MPH Spring 2 Courses

MPH0010 Zoonoses: An Emerging Public Health Issue

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Zoonoses diseases transmitted from animals to humans are increasingly being recognized as emerging or re-emerging disease threats to public health. This course will explore the interactions between physicians veterinarians and public health professionals; provide an understanding of the public health consequences of these diseases; and explore preventive measures. Finally we will set the framework for discussions of agents of bioterrorism and the public health response to these threats. The course attracts top speakers from across the country in the fields of public health infectious diseases veterinary medicine and the biomedical sciences. Pre-requisite: MPH0400 Introduction to Epidemiology

MPH0015 History of Public Health

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

What can history tell us about the current state of public health in the United States? This overview of the history of public health will examine evolving notions of a healthy public. Looking at the underlying social political and cultural structures that aid hinder and shape the public health mission it will place the history of public health in the context of the larger histories of medicine the nation and the world. Several disease case studies will be looked at in detail to provide insight into the factors that go into successful--and unsuccessful--public health movements. The course will conclude with a look at recent public health crises to understand them within the context of global history.

MPH0016 LGB/TGD/Q+ Health: Research, Policies and Best Practices

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender diverse and queer + identified (LGB/TGD/Q+) people have made considerable progress in securing equal rights, from open military service to marriage equality. Polling data indicates the general public has increasingly positive views of LGBTQI civil rights. Despite this, LGB/TGD/Q+ persons still face discrimination, stigma and exclusion in many policy arenas and significant health disparities. Development of an evidence base for LGB/TGD/Q+ health interventions remains in critical need of more dedicated efforts. This course reviews the demographics and diversity of LGB/TGD/Q+ populations; advances and gaps in LGB/TGD/Q+ health knowledge and research; and policies and strategies in public health practice towards achieving fuller health equity for LGB/TGD/Q+ persons.

Pre-requisites: MPH0001 Introduction to Public Health or MPH0700 Introduction to Global Health

MPH0021 Seminar in Applied Preventive Medicine

Credits: 1 Offered: Spring 2

This weekly seminar focuses on current local, national, and international issues in public health and preventive medicine. Discussions center on critical review of new published literature in public health and include topics related to health policy, economic and legal issues, and the impact of these issues on the health of populations. There will be didactics on public health ethics, risk communications and preventive medicine research as well as critical review of enrolled student research or theses. On a rotating basis, each student is responsible for setting the agenda and chairing seminar discussions.

Pre-requisites: MPH0400 Introduction to Epidemiology MPH0300 Introduction to Biostatistics

Students who are not Residents in the Department of Preventive Medicine must receive permission from Course Director prior to enrolling in this course.

MPH0023 Culminating Experience Seminar

Credits: 1 Offered: Spring 2

This seminar is designed for second year students who will be completing Culminating Experience (thesis manuscript or capstone). These works are more than a paper - They are major independent projects that requires you to design implement and present professional work of public health significance. This course will help you design your Culminating Experience start writing and give and receive feedback from peers. The course is heavily interactive. We will work with materials provided primarily by the students. By the end of the term you should be ready to complete your Culminating Experience. This course is the prerequisite for registering for MPH0099 Thesis. Pre-requisites: Students must have completed MPH0320 Research Methods. Students must have their Thesis Proposal Outline completed and their Statement of Thesis Support submitted to the Program Office before registering for this course.

MPH0090 Practicum for Public Health

Credits: 0 Offered: Spring 2

The Practicum experience provides the student with an exciting opportunity to implement and practice lessons learned in the classroom offering the possibility to integrate knowledge and expose the student to new and exciting prospects for future professional development. The Practicum (Applied Practice Experience) Proposal must be submitted to the Office of Public Health Practice for approval prior to the start of the practicum. Students who matriculated prior to Fall 2017 will register for MPH0090 to satisfy the fieldwork requirement. Pre-requisite: Practicum Proposal, Students should complete at least 15 credits of MPH coursework before starting the Practicum.

MPH0092 Applied Practice Experience

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

For students who matriculated in or after Fall 2017 The Applied Practice Experience provides the student with an opportunity to translate theory into practice within a public health setting. The Applied Practice Experience Proposal must be submitted to the Office of Public Health Practice for approval prior to the beginning the experience. Students who matriculated in the Fall 2017 term or later will register for MPH0092 to satisfy the fieldwork requirement. Pre-requisites:Applied Practice Experience Proposal; Students should complete at least 15 credits of MPH coursework before starting the Practicum.

MPH0095 Independent Study for Public Health

Credits: 1-3 Offered: Spring 2

An Independent Study is an elective option providing the student with an opportunity to delve more thoroughly into an area of public health of specific interest to him/her. An Independent Study Proposal should be submitted at least six weeks prior to the anticipated start of the proposed project/course of study. This is to ensure that the goals meet the overall objectives of the Master of Public Health Program before a student commits any time and energy. Approval when granted is conditional upon the student completing all of the outlined requirements. The student must submit a Postscript Report and request that the faculty sponsoring the Independent Study complete the Evaluation Form. Final credits are awarded at the end of the project by approval of the Program Director. Three credits are the maximum number of credits that may be awarded to any Independent Study. One credit represents approximately 45 hours of work. Please note that students will not receive any more than three credits for one project/course of study. Each student may complete no more than two independent study projects. An Independent Study must be a unique experience. Material covered during an independent study project should be highly targeted and not simply a review of the regularly offered coursework. Independent study projects should not be attempts to take MPH courses that are offered routinely during the academic year. Students should not expect an Independent Study project to exempt them from required courses without approval by the Specialty Track Advisor and the Program Director. Please see the Student Handbook for the full policy and procedures associated with the Independent Study option.

MPH0097 Culminating Experience

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Students who are completing a First Author Manuscript or Capstone should register for MPH0097 Culminating Experience (students who are completing a Master’s Thesis should register for MPH0099 only). Students register for their Culminating Experience in their last term before degree conferral while preparing to submit their First Author Manuscript or Capstone. Please refer to the MPH Culminating Experience Guide as a resource for the steps that need to be taken to fulfill the Culminating Experience requirement.

MPH0098 Project Continuation

Credits: 0 Offered: Spring 2

Students who have previously registered for the required credits for the MPH Culminating Experience and who are approved by the Program to complete the MPH Culminating Experience in a full time manner in the last term of their attendance at ISMMS may register for 0 credits of MPH0098 Project Continuation. Registration is granted to students upon review of academic progress and approval by the Graduate Program in Public Health. Please refer to the MPH Culminating Experience Guide as a resource for the steps that need to be taken to fulfill the Culminating Experience requirement.

MPH0099 Thesis: Masters in Public Health

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Students who are completing a Master’s Thesis should register for MPH0099 in their last term before degree conferral while preparing to submit their Thesis. Please refer to the MPH Culminating Experience Guide as a resource for the steps that need to be taken to fulfill the Culminating Experience requirement.

MPH0100 Introduction to Policy & Management

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Why did U.S. health reform pass in 2010 when historically large scale reform of this magnitude has been blocked? How will the states implement health reform and will it be defeated through a constitutional challenge? Why is HIV prioritized over other health areas even though the global burden is lower than other diseases? How are new public-private partnerships transforming the financing of health systems? This course aims to assist students in understanding how political processes shape health policy and health outcomes both domestically and internationally. Through an introduction to theoretical and applied concepts in public policy and political science students will learn how to assess the political feasibility of different health policy options and how to craft persuasive policy briefs targeting decision makers at all levels of government. In addition to theoretical material the course will draw on insights from a concrete set of case studies across a variety of health policy topics including: the politics of health reform in the U.S. global health agenda setting and health system strengthening in developing countries among other topics.

MPH0104 Healthcare in Communities and the Public Sector

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

A major focus of this class is on understanding how community life and health are related. Students will learn how to analyze communities compare data regarding the health status of communities and to compare selected communities to each other. Case material will be used to emphasize the multiple ways one can assist communities as a whole and those at risk for health problems. Exemplars will be offered by guest lecturers involved in community change. Social and economic factors will be identified that affect community health status.

MPH0107 Accounting & Budgeting for Public Health Administration

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Financial statements enable managers to evaluate the performance of an organization and assess its financial position. Budgets based on forecasts take the form of projected statements and serve as an important managerial tool for planning and control purposes. This course provides an introduction the accounting budgeting and financial reporting techniques commonly used in the health care and not-for-profit environment. Emphasis is placed on enabling students to become comfortable with financial analysis budgets and commonly-used financial terminology so that they can effectively address financial matters they will encounter in leadership roles in health care and not-for-profit organizations.

MPH0110 Pharmacoeconomics

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Why is Gilead Science’s Hepatitis C pill (Sovaldi) so expensive ($84000 per course of therapy about $1000 a pill) and is its approximately 90% cure rate worth the cost? US FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb recently (WSJ 8.25.18) commented on the difficulty in valuing curative therapies. How important is cost in health policy decisions? Why are pharmaceutical companies more and more developing “orphan” drugs that is drugs for rare diseases. In the current healthcare environment in the US there is rationing of healthcare often not on an objective basis. What makes a medication or device cost-effective or not? Authorities in many countries are using cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) to make reimbursement decisions and cost of treatments and diagnostics are being hotly debated. Why are there major initiatives afoot even in U.S. medical societies (i.e. American College of Cardiology American Society of Clinical Oncology) to incorporate cost-effectiveness (“value”) into medical decision-making? How are these analyses being done? Learn the principles of CEA get hands-on experience and tutorials with software often used watch excerpts of debates about making Hepatitis C treatments available in California Medicaid and other markets. Hear a key pharmaceutical company researcher discuss his challenges in use of CEA in the fragmented US healthcare coverage environment see user-friendly computer programs that have been developed based on these analyses and debate the use of CEA in making life-or-death reimbursement decisions. This introductory course focuses on the concepts and principles of pharmacoeconomics with particular emphasis on modeling methodologies and data sources. Students will learn about the international use of pharmacoeconomics in drug regulation pricing and reimbursement. Examples of pharmacoeconomic models will illustrate the theoretical lessons.

MPH0203 Introduction to Medical Anthropology

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Biomedicine is defined as the medical science that applies biological and physiological principles in clinical practice to cure patients from disease. For biomedicine the cause of sickness is found at the cellular level-- that is when a pathogen or germ alters the natural balance of the organism. To restore health is to trace and eradicate the physiological entity affecting the organism. In Western societies this scientific understanding of disease is not only at the core of biomedical practice but also of people’s imagination. To enter as a patient in the realm of biomedicine is to enter the realm of science factuality and expert knowledge. Because scientific practice deals with “Nature” science is not only perceived as objective but as removed from culture. This course will attempt to reveal biomedicine as a cultural system. See the Public Health Curriculum Guide for a complete description of the aims of this course.

MPH0210 Health and Literacy: Improving Health Communication Efforts

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

The issue of health literacy is critically important to the development of effective health communication strategies and outreach. National evaluations of literacy have raised serious concerns about the ability of nearly half the U.S. adult population to access understand and apply health communication messages (NAAL 2003) including those messages found in health information related to health care services and exchanged during health provider/patient interaction. This course explores the link between literacy and health in the US and how poor health literacy impacts accessing understanding and applying health communication messages. Course participants will learn how to take health literacy into account in their work as public health practitioners by understanding the consequences of low health literacy in health outcomes conducting health literacy loads of spoken and written material and developing skills to communicate health more effectively across a variety of settings and contexts.

MPH0216 Health Promotion Strategies

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Health promotion is the practice of educating equipping and empowering individuals with the information and resources they need to fight disease. It is the process of empowering people to increase control over their health and its determinants through health literacy efforts and multi-sectoral action to increase healthy behaviors. This includes activities focused on individual behavior as well as a wide range of social and environmental interventions. Increasingly lifestyle strategies such as whole food plant-based diet exercise stress management tobacco and alcohol cessation and other non-drug modalities are being used to prevent treat and reverse chronic disease. This course offers the knowledge and skills recommended by a national panel of representatives from physician and health professional organizations as the basis for providing quality health promotion in lifestyle medicine services. The course provides basic grounding the field of health promotion and disease prevention via lifestyle medicine and focuses on practice skills for public health professionals.

MPH0320 Research Methods

Credits: 1 Offered: Spring 2

Research Methods encompasses a set of fundamental skills and tools necessary for approaching the process of developing and answering a research question being a future investigator or an informed consumer of information in the marketplace. This course provides a solid and practical framework enabling students to successfully embark upon their Culminating Experience. As a prerequisite in the conduct of research it prepares students to conceptualize propose design and write research papers in general.Topics covered include the characteristics of a research study formulating a research question experimental research designs survey construction data analysis and interpretation and evaluation of research. Also addressed are strategies for conducting literature searches research ethics informed consent and elements of a research proposal. Students will be required to complete IRB training HIPPA training data security training and outline a research proposal for their Culminating Experience project by the end of this course.Full time students are required to take this course in the Spring II Term of their first year in the Master of Public Health Program. The course is only open to matriculated students in the Master of Public Health Program. This course is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Recommended Pre-requisites: MPH0001 Introduction to Public Health or MPH0700 Introduction to Global Health

MPH0410 Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

This course covers two broad components of infectious disease epidemiology: the methods used for the investigation of the etiology and distribution of infectious diseases, and a review of infectious diseases of major public health significance. By the end of this course students should have a thorough understanding of the both the practice of infectious disease epidemiology and the current and emerging global burden of infectious disease.

MPH0411 Journal Club for Health Professionals

Credits: 1 Offered: Spring 2

This intermediate level Journal Club builds upon the Introductory Journal Club, training students in the presentation of articles relevant to the public health specialties of environmental, occupational and preventive medicine. Each student will be assigned a week to be responsible for selecting and presenting an article relevant to their area of specialization. The student may decide to invite a Mount Sinai faculty expert in the particular topic to provide additional commentary on the article. Prior to class, all students are required to read the article and complete a short critique form. All students are expected to participate in class discussions.

Pre-requisites: MPH0300 Introduction to Biostatistics or MPH0800 Advanced Introduction to Biostatistics MPH0400 Introduction to Epidemiology

Students must be currently licensed health professionals, however if they are not currently licensed they must obtain the approval of the Course Director to enroll. The Club meets once a month for the academic year. This course is graded on a Pass/Fail basis.

MPH0420 Epidemiology III

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Epidemiology III will cover the theoretical and practical considerations of analysis and interpretation of data generated from epidemiologic studies. Through lectures and guided analysis of epidemiologic datasets, students will learn the analytic approaches and modelling techniques used to investigate exposure-disease relationships within various epidemiologic study designs. This course will also include more advanced topics such as mediation analysis and the use of sensitivity analyses to quantify the impact of potential biases. As part of this course, students will perform an independent analysis of epidemiologic data to demonstrate mastery of the presented content. Students can use any statistical software they prefer for assignments, but all course examples, sample code and programming support will be provided using SAS only.

Pre-requisite: MPH0412 Epidemiology II

MPH0421 Research Seminar in Epidemiology

Credits: 2 Offered: Spring 2

This course aims to help the MS in Epidemiology students develop effective written and oral scientific communications from their Culminating Experience. The course is divided into three main sections that cover the creation of effective (A) scientific posters, (B) written communications in format of a scientific manuscript or a thesis, and (C) oral presentations of an epidemiology project. This is a highly interactive student-centered and student-led course. We will work in class with materials provided primarily by the students, including student poster, manuscript/thesis and oral presentation drafts. All students will be required to give and receive constructive feedback from other peers on how to improve their written and oral communications based on what they have learned in class. Students must have their Culminating Experience Proposal Outline signed by their faculty advisor and submitted to the Program Office before the first day of class and are strongly encouraged to write as much of their Culminating Experience materials as possible during this course.

MPH0422 Big Data Epidemiology: Introduction to OMICS Research

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Omics is an emerging multidisciplinary and rapidly evolving field that has started to impact both clinical practice and public health and holds promise to significantly improve precision medicine. Omics encompasses many molecular biology domains including genomics epigenomics transcriptomics proteomics metabolomics and exposomics. These molecular domains can offer a more nuanced perspective on how multiple exposures (e.g. environmental lifestyle social factors) affect health compared with traditional research approaches. However omics datasets are large (tens of thousands of variables or more) resulting in analytical challenges that require adaptation of existing epidemiology designs and methods. This course will provide an overview of omics research areas and applications latest omics epidemiology advances and hands-on training in big omics data analysis. Pre-requisite: MPH0412 Epidemiology II MPH0812 Applied Linear Models I

MPH0515 Toxicology

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

This course provides an introduction to the major concepts in toxicology with particular emphasis on agents with public health relevance including metals pesticides air pollution drugs of abuse medication and stress. The curriculum is designed to make toxicology accessible to students with broad scientific backgrounds including those outside of the biological science disciplines. Students will learn the basic principles of toxicology as well as review target organs systems contaminants and mechanisms of actions of certain classes of compounds. Specific target organ toxicities will include hepatic renal cardiovascular pulmonary neuronal developmental reproductive and endocrine systems. We will use in-class exercises and small groups to discuss recent publications apply concepts and understand the current knowledge of specific toxicological agents and their effects. This course is designed to present toxicology as an interdisciplinary science in public health.

MPH0525 Communitology

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Life expectancy on the Upper East Side is 86 years compared to 77 years in East Harlem. Why should this be? This course introduces the learner to the root causes of health disparities confronting resource-poor communities, with particular focuses on children, the environment, and social determinants of health (SDHs).

We cover topics ranging from chemical exposures; qualities of the built environment; the health effects of climate change; and the mechanisms of toxic stress and epigenetics. We cover basic principles of exposure assessment; skills in pediatric environmental exposure history taking; and the adverse effects of environmental exposures on child neurodevelopment. Students learn how to design risk communication strategies for environmental exposures targeted to a specific group of children, access pediatric health reference material, apply state-of-the-art clinical evidence in the formulation of public health policy, and advocate for child health. The course format is participatory, and includes discussing peer-reviewed literature, lectures and clinical case scenarios.

MPH0010 Zoonoses: An Emerging Public Health Issue

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Zoonoses diseases transmitted from animals to humans are increasingly being recognized as emerging or re-emerging disease threats to public health. This course will explore the interactions between physicians veterinarians and public health professionals; provide an understanding of the public health consequences of these diseases; and explore preventive measures. Finally we will set the framework for discussions of agents of bioterrorism and the public health response to these threats. The course attracts top speakers from across the country in the fields of public health infectious diseases veterinary medicine and the biomedical sciences. Pre-requisite: MPH0400 Introduction to Epidemiology

MPH0717 Global Reproductive and Maternal Health

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

Reproductive health conditions - including HIV/AIDS - are a leading cause of death and illness in women worldwide (15-44 years of age). This course introduces the student to the challenges that perpetuate high rates of maternal, reproductive, and sexual health morbidity and mortality among women and girls worldwide. We will analyze not only the health conditions that drive this morbidity and mortality in low and middle-income countries—such as complications of pregnancy (unsafe abortion, maternal hemorrhage), HIV/AIDS, cervical cancer, gender-based violence, and harmful traditional practices--but also the respective health system and structural barriers that limit access to quality health services and contribute to the vulnerability of women and girls in different low-resource settings.

The course emphasizes participatory learning: Using a Journal Club structure, students will discuss, dissect, and debate relevant research papers - primarily through student-led discussions. Students will gain a greater understanding of the role of research in contributing to health advocacy, policy, and programming in the U.S. and internationally and evaluate the effectiveness of different research designs and interventions. Working in small groups, students will iteratively formulate their own research question and proposal to address a reproductive health outcome of interest to them.

MPH0795 Public Health Conference

Credits: 1 Offered: Spring 2

The Public Health Conference provides students with the opportunity to delve deeper into public health topics presented at the annual Public Health Research Day at ISMMS. Students will be required to attend and be active participants during the full day of events, which includes a keynote lecture, oral presentations, and a poster session. Academic requirements include a topic summary for one aspect of the conference and a conference evaluation.

MPH0822 Applied Linear Models II

Credits: 3 Offered: Spring 2

This course provides a comprehensive overview of regression methods for analysis of categorical (binary and count) data and survival data, with applications to epidemiological and clinical studies. Topics discussed include logistic regression analysis, log linear model for contingency tables, Poisson regression, and survival regression. The emphasis is on concepts and application rather than on underlying theory. As mathematical results are presented without proof, students are not required to be proficient in calculus or matrix algebra.

Pre-requisite: MPH0812 Applied Linear Models I

MPH8001 Maintenance of Matriculation

Credits: 0 Offered: Spring 2

Matriculated students must either register for at least one credit-bearing course or register for “Maintenance of Matriculation” for every term up until graduation. Maintenance of Matriculation allows students continued access to essential academic and student services such as access to the ISMMS network and email; however students on Maintenance of Matriculation status will not be eligible for financial aid. Students with compelling circumstance who wish not to maintain their matriculation status but need to discontinue their studies for a period of time can apply for a Leave of Absence from the program (see Leave of Absence and Withdrawal section). The Maintenance of Matriculation fee is $500 per academic semester or $333 per term for students in programs on trimesters