Judith H. LaRosa

The Development of a Master of Public Health Program with an Initial Focus on Urban and Immigrant Health at the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center

The State University Downstate Medical Center initiated a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program in July 2001 following planning efforts that began in 1995. Twelve Students entered the program in June 2002. Currently, eighty students are enrolled in the program and eighteen have graduated from it in 2004 and 2005. With an initial focus on urban and immigrant health, the program aims to train public health professionals who can assist in addressing through population-based interventions the health issues of Brooklyn’s 2,465,326 people, of whom 38.5% are immigrants to the United States. Starting with four courses in the summer 2002 semester, the program now offers twenty-four courses over the three semesters of the academic year. The program is housed in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health of the College of Medicine and is part-time in nature for most students. In addition to completing required course work, students must also complete a 250-hour practicum experience in which they apply theoretical knowledge in a public health practice setting. Student practicum experiences play a vital role in linking the program to communities and serve as conduits for the initiation of further community based collaboratives. This article describes the challenges encountered in initiating an MPH program in an academic medical center, the importance of both intramural and community support to its success, and the vital role it plays in addressing the health issues of various communities. The program became a leading priority of the Strategic Plan of the Downstate Medical Center in 2000, and received the full support of Downstate’s then new president, Dr. John C. LaRosa. This prioritization and support proved essential to the rapid development of the program. The Downstate MPH program offers a concurrent degree to medical students who are able to complete both degrees in a four year period. The Alumni Fund of the College of Medicine provides each MD/MPH student with a one-time scholarship which covers a quarter of the MPH tuition. Concurrent MPH degrees are also offered for graduate students enrolled in occupational therapy, nursing, and several other health programs. The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) conducted an accreditation site visit of the Downstate MPH program in December 2004. On June 10, 2005, the CEPH Board accredited the program for 5 years.

Women's health: Science and politics

The scientific community, in particular the NIH, as well as the political communities of governments and advocates, have formidable goals to achieve in integrating womens health research firmly within the context of biomedical science, securing rights for women to be included in clinical studies and fostering the development and advancement of women in biomedical sciences. No one group or organization can accomplish such a task alone, nor should they. This effort requires the cooperation and collaboration of many individuals and organizations if we are to meet our ultimate goal--health for all our citizens.

Elevated blood cholesterol. A risk factor for coronary heart disease.

1. The Report of the Adult Treatment Panel on the Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults is designed to provide guidance to healthcare professionals in the detection, evaluation, and treatment of adult hypercholesterolemic patients. 2. Dietary intervention, an essential part of every treatment plan, is highlighted followed by the introduction of drug treatment if the dietary intervention fails to achieve the desired results. 3. Guidelines for intervention at the worksite, including those using community resources, are discussed.