UB Offering New Master's Degree Program in Public Health, As Well As Collaborative Law and Public Health Program

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo this fall is offering a new master's degree program in public health (MPH), as well as a law and public health program in conjunction with the UB Law School.

Students who complete the program will obtain J.D. and MPH degrees.

The collaborative program, one of seven in the U.S. and the only one offered in New York State, is based on the critical interrelationship between the delivery of health care services, the protection of public health and the legal system.

Both programs are being offered through the medical school's Department of Social and Preventive Medicine.

The MPH program aims at training professionals to study and manage current and emerging community health issues.

"We think this degree program fills a real need in this region," said Dennis Bertram, M.D., clinical assistant professor of social and preventive medicine and program director. "People who wanted an MPH either had to leave the area or forego the degree.

"The federal government is placing increasing demands on the states and counties to monitor and improve health. The MPH is seen more and more as the basic training to fill the positions needed to do that work," he added.

Students may choose between two concentrations: health services administration or epidemiology and biostatistics.

The MPH prepares people for responsibilities in several areas critical to a community's well-being, including primary prevention of disease; monitoring and surveillance of infections, toxic agents, and environmental contaminants; targeting hard-to-reach populations for clinical services and outreach programs, and educating the public about disease risks and preventive measures.

Individuals interested in the program may call Marcia Wopperer at 716-829-2975, ext. 625 or mwoppere@acsu.buffalo.edu .

The law and public health program is based on the critical interrelationship between the delivery of health care services, the protection of public health and the legal system.

"The program is a four-year accelerated course of study rather than the five years traditionally required to obtain both degrees," said Sheila Shulman, adjunct associate professor who is program director.

The program aims to foster the critical interrelationship between the delivery of health-care services, the protection of public health and the legal system. It focuses on the role of public policy, laws, regulations and the courts as tools in formulating effective public health interventions.

Shulman said graduates of the program, who will receive both a juris doctor degree and a master's degree in public health, will be prepared to deal with the complexities of the current legal and health-care systems and to appreciate the expanding sources of conflict between the individual and the broader community-based health-care needs and interests.

"The integration of the science of epidemiology and public health law allows students to develop skills that will make them attractive candidates for positions in the public and private health-care sectors, as well as in positions dealing with environmental and international health law matters, " she said.

Applicants must combine an area of interest in the law school with an MPH emphasis in either epidemiology and biostatistics, or health services administration.

Individuals interested in the law and public health program may call Shulman at 716-645-5984 or 716-645-3683.