Academics

Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health (MD/MPH)
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Public Health Courses for Students at Boston University School of Medicine

There are two separate but related programs for providing students at Boston University Medical School (BUSM) with opportunities to take courses at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH).

  1. The Advanced Standing Program for BUSM1 Students
  2. The MD-MPH Dual Degree Program

I.    Advanced Standing Program for BUSM1 Students:

Medical students with advanced standing, i.e. who are exempted from one or more first year medical school courses, may take one or two SPH courses during their first year of medical school at no additional cost to the student. This program will be available to a maximum of 25 students per year. Students who wish to register for SPH courses via this program must first obtain written signature from the BUSM Registrar on a BUSPH registration form. Courses taken as part of this program will not appear on the student's BUSM transcript, but will appear on an official Boston University transcript.

Important notes on tuition charges for BUSM students taking BUSPH courses:
  • Tuition charges and grades: BUSM students will not be charged additional tuition for BUSPH courses taken as part of this program, provided that the courses are pre-approved by the BUSM Registrar, and provided that the student successfully completes BUSPH course work with a grade of B- or better. If a student receives a lower grade, the student will be responsible for paying the tuition for the course prior to the next semester of medical school.

  • Dropped or incomplete course: If a student registers for a BUSPH course, but files a "Drop Course" form with the BUSPH Registrar prior to the "Drop without a ‘ ‘W' deadline", the student will not be charged for the course. However, if a course is dropped after the "Drop without a ‘W' deadline or if the student receives a grade of "Incomplete" for the course, the student will be required to pay the tuition prior to the next semester of medical school. [Each semester a specific "drop" deadline is specified approximately 5-6 weeks into the semester.]

  • Application Procedures: BUSM1 students with advanced standing should follow these steps to register for BUSPH courses:
  1. Download and complete a BUSPH Registration Form from http://sph.bu.edu/registrar/forms and download and print the fall schedule from http://sph.bu.edu/registrar/schedules.  Alternatively, you may pick up a paper form and hard copy of the schedule from the shelves outside of the BUSPH Registrar's Office on Talbot 2.  Be sure to read the packet and understand the policies and class meeting information.
  2. The BUSM Registrar (Ellen DiFiore) or a designated staff member will review the form, sign approval on the form, and write "Advanced Standing BUSM student" across the top of the form.
  3. The student will bring or fax the form to the BUSPH Registrar's Office (Talbot 210 Center; 617-638-5060).
  4. The BUSPH Registrar's Office will e-mail the student a registration confirmation with a copy to Ellen DiFiore, BUSM Registrar.
  5. Registered students may obtain the classroom locations and class materials list from the SPH web site.
  6. Students need to be mindful that if they remain registered in the class after the "drop without a ‘W' deadline," they will get a final grade and charges are applied.  Non-attendance is not dropping. The drop deadlines for all classes are viewable on the Student Link.  The description of how you check the drop dates and what they mean is in the registration packet.  

II.    MD- MPH Dual Degree Program:

Combining medical and public health education in preparation for a career of caring for the health of individuals and their communities.

The MD-MPH Dual Degree Program at Boston University School of Medicine and Boston University School of Public Health is designed for students who envision a medical career that incorporates public health and medicine. The MD-MPH program prepares physicians for academic careers or for practice in today's health care environment. This flexible program combines traditional MD preparation with a concentration in one of the following areas of public health: biostatistics; environmental health; epidemiology; health policy and management; health law, bioethics and human rights; international health; maternal and child health; or social and behavioral sciences. In addition, students are encouraged to pursue programs of study and practice placements that allow the exploration of the multifaceted relationships between medicine and population-focused public health disciplines.

Coursework in the dual degree program is generally completed over a period of five years.

Degree Requirements

To earn both degrees, students must complete the required classroom and clinical coursework for the MD degree and the required 48 credit hours of course work and other requirements for the MPH.

For MD-MPH students the 48 credits for the MPH are fulfilled as follows:
  1. MD-MPH students earn 16 credits toward the MPH for completing designated courses required for their MD degree. The cost for these 16 credits is covered by medical school tuition; there is no additional cost.
  2. The other 32 credits toward the MPH degree are as follows:
A.  Approximately 16-18 credits for required core courses as follows:
  • Epidemiology                                          3 credits*
  • Biostatistics                                            3 credits*
  • Health Policy and Management              3 credits
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences               3 credits
  • Introduction to Health Law                     2 credits*
  • Introduction to Environmental Health     2 credits*
*Note: Students concentrating in these disciplines are required to take a 4 credit core course in the concentration area.

B.  Approximately 16 credits for required concentration courses in one of the following concentration areas selected by the student:
  • Biostatistics
  • Environmental Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Health Law
  • Health Services
  • International Health
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences

Students must earn at least a grade of Pass in all medical school courses and must maintain at least a grade point average of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) in courses at BUSPH.

MPH candidates must also complete the requirements for a "culminating experience" as specified for their specific concentration area. For more information on academic requirements for specific concentration areas, please refer to http://sph.bu.edu; from the "Academics" drop down menu, select the concentration area of interest, and examine the MPH Academic Program for individual departments at BUSPH.


Practicum Requirement for the MPH

All MPH candidates must complete an approved practicum.  MD-MPH students may fulfill their practicum requirement in the traditional manner, as described by the BUSPH Practice Office webpage.  However, most MD-MPH students may wish to fulfill the requirement by undertaking a suitable project during a one-month elective rotation during their fourth year of medical school. This elective should be planned well in advance, and the month-long elective should be devoted entirely to a public health-related project that has been approved by the MD-MPH Program Director (Dr. Wayne LaMorte, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).  Students are encouraged to discuss possible practicum projects with the MD-MPH Program Director, who must approve the proposed practicum and will serve as the academic supervisor.  Regardless of which option is chosen, MD-MPH students must fulfill all practicum requirements, including: 1) registration for the practicum with the BUSPH Registrar before the beginning of the semester in which the practicum will be undertaken [PH970 is a 0 credit practicum course for which MD-MPH students must register); 2) completion of the Online Practicum Orientation prior to course registration; 3) submission of a Learning Contract; 4) completion of Midpoint Review with agency supervisor; and 5) presentation of a Poster Project and participation in the BUSPH departmental integration seminar.


Tuition
The cost for the MPH degree reflects the cost of the additional course work at the BUSPH. The traditional MPH is a 48 credit degree program. BUSM students enrolled in the MD-MPH dual degree program receive 16 credits for overlapping course work completed for the MD degree as described above. In addition, BUSM students enrolled in the MD-MPH program will receive 8 scholarship credits from BUSPH. These are allocated two credits at a time for each of the first 4 BUSPH courses taken as an MD-MPH candidate. Consequently, while the MPH is a 48 credit degree program, MD-MPH students only have to complete an additional 32 credits of course work at BUSPH, and they only have to pay for 24 credits. Moreover, students entering BUSM with advanced standing may take one or two courses at BUSPH as part of the Advanced Standing Program as described above. As a result, it is possible for students with advanced standing who are subsequently accepted to the MD/MPH program to complete the MPH requirements while paying for only 16 credits. For more information on options for financing, students are advised to meet with personnel of the Medical Center's Office of Student Financial Management.


Eligibility and Application Procedures

All medical students accepted to BUSM are eligible to apply to the MD-MPH dual degree program.  Students interested in the MD-MPH program should apply first to BUSM and indicate their interest in the dual degree program. (Indicating an interest in the MD-MPH program does not affect the likelihood of acceptance into the MD program, nor does it commit you to the dual degree program.) Once accepted to BUSM, students who decide to apply to the MD-MPH program should submit an application to BUSPH via the SOPHAS online application system (see below) before the end of their first year of medical school.

SOPHAS Application

Once accepted into the MD program at BUSM students my apply to the MD-MPH program by filing an on-line application to the Boston University School of Public Health via SOPHAS, the centralized application service for CEPH-accredited schools of public health. The fee for SOPHAS is $95.00 for application to one designated school of public health.

Transcripts: Applicants are required to submit official transcripts directly to SOPHAS. Copies of transcripts can not be submitted directly to BUSPH.

Standardized Tests: Applicants must report their MCAT scores via the SOPHAS application. However, if official copies of the MCAT scores reside with your school, you may request that a copy of these scores be sent to BUSPH instead of requesting an official copy being sent to SOPHAS.

Letters of Reference: Dual degree candidates are required to submit three letters of reference, one of which must speak to their interest in public health. Applicants may request that copies of their letters of reference be sent from the BUSM Office of Admissions directly to SOPHAS, or the applicant may submit three new letters of reference to SOPHAS. Applicants will need to list their recommenders in SOPHAS.

The application to the Boston University School of Public Health may be submitted any time after acceptance to BUSM until the end of the first year of medical school. However, interested students are encouraged to apply soon after they are accepted into BUSM. Interested students are encouraged to send questions about the program to Dr. Wayne LaMorte, the director of the MD-MPH program. Once you are accepted into the dual degree program, you should make an appointment to meet with Dr. LaMorte to review program requirements and to map out a schedule of study for the combined programs.


Advising

All dual degree students must meet with the MD-MPH advisor in the School of Public Health (Dr. Wayne LaMorte) and their medical school advisor at the beginning of their program to develop a plan of study.


Frequently Asked Questions:

When should I apply to the MD-MPH program? Should I check the MD-MPH box on the AMCAS application?

The key to getting into the MD-MPH dual degree program at Boston University Medical Center is getting accepted into the BU School of Medicine (BUSM). Once you are accepted into BUSM, you still need to file an application with the School of Public Health (BUSPH), but your acceptance is virtually guaranteed, and there are no quotas. If you check off the box for MD-MPH on the AMCAS application, all it really does is alert the admissions office at BUSM that you are interested in the dual degree program. It doesn't obligate you to anything, and it has absolutely no impact on your likelihood of acceptance into BUSM. Go ahead and check off the MD-MPH box on AMCAS, but do not file an application to BUSPH until after you have been accepted to BUSM. If you are not accepted into BUSM or you choose to go elsewhere, you will have saved time and effort. If you are accepted to BUSM and choose to come, you can then file an application with BUSPH through SOPHAS.   There is also no rush about applying to the MPH part of it; you can wait until you arrive on campus, and you can apply any time during your first year of medical school. However, the process of applying to the dual degree program is easier if you apply early, since some of your admission documents for BUSM can be sent to SOPHAS, saving you time and effort.

Is a thesis required for the MD-MPH dual degree program?
Is a practicum required?

A thesis in not required for the MD-MPH dual degree program, but a practicum is required. For the MD-MPH students the practicum is usually a public health-related project that is undertaken as a one month elective rotation during the last year of medical school. It may be research-based, but they usually are not, i.e., they don't require collection and analysis of raw data. Their focus is fairly flexible. MD-MPH students must register for their practicum in the semester before they complete the project, but they register for it as a 0 credit course. Students undertaking the practicum complete an online introduction to the practicum. When the project has been completed, all students present their work at a poster session (scheduled once each semester) and also attend an "integration seminar" the same day in the department in which they concentrated.  

Is it possible to incorporate overseas projects into the MD-MPH program?

MD-MPH students generally complete 32 credits of BUSPH coursework between their 3rd and 4th year of medical school. This doesn't allow much time for overseas travel, but their may be opportunities for short (2-4 week) overseas projects, particularly between the first and second year of medical school or as electives in the last two years. They are not a routine part of the MD-MPH.

Are there scholarships for MD-MPH students?

Yes. As of September 2008 all BUSM students enrolled in the MD-MPH program will receive 8 scholarship credits from the School of Public Health. These are allocated two credits at a time for each of the first 4 BUSPH courses taken as an MD-MPH candidate. In addition, BUSPH accepts 16 credits of course work from BUSM towards the MPH. Consequently, while the MPH is a 48 credit degree program, MD-MPH students only have to complete an additional 32 credits of course work at BUSPH, and they only have to pay for 24 credits.  

What is the tuition for the additional (MPH) year?

BUSPH tuition for 2008-2009 will be $18,270 per semester (12-18 credits). This is substantially less than the medical school rate.

If I enroll in the dual degree program, can I drop the MPH component and still receive my MD degree if I change my mind for financial or other reasons?

Yes, you may resign from the MD-MPH dual degree program by submitting a letter to the Director of the MD-MPH program, the BUSM Registrar, and the BUSPH Registrar. This will not affect your MD degree.

Can I complete the course work for the MPH before beginning the first year of medical school at BUSM?

MPH course work for the MD-MPH program is generally completed between the 3rd and 4th year of medical school. However, if a student has been accepted to BUSM, he or she may appeal to the Associate Dean for Admissions at BUSM for delayed matriculation. Also, if a student admitted into the MPH program at BUSPH who is accepted into BUSM before completing MPH requirements, he or she may be transferred into the MD-MPH dual degree program. In addition, credits in core courses and concentration courses taken at BUSPH prior to entry into BUSM can be applied to the MPH component of the MD-MPH program.

Can I transfer credits from another school of public health into the MD-MPH program?

No, the MPH course work has to be completed at BUSPH.

If I am a student in a medical school other than BUSM can I still complete the MPH at BUSPH with 32 credits of coursework?

No. If you are coming from another medical school, you have to complete the entire 48 credits and all other requirements for the MPH just as if you were a standard MPH candidate.

Can I enter the MD-MPH program after I have received my MD degree and still complete my MPH requirements with only 32 credits of course work?

No. An important aspect of the dual degree program is the integration of the two programs. If you have already graduated from medical school, you would have to apply to BUSPH for the traditional 48 credit MPH program without any of the tuition reductions available to our MD-MPH students.

Are all eight concentration areas for MPH students also available for MD-MPH students?

Yes, but for some concentration areas (Biostatistics and Environmental Health) completing all course work within two semesters can be difficult and, at the very least, will require advance planning.

For specific information or questions regarding the MD-MPH program, contact:
Wayne W. LaMorte, MD, PhD, MPH
Director, MD-MPH Program
Boston University Medical Center
715 Albany St., Talbot Building, Room 510 East
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  
Telephone: (617) 638-5073

For further information regarding admission to the School of Public Health contact:
Office of Admissions
Boston University School of Public Health, Talbot C202
715 Albany Street
Boston, MA 02118-2531
Telephone: 617/638-4640
Fax: 617/638-5299
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
http://sph.bu.edu/admissions/
 
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