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What are the Public Health Sciences?
Public health is an extraordinarily diverse and exciting profession. Epidemiology
and biostatistics make up the scientific foundations of public health. Epidemiologists
study the frequency, distribution, and determinants of diseases, while biostatisticians
provide the analytic tools to continually advance our research capabilities.
Concentrating on either of these areas will prepare you for an ever-changing
career in public health research. If community action is your interest,
social and behavioral sciences offer the models and the tools to work with
community groups to improve health. Our complex system of governmental agencies
devoted to protecting and promoting the health of the public is the focus
of health management and policy. If you see yourself pursuing a career in
administration, human resource management, and financial management in public
health agencies, or in policy development and analysis, this concentration
is for you. Environmental health is another exciting concentration. Here,
you will learn how to assess a myriad of toxic substances in our surroundings
and to protect the population from their ill effects. With an MPH, you will
have the tools to rise to leadership roles in your chosen area.
Who are Public Health Practitioners?
One of the greatest strengths of public health is that it is based
on many sciences and its students and practitioners come from a variety
of backgrounds. In our classes, you will study with physicians, nurses,
social workers, historians, psychologists, anthropologists, journalists,
lawyers, pharmacists, and many others. Our students come to UF not only
from Florida, but also from across the United States and around the world.
When you join us, an exciting mix of students will enrich every one of your
public health courses.
Are there Jobs in Public Health?
The needs in public health are screaming from your newspapers and
televisions everyday: Avian flu, toxic spills, the epidemic of obesity,
and many more health problems. What you don’t hear quite as much about
is the growing need for public health professionals. As the baby-boomers
are aging, they are also retiring. Public health will lose about 45% of
its workforce over the next several years. Jobs are available now and the
opportunities will continue to grow.
What Programs does the University of Florida Offer?
Our public health programs in the College of Public Health and
Health Professions at the University of Florida have been developing rapidly
during the past few years. You can study for a graduate Masters of Public
Health (MPH) degree in one of six concentrations – biostatistics,
environmental health,
epidemiology, public
health management and policy, public
health practice, or social
and behavioral sciences. If you have a doctoral-level professional degree
already, you may qualify for an accelerated
program in any of the above concentrations. For UF graduate and professional
students, we have collaborative programs
of study with the College of Law and the College of Pharmacy, and other
formal joint programs will begin in 2007. PhD/MPH programs are also available
with Clinical and Health Psychology and Rehabilitation Sciences in our college,
and concurrent degree programs can be developed on an individual basis with
other PhD and Master’s programs throughout the university.
If you are already in the public health workforce, or you would like to move in that direction, but a master’s degree is more than you need, consider our Certificate in Public Health. This 15-credit option includes the foundation course in each of the five public health sciences, thus providing a broad overview of the skills and knowledge-base of public health. The certificate is available on campus to graduate students and working professionals, and it is now available online with video captures of classroom lectures and a virtual internet-based classroom for discussions, assignments, and tests. Should you decide to enter the MPH program, these graduate credits can be transferred.
If you are an undergraduate student at UF with a public health career in your future, you do not have to wait until graduation to begin your MPH program. The combined bachelor’s to master’s degree program will allow you to take the five foundation courses in your senior year and then complete your MPH in the following 18 months, a semester less than the standard graduate program. A 15-credit minor in public health is also available to qualified seniors. And, starting this year, we are offering a survey course, PHC 2100 Introduction to Public Health, to undergraduates. This course provides an opportunity to explore whether and how public health fits with your personal and professional goals.
Are you interested in pursuing doctoral studies and a career in
research?
The Department of Health
Services Research, Management, and Policy offers a PhD
in Health Services Research. The Department
of Epidemiology and Biostatistics is developing two PhD programs, one
in Epidemiology and the other in Biostatistics. A PhD in Social and Behavioral
Sciences is also under development by the Department
of Behavioral Science and Community Health. We expect our new doctoral
programs to be available for students entering in fall, 2007.
There are many Public Health options for you to consider. But graduate studies are not limited to a series of courses and requirements. In the College of Public Health and Health Professions, we believe that our students should have opportunities to explore public health from every angle. We have a seminar series in contemporary public health issues, which features state-of-the-art presentations by experts in important and emerging topics. Our students are involved in the Gainesville community and surrounding counties in a variety of volunteer efforts, such as immunization registries and shelters for the homeless. All MPH students complete a special project – either an internship or a research project – in which they have opportunities to work in the field to integrate the knowledge and skills gained through classroom-based courses. Many students also earn practicum credits throughout their studies for projects conducted in local health departments, the Suwannee River Area Health Education Center, and other public health agencies.
Who Are The Faculty?
Our faculty members bring
rich educational backgrounds and field experiences to their teaching and
mentoring roles. All of them have been trained at excellent institutions,
and each of them is actively involved in cutting-edge research on critical
public health problems.
What is Unique About Our College?
The College of Public Health
and Health Professions is unique. In addition to covering the full range
of public health issues and methods, we are built on a long-standing commitment
to individuals with chronic diseases and disabilities. Applying public health
principles to preventing the initial occurrence of these conditions and
the health problems that arise from them is a major challenge and part of
our unique vision. This aspect of our vision fits well with the special
public health issues of Florida. We are committed to understanding and addressing
the unique issues associated with our multi-ethnic and aging populations,
and the geographic and environmental vulnerabilities of our beautiful state.
What Other Resources Are Available?
The college is in a rich health science environment at the University
of Florida. In addition to our college, the Health
Science Center includes colleges of dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy
and veterinary medicine. The
Health Science Center Libraries make up one of the most extensive systems
in the Southeast. In terms of research, the university is one of only 60
institutions nationwide holding membership in the exclusive and prestigious
Association of American Universities. We are also ranked among the leading
research universities in the nation.
Join Us!
At the University of Florida and well beyond our campus, Public Health is
critical and challenging. There are many reasons to choose a career in public
health, but when you scratch the surface of any professional in our field,
they will tell you what they care about most is social justice, eliminating
poverty, promoting healthy lifestyles, preventing premature disease and
death, and making our world a better place to live. If you choose to pursue
a career in public health, we know that you will never regret that choice,
that your career options will continue to expand throughout your working
life, and that you will experience the rewards of a lifetime committed to
helping others in a meaningful way. We hope that you will begin your career
with us!
Our website contains a great deal of information about our programs. But, if you don’t find the information you need here, please contact us. We can be reached by email at ph@phhp.ufl.edu or by phone at 1-866-62-UFMPH.
We look forward to hearing from you,
Mary Peoples-Sheps, DrPH |
Susan White, MEd |
Mischka Garel, MPH |
Brigette Hart, BS |
College of Public Health and Health Professions
Public Health Programs
PO Box 100182
Gainesville, FL 32610-0182
