title: The integrated first year experience in the master of public health program.
abstract: Schools of Public Health historically introduced core curriculum courses in the first year of the Master of Public Health program as independent perspectives; these perspectives included epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, public health biology, health behaviors, and health policy. We performed a pilot project that integrated the core areas around diabetes as a cross-cutting public health issue to provide early exposure to the interdisciplinary nature of public health. In each core curriculum course, diabetes was explored in the curriculum and related to other core courses. Based on positive evaluations, this project will be replicated using a different health issue. Such an issue can be easily introduced as an overarching umbrella under which students are motivated to work through interdisciplinary collaboration.
authors.affiliation: Diane M. Dewar is with the Department of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior and Department of Economics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany. Michael S. Bloom and Hyunok Choi are with the Departments of Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany. Lenore Gensburg and Akiko Hosler are with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany.
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dewar
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: Hyunok
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Lenore
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gensburg
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hosler
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004500:Education, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012581:Schools, Public Health / Q000458:organization & administration