The Pharmaceuticals Program Print
The Pharmaceuticals Program:
The revolution in pharmaceuticals over the past half-century has provided public health with some its most important and powerful tools.  However, the processes by which new drugs are developed, tested, licensed, regulated and manufactured are poorly understood - even by most health care professionals.  The BUSPH Pharmaceuticals Program is a unique educational offering, designed to bridge those gaps and provide a practical overview of pharmaceuticals from a public health perspective.  The Program is available to Master of Public Health students and should be of particular interest to students considering careers in the pharmaceutical industry, service delivery programs, or pharmaceutical policy making agencies.

Students enrolled in the Program will learn what drugs are and how they work; how they are tested, developed and monitored; how formularies are derived; and how drugs are licensed and regulated.  Students will develop key analytic skills useful for framing pharmaceutical policy and decision-making in domestic and international contexts.  The Pharmaceuticals Program prepares students for positions in both the public and private sectors, including positions in federal and state government agencies, the pharmaceutical industry, contracting research organizations and international agencies.

Program Goal
The goal of the Pharmaceuticals Program is to provide students with the knowledge and expertise to address pharmaceutical issues from a public health perspective.

Specific Objectives
At completion of the Pharmaceuticals Program, students should be able to:
  1. Identify major pharmaceutical issues and priorities in the context of public health domestically and globally.
  2. Discuss the range of pharmaceutical research, policy, and programmatic interventions facing the global public health community, including relevant health policy and management experiences of different organizations, nationally and internationally.
  3. Evaluate pharmaceutical programs in the context of economics, organization, regulation, and politics.
  4. Contribute to the design and implementation of policy and program interventions to address pharmaceutical issues in a domestic and global context.
  5. Understand how new pharmaceuticals are tested and licensed.
  6. Understand the principles for how drug safety is monitored and assessed in clinical and post marketing settings.
    Requirements for Completion of Certificate
    1. Take at least 12 credits of approved Pharmaceutical Program courses and earn a minimum grade of B in all courses.
    2. Actively participate in a bi-weekly seminar series throughout their participation in the Program.
    3. Complete a practicum that has been approved by the Program Director and the director of the student's primary concentration.
    Application Process
    All students who have been accepted to BUSPH for the MPH program are eligible to apply for the Pharmaceuticals Program.  Students are encourage to apply and join the Program during their first semester at BUSPH, but are able to enter the Program at later points in the educational path provided they can meet the degree requirements.  Students wishing to enroll complete a Pharmaceuticals Program Entry Form, obtain signatures from the Program Director, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and submit the completed form to the BUSPH Registrar's Office.

    Curriculum
    The Pharmaceuticals Program gives students a solid foundation in pharmaceuticals while providing flexibility to tailor their coursework towards a specific career path in Policy, Industry, or in Health Programs and Non-Governmental Organizations. Through tailoring their electives, students have the opportunity to identify and acquire the specific skill-sets they plan to use after graduation.



    Throughout the program, students complete a mixture of required and elective courses totaling 12 credits.  In addition to their coursework, students participate in a bi-weekly Pharmaceuticals Program Seminar Series and complete a practicum that includes activities relevant to both pharmaceuticals and their concentration.  All practicums must be approved by the Pharmaceuticals Program Director.



    Policy

    Required Courses.
    PM 742 - Introduction to Pharmaceutical Assessment, Management and Policy (2 credits)
    PH 970 - Practicum (0 credits)
    Pharmaceuticals Program Seminar (0 credits)

    Core+ Courses.
    Select One of the Following:
    PM 811 - Health Services Research and Methods
    EP 745 - Pharmacoepidemiology
    IH 820 - Global Issues in Pharmaceutical Policy and Programming

    Policy Track Electives
    Select 6-8 credits based on your concentration and career interest

    Skill/knowledge area Relevant courses Credits

    Health Policy

    IH 757 – Fighting Corruption Through Accountability & Transparency
    IH 820 – Global Issues in Pharmaceutical Policy and Programming
    LW 709 – Health Health Care Rationing: Needs and Options
    PM 733 – Health Program Management

    2

    2

    2
    4

    Health services research methods

    		 BS 810 – Meta-Analysis for Public Health & Medical Research
    PM 811 – Health Services Research and Methods
    PM 807 – Introduction to Cost Effectiveness Analysis
    PM 855 – Cost Effectiveness Analysis and Decision Analysis (note pre-requisites)

    4
    4
    2
    4

    Pharmacovigilance

    EP 745 – Pharmacoepidemiology
    EP 830 – Drug Epidemiology (note pre-requisites)

    4
    4

    Clinical trials

    EP 762 – Clinical epidemiology
    BS 722 – Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials

    4
    4

    Patent law

    IH 885 – Global Trade, Intellectual Property and Public Health

    2

    Insurance systems

    		 LW 830 – Health insurance, Health Reform and the Law
    IH 704 – International Public Health and Medical Care: A Systems Approach

    4
    4

    Qualitative research

    SB 818 – Qualitative Research Methods

    4

    Industry

    Required Courses.

    PM 742 - Introduction to Pharmaceutical Assessment, Management and Policy (2 credits)
    PH 970 - Practicum (0 credits)
    Pharmaceuticals Program Seminar (0 credits)

    Core+ Courses.

    Select One of the Following:
    BS722 - Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials
    IH800 - Clinical development of a new medicinal: A case study about licensing a new vaccine for the developing world
    GMS CI631 - The Management of Clinical Research1

    Industry Track Electives
    Select 6-8 credits based on your concentration and career interest

    Skill/knowledge area

    Relevant courses

    Credits

    Project management

    IH 854 – From Data to Dashboards: Building Excel Skills to Support Health Program Decisions
    IH 743 – Implementing Health Programs in Developing Countries: Making Programs Work
    GMS CI 6311 – The Management of Clinical Research

    2

    4

    4

    Discovery/development

    IH 800 – Clinical development of a new medicinal: A case study about licensing a new vaccine for the developing world
    GMS PM 8811 – Drug discovery and Development

    2

    2

    Regulatory affairs and good clinical practice

    LW790 – Research with Human subjects: legal and ethical issues

    4

    Clinical Trials

    EP 762 – Clinical epidemiology
    BS 722 – Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials

    4
    4

    Intellectual property

    IH 885 – Global Trade, Intellectual Property and Public Health

    2

    Comments:
    1 - Requires cross-registration with Graduate Medical Sciences here on the Medical Campus and approval for transfer of credits.

    Health Programs and Non-governmental Organizations

    Required Courses.
    PM 742 - Introduction to Pharmaceutical Assessment, Management and Policy (2 credits)
    PH 970 - Practicum (0 credits)
    Pharmaceuticals Program Seminar (0 credits)

    Core+ Courses.
    Select One of the Following:
    IH744 - Program Design for International Health
    SB818 - Qualitative Research Methods
    PM743 - Implementing Health Programs in Developing Countries: Making Programs Work

    Health Programs and Non-governmental Organizations Track Electives
    Select 6-8 credits based on your concentration and career interest
    Skill/knowledge area Relevant courses Credits
    Project management IH 854 – From Data to Dashboards: Building Excel Skills to Support Health Program Decisions
    IH 743 – Implementing Health Programs in Developing Countries: Making Programs Work
    IH 744 – Program Design for International Health

    2

    4

    4
    Infectious diseases EH 735 – The Environmental Determinants of Infectious Diseases
    EP 755 – Infectious diseases epidemiology
    EP 764 – The Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in the Developed and Developing World
    EP 784 – The Epidemiology of Tuberculosis in the Developed and Developing World
    IH 805 – Controversies in Global Control and Eradication of Infectious Diseases

    2

    4
    2

    2

    2
    Rational drug management and medication adherence IH 715 – Antiretroviral Program Management and Adherence Issues in Low-Resource Settings
    IH 803 – Antimicrobial Resistance: Facing a Future without Effective Medicines?

    2

    2
    Vaccines EP 730 – Epidemiology of Vaccine Preventable Diseases
    IH 800 – Clinical development of a new medicinal: A case study about licensing a new vaccine for the developing world

    2

    2
    Corruption IH 757 – Fighting Corruption Through Accountability & Transparency

    2
    Qualitative research SB 818 – Qualitative research methods

    4

    Experienced students may also design their own course of study in conjunction with the Pharmaceuticals Program Director.


    Contacts:
    • Christopher Gill, MD, MS, Program Director, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 617-638-6584
    • Emily Morin, Program Assistant, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 617-638-5221