When Two Degrees are Better Than One: M.D. - M.P.H. - Solutions Magazine, Winter 2008 - Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

A new dual degree program jointly offered by Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston offers medical students a different outlook on medical practice.

Steve Abrams, M.D., is confident that BCM medical students who also earn a Master's in Public Health through this new program will have greater success in making a difference in the health of national and international populations.

Medical students at BCM have an interest in making a difference in the health of national and international populations, and a background in public health is increasingly expected of physicians involved in these activities," said Steven Abrams, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics at BCM. He is a researcher with the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at BCM and also a neonatologist at Texas Children's Hospital.

"Many people choose to pursue their M.P.H. after medical school, but there has been a national interest in combining the degrees," said Abrams, program coordinator for the new dual degree program.

Pursuing an M.P.H. adds a year to the traditional four-year medical school program. During the first three years, students will spend the majority of time taking classes at BCM, although they will have a few courses at the School of Public Health. They will spend their entire fourth year immersed in the public health curriculum and return to BCM for the last year of medical school.

Public health training will include at least 33 credit hours from the UT School of Public Health, an internship at a public health organization and a master's thesis. Students will acquire skills in five core public health disciplines, including social and behavioral sciences, biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology and health services administration.

The new program is unique in that it allows students to share credit from the two schools to complete both degrees in five years. Students who take part in the dual degree program will be able to count their master's thesis from the UT School of Public Health as the newly required scholarly project at BCM. (The scholarly project is designed to foster an understanding of research among new physicians.)

David Hilmers, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at BCM, thinks that this new dual-degree program is a great way to integrate public health into medical school training.

"It can be hard to decide when to pursue the degree in public health in your medical career. This is a great option to be able to pursue both at the same time," said Hilmers, who obtained his degree in public health at the UT School of Public Health after he completed medical school and a residency in the internal medicine/pediatrics program at BCM. He wanted to combine international work and research with his medical school education. He has put the training to good use in projects with the United Nations and disaster relief projects in areas such as Iraq, Peru and Sri Lanka.

"Sometimes our training puts the focus on understanding the disease process in individual patients and what to do to fix it, and we forget to look at the broader picture. Where does the patient come from? What are the public health, environmental and social issues that have contributed to the patient's illness? By answering these questions, perhaps we can help relieve the suffering of a larger population," said Hilmers.

The program hopes to enroll between 12 and 15 first-year students each year. Joey Nichols, a second-year medical student at BCM, has been a leader in recruitment efforts for the program. Nichols received his M.P.H. at the UT School of Public Health prior to entering medical school at BCM.

"I think it's a better educational experience to earn both degrees at the same time," said Nichols.

medical student Joey Nichols, M.P.H., in Honduras

Degrees in action: BCM medical student Joey Nichols, M.P.H., believes that the combined medical and public health degrees can promote health in communities in the U.S. and around the world. In Colomoncagua, Honduras, where Nichols worked last summer to plan a community health needs assessment, the health status of children will be measured by the height-measuring device Nichols helped build while he was there.

Nichols believes that because both BCM and the UT School of Public Health are strong institutions, the dual degree program will encourage and strengthen collaborations between faculty and students at both schools.

Nichols has fostered efforts to engage students at BCM with faculty members from the UT School of Public Health and with BCM faculty members who also have degrees in public health.

"What the students learned was that each person who pursued an M.P.H. came about it from a different pathway. Each had a different set of motivations and interests and emerged from the experience with something completely different from their classmates. It's a very individually focused degree," said Nichols.

Nichols' interest lies in community-based primary care, where he hopes to use his education to care for patients from different backgrounds and cultures.

"I think my background in public health will help me collaborate effectively with a wider variety of people with different backgrounds," said Nichols. "It's kind of like being bilingual."

His interest in global health can also be strengthened through his background in both medicine and public health.

"Global health is not about practicing Western medicine in other areas, but learning about factors that tie every community in the world together. I want to learn strategies that promote health in any setting, and both public health and medicine have really important things to contribute to that kind of conversation," said Nichols.

When Two Degrees are Better Than One: M.D. - M.P.H.

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Volume 4, Issue 3, Winter 2008


	When Two Degrees are Better Than One: M.D. - M.P.H. by Dipali Pathak A new dual degree program jointly offered by Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston offers medical students a different outlook on medical practice. Steve Abrams, M.D., is confident that BCM medical students who also earn a Master's in Public Health through this new program will have greater success in making a difference in the health of national and international populations. Medical students at BCM have an interest in making a difference in the health of national and international populations, and a background in public health is increasingly expected of physicians involved in these activities," said Steven Abrams, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics at BCM. He is a researcher with the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at BCM and also a neonatologist at Texas Children's Hospital. "Many people choose to pursue their M.P.H. after medical school, but there has been a national interest in combining the degrees," said Abrams, program coordinator for the new dual degree program. Pursuing an M.P.H. adds a year to the traditional four-year medical school program. During the first three years, students will spend the majority of time taking classes at BCM, although they will have a few courses at the School of Public Health. They will spend their entire fourth year immersed in the public health curriculum and return to BCM for the last year of medical school. Public health training will include at least 33 credit hours from the UT School of Public Health, an internship at a public health organization and a master's thesis. Students will acquire skills in five core public health disciplines, including social and behavioral sciences, biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology and health services administration. The new program is unique in that it allows students to share credit from the two schools to complete both degrees in five years. Students who take part in the dual degree program will be able to count their master's thesis from the UT School of Public Health as the newly required scholarly project at BCM. (The scholarly project is designed to foster an understanding of research among new physicians.) David Hilmers, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at BCM, thinks that this new dual-degree program is a great way to integrate public health into medical school training. "It can be hard to decide when to pursue the degree in public health in your medical career. This is a great option to be able to pursue both at the same time," said Hilmers, who obtained his degree in public health at the UT School of Public Health after he completed medical school and a residency in the internal medicine/pediatrics program at BCM. He wanted to combine international work and research with his medical school education. He has put the training to good use in projects with the United Nations and disaster relief projects in areas such as Iraq, Peru and Sri Lanka. "Sometimes our training puts the focus on understanding the disease process in individual patients and what to do to fix it, and we forget to look at the broader picture. Where does the patient come from? What are the public health, environmental and social issues that have contributed to the patient's illness? By answering these questions, perhaps we can help relieve the suffering of a larger population," said Hilmers. The program hopes to enroll between 12 and 15 first-year students each year. Joey Nichols, a second-year medical student at BCM, has been a leader in recruitment efforts for the program. Nichols received his M.P.H. at the UT School of Public Health prior to entering medical school at BCM. "I think it's a better educational experience to earn both degrees at the same time," said Nichols. Degrees in action: BCM medical student Joey Nichols, M.P.H., believes that the combined medical and public health degrees can promote health in communities in the U.S. and around the world. In Colomoncagua, Honduras, where Nichols worked last summer to plan a community health needs assessment, the health status of children will be measured by the height-measuring device Nichols helped build while he was there. Nichols believes that because both BCM and the UT School of Public Health are strong institutions, the dual degree program will encourage and strengthen collaborations between faculty and students at both schools. Nichols has fostered efforts to engage students at BCM with faculty members from the UT School of Public Health and with BCM faculty members who also have degrees in public health. "What the students learned was that each person who pursued an M.P.H. came about it from a different pathway. Each had a different set of motivations and interests and emerged from the experience with something completely different from their classmates. It's a very individually focused degree," said Nichols. Nichols' interest lies in community-based primary care, where he hopes to use his education to care for patients from different backgrounds and cultures. "I think my background in public health will help me collaborate effectively with a wider variety of people with different backgrounds," said Nichols. "It's kind of like being bilingual." His interest in global health can also be strengthened through his background in both medicine and public health. "Global health is not about practicing Western medicine in other areas, but learning about factors that tie every community in the world together. I want to learn strategies that promote health in any setting, and both public health and medicine have really important things to contribute to that kind of conversation," said Nichols.		Search all issues: Features Baylor College of Medicine in Houston: 65 years of Excellence BCM Looks to the Future on the McNair Campus Legacy of Leadership: BCM Icons Set Foundation for the Future 1,000 Genomes Project: Looking for the Differences News O'Malley Receives National Medal of Science Robert Todd Named to Lead BCM's Department of Medicine Roy Huffington Remembered as Bold and Generous Spotlight Following his Passion—One Physician's Journey The Search for Answers When Two Degrees are Better Than One: M.D. - M.P.H. Thomas Street—The Road to Health Perceiving—A new Look at Brain and Behavior Briefs Mind Games Wang Wins NIH Award Genetics Used to Personalize Heart Disease Treatment First Drug for Huntington's Disease Eye Problems from Pain Free Migraines Obesity also Causes Cirrhosis Genetic Insights into Deadly Brain Tumor Made-to-Order Weapon in the Fight Against Childhood Cancer BCM Joins Largest Children's Study Development/Alumni Minds & Medicine Campaign Update: McNair Campus gets First Tenants -- Ophthalmology Philanthropy Provided Key Assistance Gifts Help Restore Sight to Patients with Corneal Damage Alums Start Careers, Life Together at BCM Development Briefs Campaign Reaches Milestone Charitable Gifts Lead to National Recognition Trustee Chuck Watson Makes Unique Gift The Legacy and the Future

	Volume 4, Issue 3, Winter 2008



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