouraged to contact the program director with questions or to discuss the program.<\/p>\n<p>Students are encouraged to pursue programs of study and practice placements that allow for the exploration of the multifaceted relationships between medicine and population-focused public health disciplines.<\/p>\n<h2>Learning Outcomes<\/h2>\n<p>Upon completion of the MPH degree requirements, graduates are able to:<\/p>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Evidence-Based Approaches to Public Health<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.<\/li>\n<li>Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.<\/li>\n<li>Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate.<\/li>\n<li>Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Public Health &amp; Healthcare Systems<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Compare the organization, structure, and function of healthcare, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings.<\/li>\n<li>Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities, and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community, and societal levels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Planning &amp; Management to Promote Health<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities\u2019 health.<\/li>\n<li>Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs.<\/li>\n<li>Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention.<\/li>\n<li>Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.<\/li>\n<li>Select methods to evaluate public health programs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Policy in Public Health<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Discuss multiple dimensions of the policymaking process, including the roles of ethics and evidence.<\/li>\n<li>Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.<\/li>\n<li>Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations.<\/li>\n<li>Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Leadership<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply principles of leadership, governance, and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration, and guiding decisionmaking.<\/li>\n<li>Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Communication<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.<\/li>\n<li>Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.<\/li>\n<li>Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Interprofessional Practice<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Perform effectively on interprofessional teams.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Systems Thinking<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Requirements<\/h2>\n<p>The MD and MPH are simultaneous degrees and are awarded together. Students in the MD\/MPH program cannot graduate with the MD and then finish the MPH post-MD graduation.<\/p>\n<p>Coursework in the dual degree program is generally completed over a period of five years. MPH coursework for the MD\/MPH program is generally completed between the third and fourth year of medical school.<\/p>\n<p>Students must earn at least a grade of Pass in all medical school courses and must maintain satisfactory academic progress at SPH according to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/sph\/policies\/grades\/\">SPH Grading Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>MPH Degree Requirements<\/h3>\n<p>The MPH is a 42-unit degree. MD\/MPH students must complete a minimum of 34 units, and 8 units are completed at <span>Chobanian &amp; Avedisian SOM<\/span>. All courses counted to the MPH portion of the MD\/MPH must be numbered SPH XX 700 and above. No courses taken outside of the School of Public Health will count toward the MPH, including courses taken at other Boston University schools and colleges.<\/p>\n<h4>MPH Core Courses<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>SPH PH 700 Foundations of Public Health (0 units)<\/li>\n<li>SPH PH 717 Quantitative Methods in Public Health (4 units)<\/li>\n<li>SPH PH 718 Leadership and Management in Public Health (4 units)<\/li>\n<li>SPH PH 719 Health Systems, Law, and Policy (4 units)<\/li>\n<li>SPH PH 720 Individual, Community, and Population Health (4 units)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>MPH Certificate &amp; Elective Coursework<\/h4>\n<p>Students select and complete one <strong>functional<\/strong> area certificate as their interdisciplinary, professional skills base (16 units) and have the option to take a context certificate (focused on key populations or areas of interest in public health, 12 units) or elective courses to fulfill the additional units of SPH coursework beyond the core courses. A maximum of 4 units may be shared between a functional and a context certificate.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Functional Certificates\u201416 units<\/strong><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>Community Assessment, Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation<\/li>\n<li><span>Environmental Health<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Epidemiology and Biostatistics<\/li>\n<li>Health Communications and Promotion<\/li>\n<li>Healthcare Management (CAHME)\u201428 units<\/li>\n<li>Health Policy and Law<\/li>\n<li><span>Global Health Program Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Program Management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><strong>Context Certificates\u201412 units<\/strong><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>Chronic and Non-Communicable Diseases<\/li>\n<li>Climate Change and Health<\/li>\n<li>Global Health<\/li>\n<li>Infectious Disease<\/li>\n<li>Maternal and Child Health<\/li>\n<li>Mental Health and Substance Use<\/li>\n<li><span>Human Rights and Social Justice<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Sex, Sexuality, and Gender<\/li>\n<li><span>Pharmaceutical Development, Delivery, and Access<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Students follow the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/sph\/policies\/grades\/\">SPH Grading Policy<\/a> for their MPH courses.<\/p>\n<h4>Professional Development and Practical Experience<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>SPH PH 746 Career PREP (0 units)<\/li>\n<li>SPH PH 845 Integrated Learning Experience (0 units)<\/li>\n<li>SPH PH 976 Practicum (240 hours, 0 units)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All MPH candidates must complete an approved practicum by registering for an MPH practicum course and completing all MPH practicum requirements. MD\/MPH students may also fulfill the requirement by undertaking a suitable project during a one-month elective rotation during their fourth year of medical school. This elective should be planned well in advance, and the monthlong elective should be devoted entirely to a public health\u2013related project that has been approved by the MD\/MPH program director.<\/p>\n<p>MD\/MPH students earn 8 units toward the MPH by completing courses required for their MD from the following list.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>MED MS 126 Human Behavior in Medicine<\/li>\n<li>MED MS 129 Essentials of Public Health<\/li>\n<li>MED MS 130 Medical Genetics<\/li>\n<li>MED MS 131 Medical Immunology<\/li>\n<li>MED MS 220 \u2013 MS 226 Disease and Therapy<\/li>\n<li>MED MS 313 Pediatrics Clerkship<\/li>\n<li>MED MS 314 Psychiatry Clerkship<\/li>\n<li>MED MS 315 Family Medicine Clerkship<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Additional Information<\/h2>\n<h3>Withdrawing from the MPH<\/h3>\n<p>A student may withdraw from the MD\/MPH dual degree program by submitting a letter to the director of the MD\/MPH program, the <span>Chobanian &amp; Avedisian SOM<\/span> Registrar, and the BUSPH Registrar. This will not affect the MD in and of itself.<\/p>\n<h3>Study Abroad<\/h3>\n<p>Because MD\/MPH students generally complete 34 units of SPH coursework between the third and fourth year of medical school, there is typically not much time for overseas travel. However, there may be opportunities for short (2-to-4-week) overseas projects, particularly between the first and second year of medical school or as electives in the last two years. These opportunities are not a routine part of the MD\/MPH.<\/p>\n<h2>Admissions Information<\/h2>\n<h3>Eligibility &amp; Application<\/h3>\n<p>All medical students accepted to <span>Chobanian &amp; Avedisian SOM<\/span> are eligible to apply to the MD\/MPH dual degree program. Students interested in the MD\/MPH program must apply to the <span>Chobanian &amp; Avedisian School of Medicine<\/span>\u00a0first. Selecting the MD\/MPH program on the AMCAS application alerts the Admissions office at <span>Chobanian &amp; Avedisian SOM<\/span> that the student is interested in the dual degree program. It does not obligate the student to apply, and it has no impact on the likelihood of acceptance into the <span>Chobanian &amp; Avedisian School of Medicine<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>There are no acceptance quotas for the combined program. Note that if a student enrolls in the program and changes their mind, that student may opt out without penalty. Medical students interested in applying to the MD\/MPH program should contact the MD\/MPH program director.<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/admissions\/applying\/mph-dual-degree-programs\/\">here<\/a> for more information about applying to BU\u2019s MPH Dual Degree programs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contact For contact information, please visit the School of Public Health website and the BU Chobanian &amp; Avedisian School of Medicine website. The MD\/MPH dual degree program at BU Chobanian &amp; Avedisian School of Medicine and School of Public Health is designed for students who envision a medical career that incorporates public health and medicine. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1868,"featured_media":0,"parent":270,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17721"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1868"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17721"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17721\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":101512,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17721\/revisions\/101512"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}