The Graduate Program in Public Health adopted the following 22 foundational public health competencies in January 2019. The foundational competencies are put forth by the Council on Education for Public Health. These competencies are informed by the traditional public health core knowledge areas, (biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, health services administration and environmental health sciences), as well as cross-cutting and emerging public health areas. The Program also maintains a list of track-specific competencies and curriculum development.

The competencies shall be the primary guide against which student achievement is measured in the classroom, in the Applied Practice Experience, in the Culminating Experience, as well as in other service-learning opportunities. Going forward, the Program Competencies herein replace those in previous iterations of the Student Handbook and all other program materials.

Students should understand that the Program Competencies are not intended to represent an endpoint that is reached at the time of graduation or expect in every case a one-to-one correlation to a particular class or exercise. Rather, these competencies provide a baseline overview of the knowledge, skills, and other attributes that might be expected for emerging public health professionals. The foundational competencies serve as a framework for Program development, and for continual professional development that is driven by the student. Completion of the program will assure that all students have demonstrated the student’s ability to perform the foundational competencies.

Evidence-based Approaches to Public Health

1. Apply epidemiological methods to settings and situations in public health practice

2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context

3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming, and software, as appropriate

4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice

Public Health & Health Care Systems

1. Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings

2. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels.

Planning & Management to Promote Health

1. Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health

2. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design, implementation, or critique of public health policies or programs

3. Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention

4. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management

5. Select methods to evaluate public health programs

Policy in Public Health

1. Discuss the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence

2. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes

3. Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations

4. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity

Leadership

1. Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue

2. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges

Communication

1. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors

2. Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e., non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation

3. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content

Interprofessional Practice

1. Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health

Systems Thinking

1. Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative

The Master of Public Health degree is a two-year program that prepares students for careers in public health. Applicants to the Program must have a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university. For complete program description and application materials please visit the website.

To complete the Master of Public Health degree, students are required to obtain a minimum of 45 credits, complete a 150-hour Applied Practice Experience, and complete a Culminating Experience (Thesis, First Author Manuscript, Capstone).

The Graduate Program in Public Health offers an MPH degree accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. In 2015, the Program was reaccredited through July 1, 2024. In 2024, the Program will undergo review for reaccreditation.

This chapter covers the Master of Public Health and Advanced Certificate in Public Health Programs. Students can find the following information in this section.

• Program Information

• Program Competencies

• Program Requirements

  • Curricular Requirements

  • Requirements to Graduate

  • Standards for Maintaining Satisfactory Progress

• Curriculum

• Advising

• Culminating Experience

The GSBS’s Graduate Program in Public Health includes the following programs:

• Master of Public Health

• Master of Science in Epidemiology

• Advanced Certificate in Public Health

• Dual Degree Programs

  • MD-MPH

  • DPM-MPH

This section covers the following program requirements:

• Curricular Requirements

• Requirements to Graduate

• Standards for Maintaining Satisfactory Progress

International Student Degree Completion Policy

International students enrolled in the MPH program are allowed a maximum of six terms from their initial enrollment term to complete their degree requirements. The International Programs Office (IPO) will be kept informed of the degree completion dates for all international students.

The Program Office, in collaboration with IPO, will conduct regular check-in meetings with international students each term. These meetings will serve as an opportunity to remind students of their degree requirements, address any questions or concerns they may have, and provide support as needed. The Program Office will inform concentration advisors about the requirements and timeline for international students, ensuring that they are aware of any specific considerations regarding degree completion.

Maintaining Full-Time Status:

International students who hold an F1 student visa must maintain full time status in each term. Graduate students who carry 9 or more credits each semester or trimester are considered full-time students. Those students who register for less than 9 credits may, in certain situations, be granted "full-time equivalency" if engaged in full-time educational activities. Typically, full-time equivalency is granted if one of the following applies:

• Taking 7-8 credits of coursework and working as a teaching or research assistant for the program.

• Completing or have fulfilled all coursework requirements and are working full time on thesis research or dissertation research.

Students who are granted full-time equivalency will be designated as "full-time" by the Registrar. International graduate students who enroll in less than 9 credits and who are not eligible for full-time equivalency may jeopardize their visa status and should consult with the Office of International Personnel.

The Master of Public Health is a two-year course of study with classes conveniently offered in the evening, generally from 4 PM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday on a term basis - Fall, Spring I and Spring II. To complete the Master of Public Health degree, students are required to earn a minimum of 45 credits maintaining a grade point average of B (3.0), complete a 150-hour Applied Practice Experience and write a Culminating Experience (Master’s Thesis, First Author Manuscript, or Capstone).

Navigating Through the MPH Degree

MPH students must read and continually reference the Student Handbook, Curriculum Guide, Applied Practice Experience Guide, Culminating Experience Guide, Track Checklists, and Sample Curriculum to understand the expectations of the Master of Public Health degree.

Students should contact the Academic Program Office with questions regarding policies and procedures, degree requirements, and questions or concerns regarding the Program.

Students are expected to seek guidance from their Specialty Track Advisor regarding their interest in specific topics in public health. Specialty Track Advisors can provide information and advice regarding elective courses, Applied Practice Experience and Culminating Experience opportunities, proposals, competencies, and development, as well as information on the public health profession.

The Graduate Program in Public Health offers an Advanced Certificate in Public Health. The certificate is a 15-credit hour program of study. Students can choose from three tracks of study: General Public Health, Global Health or Outcomes Research. The certificate program offers a foundation in public health training for students and practitioners in public health. Certificate students attend courses alongside Master of Public Health students. While enrolled in the certificate program, students may only register for the courses which are outlined in the advanced certificate program course requirements. Students in the certificate program may register for a maximum of 15 credits. Credits in this program may be used towards the MPH degree upon approval by Academic Program Office and the Program Director. For any questions regarding the certificate program, please contact the Academic Program Office.

Peradeba Raventhirarajah, MPH Advisor of Certificate Programs Email: Peradeba.Raventhirarajah@mssm.edu

The NYCPM and the ISMMS Graduate Program in Public Health Program work together to offer podiatric college students the opportunity to complete an MPH degree during their podiatric training. Podiatric students interested in this should first contact Dr. Eileen Chusid at the NYCPM. Students interested in applying for matriculation to ISMMS while they are NYCPM students must first obtain approval from Dr. Chusid to apply to ISMMS.

Eileen Chusid, PhD Dean, Pre-Clinical Sciences New York College of Podiatric Medicine 53 East 124th Street New York, NY 10035 212-410-8127 EChusid@nycpm.edu

All financial aid is handled through the NYCPM. Podiatric students accepted into the ISMMS MPH Program complete the degree over the four years they are enrolled at NYCPM. Students typically complete course work and Applied Practice Experience during the first two years of training and a Culminating Experience during the last two years of training.

Dual Degree DPM-MPH students may transfer a total of 3 credits from NYCPM to be applied to the MPH degree at ISMMS. The transfer credits are limited to DCHMD 2615 Medical Ethics and the Art of Doctoring and DCHMD 2602 Research Methodology and Epidemiology. Students must earn a grade of B or better in these courses to be eligible for transfer credits. The transfer credits will serve as general MPH elective credits.

The Graduate Program in Public Health is a dynamic, cutting edge public health program, and as such, the course work for the degree programs offered are designed to be completed in a full-time manner. Students are permitted to take courses on a part time basis. To earn the MPH degree, students, regardless of their chosen track of study, must complete a total of 45-credits. The MPH degree must be completed within five years of the student's first matriculation date, including the completion of the Culminating Experience. Advanced Certificate students have a maximum of two years to complete the Advanced Certificate. Dual Degree MPH students have a maximum time to degree completion of seven years for the MPH degree. Students who do not complete the degree or certificate within this specified time frame will be withdrawn from the program. These time limits include any time for personal or medical leave of absence.

In the Graduate Program in Public Health, benchmarks of satisfactory progress must be completed as outlined in the specific program requirements. Students who are approaching the time limit for completion will be reviewed with enough notice so that a plan is in place to enable the student to complete the requirements by the end of the time limit.

If a student does not complete their degree within the Time to Complete Degree, it is the responsibility of the student to contact the Academic Program Office to discuss their plan to complete their degree. As students approach their maximum Time to Complete Degree they will be reminded of the Length of Time to Complete Degree policy. The student will be placed on a registration hold, and required to meet with the Academic Program Office to ensure that the degree is completed by the end of their maximum Time to Complete Degree. Students who do not complete their degree within the required time frame are administratively withdrawn from the program.

Under extenuating circumstances an extension of the Maximum Time to Complete Degree may be granted by the Academic Program Office and Program Director. If a student’s appeal for an extension is denied, the student may not reapply to the program.

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Graduate Program in Public Health offer a Dual MD-MPH Program that can be completed either during the 4 years of medical school or over a 5-year period with a “Scholarly Year” in medical school.

Four-Year Option

MD-MPH students choosing the Four Year Option take courses in the Graduate Program in Public Health beginning at 4 pm, after medical school classes have ended. Typically, four-year dual degree students complete all coursework and the Applied Practice Experience during the first two years of medical school and then complete the Culminating Experience during the last two years of medical school.

Five-Year Option

The five-year option allows current and new students to devote an entire year to MPH degree requirements. Students will be expected to complete at least three core courses during their first year of medical school (Introduction to Biostatistics, Introduction to Epidemiology, and Introduction to Global Health or Public Health). Typically, during the fifth year, students will take a Scholarly Year to complete the MPH requirements. Complete information about how to arrange a Scholarly Year is in the Scholarly Year packet available from the Medical Student Research Office which is located in the Annenberg Building, 13th floor room 13-30. The timing of the Scholarly Year is flexible and up to each student, though many may choose to begin the MPH year after completion of their third year medical clerkships.

It is important to note that not all MPH specialty tracks can be completed in this five-year option. Careful and early planning with the Dual MD-MPH degree advisor is necessary in order to ensure completion of degree requirements.

Furthermore, it is important that students speak with the Student Financial Services early on in their planning to ensure that all financial aid requirements are met.

Interested students should contact Academic Program Office to set up an appointment to discuss their individual interests and needs.

Dual MD-MPH Degree Expectations and Credit Benefits

Students who are pursuing a medical degree and a Master of Public Health degree must meet with the MD-MPH Academic Advisor at the beginning of the first year to plan for the next two years of coursework. Students pursuing both degrees have special demands that require careful attention to planning their public health courses along with medical school curricula.

MD-MPH students benefit from pursuing both degrees simultaneously. MD-MPH students may earn a maximum value of 12 MPH credits by completing certain MD requirements. Please see the list of credit benefits below.

• Ambulatory Care Clerkship: 4 MPH credits. This course is taken by medical students during Year 3 and has an emphasis on Clinical Preventive medicine as well as population medicine. Students incorporate population-based medicine and evidence-based medicine into direct patient care by analyzing and applying USPSTF Guidelines; socio-behavioral models of health and illness; and culturally sensitive models of care giving.

• InFocus Weeks: Maximum of 8 MPH credits. InFocus weeks are innovative and immersive courses taught through all four years of the medical school curriculum. They provide learning in topics critical to medical practice and biomedical research in the 21st century.

• Receive 4 weeks of elective credit in the medical school for MPH activities during Years 3 and 4 of medical school. Students should plan well ahead of time to ensure that they have ample time to finish MPH Applied Practice Experience activities and Culminating Experience requirements prior to graduation from the medical school.

Please contact the Academic Program Office and the Medical School Administration for information on how to formally process these benefits and inquire about any additional waivers or exemptions that may exist.

Status Change in Medical School and/or Graduate School

Dual MD-MPH students whose status changes in the medical school (e.g., leave of absence, probation, dismissal) are considered to have the same status change in the Graduate Program in Public health until and unless the circumstances are presented to the Academic Advisory Committee for review. The same applies to all students in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. The MPH Program reserves the right to determine the students’ status in the MPH Program independently from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Dual MD-MPH Academic Advisor

Dual MD-MPH students should meet with the dual MD-MPH Academic Advisor as early as possible during or prior to matriculating at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. If an MD-MPH student chooses to pursue a specialty track, they must meet with the Specialty Track Advisor as well. The Dual MD-MPH Academic Advisor will offer insight in managing the demands of both degrees and ensuring that students complete all necessary requirements for both programs.

Elizabeth J. Garland, MD, MS Dual MD-MPH Academic Advisor Email: elizabeth.garland@mssm.edu

The following residencies and fellowships include either MPH coursework or completion of the full MPH degree as part of the training:

• General Preventive Medicine Residency

• Occupational Medicine Residency

• General Internal Medicine Fellowship

• Pediatric Environmental Health Fellowship

• Family Planning Fellowship

Resident and fellow physicians in these programs should speak with their Program Directors about MPH course requirements and scheduling. Residency and Fellowship Directors have planned MPH curriculum that meets the requirements for MPH degree completion as well as the training requirements of each residency or fellowship program.

Mount Sinai resident and fellow physicians who are not part of these programs but would like to consider taking MPH courses or completing the MPH Degree should speak with their residency or fellowship Program Director as well as the Academic Program Office.

Master of Public Health students maintain satisfactory progress by:

• Making progress toward core and track courses - successfully completing required core courses within 2 attempts of taking the courses. Grades that are not considered a successful completion include: incomplete, missing grades, withdraws, and failing grades (F or below minimum).

• Successfully completing at least 50% of course credits attempted each semester.

• Resolving incomplete grades within the guidelines established by ISMMS.

• Attaining an overall grade point average of 3.0 is needed at the time of graduation to be eligible to earn the degree. Students who earn a GPA below 3.0 should raise their GPA within 3 consecutive terms to maintain Satisfactory Progress.

• Making progress toward degree requirements as outlined in the Applied Practice Experience Guide and Culminating Experience Guide.

• Demonstrating the ability to grow in professional skills.

• Completing the degree program within the maximum time to earn degree prescribed for the degree, as outlined in the Graduate Program in Public Health Student Handbook.

Students who do not meet the criteria for Good Standing may be placed on probation by the Program Director, Dean of the Graduate School, or their appointed representatives: including the Academic Advisory Committee and the Academic Program Office. Once a student is placed on academic probation, academic progress must be made within two terms. Dismissal is the likely consequence if performance continues to be unsatisfactory. Students on probation are considered enrolled.

Students are required to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Students who fall below a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Anytime a student’s GPA falls below 3.0, the Academic Program Office and the Academic Advisory Committee will be consulted and a plan for remediation developed. The student will meet with a member of the Academic Advisory Committee, develop an individual plan of remediation, and sign a statement of understanding that they are on academic probation.

The Academic Advisory Committee meets at the end of each term and reviews the progress of each student on probation. If the GPA has not improved in the subsequent term, the student will continue to meet the Academic Advisory Committee member revising the remediation plan, as needed. If the student’s GPA has not reached 3.0 within two terms having been placed on probation, the student may be dismissed from the program.

Any student pursuing ISMMS training/certifications/degrees, either primarily enrolled or while enrolled in another program (or on leave of absence from that program), must obtain approval of their study design for culminating projects, including any planned IRB-related submissions or questions regarding whether the project involves human subjects research, from the program advisor. If the student is enrolled in a second ISMMS program, the student is responsible for notifying both the primary and secondary programs of the filing of an academic LOA to ensure the status of the student is known to both program and any program handoffs/transitions are coordinated.

In addition to the General Public Health Track, which gives students a solid foundation in the five core areas of public health (biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, health policy & management, and socio-behavioral health) the Graduate Program in Public Health provides students with an opportunity to specialize in a specific public health concentration. Students are required to take the courses listed for the Specialty Track they choose to pursue. The credits accrued from required courses vary for each Specialty Track. In total, students must complete 45 credits to be eligible to earn the Master of Public Health.

The Specialty Tracks are:

• General Public Health

• Health Promotion & Disease Prevention

• Environmental Health Sciences

• Global Health

• Outcomes Research

• Biostatistics

• Health Care Management

• Epidemiology

MPH Requirements for all Specialty Tracks

*Students in the Global Health Track must take MPH 0700 Introduction to Global Health

**This course is required for most Tracks

***Tracks have specific seminar courses that vary between 1-2 credits

Specialization is not required and students are free to pursue a general program of study consisting of an amalgamation of courses across all specialty tracks. General Track students, however, must still complete a set of required courses from each of the five areas of basic public health knowledge: biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health services administration, and social/behavioral sciences.

1. Assess the health status of populations, to identify determinants of health or illness, or to ascertain factors influencing the use of health services.

2. Develop disease control or prevention programs in conjunction with the community.

3. Specify approaches for assessing, preventing, or controlling environmental and occupational hazards that pose risks to human health and safety.

4. Design, implement or evaluate public health programs and policies within a socio-ecological framework.

5. Assess how population health is influenced by the role by human right concerns and ethical dilemmas.

General Public Health Track Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

The MPH Outcomes Research Specialty Track gives students the necessary tools to contribute to the body of knowledge that determines how health care practices and interventions affect end results. End results include effects that people experience and care about, such as change in the ability to function. In particular, for individuals with chronic conditions—where cure is not always possible—end results include quality of life as well as mortality. By linking the care people get to the outcomes they experience, outcomes research has become the key to developing better ways to monitor and improve the quality of care.

Time and again, studies have shown that medical practices as commonplace as hysterectomy and hernia repair were performed much more frequently in some areas than in others, even when there were no differences in the underlying rates of disease. Furthermore, there was often no information about the end results for the patients who received a particular procedure, and few comparative studies to show which interventions were most effective. These findings challenged researchers, clinicians, and health systems leaders to develop new tools to assess the impact of health care services. The Outcomes Research Specialty Track gives students the competencies necessary to develop new evidence about benefits, risks, and results of treatments so that patients, physicians, public health practitioners and policy makers can make more informed decisions.

Examples of projects undertaken in this track over the past few years include: evaluating role of persistent depression in adherence to secondary prevention behaviors after acute coronary syndromes; evaluating differences in preventive services offered by gynecologists and generalists; food allergy as a risk factor for asthma morbidity in adults; determining factors associated with adherence to influenza vaccine among inner city adults with persistent asthma; association between minor and major surgical complications after carotid endarterectomy.

1. Analyze major clinical or public health problems or relevant clinical epidemiology, outcomes or health services research questions.

2. Critique the state of knowledge regarding clinical epidemiology, outcomes, health services research questions, or public health policy.

3. Explain the relative advantages or disadvantages of observational or experimental methods used in health services research.

4. Specify the process for outcome detection and their implications for improving health outcomes in health care research.

5. Understand and identify ethical issues related to OMICS research.

Outcomes Research Track Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

The MPH Global Health Track is designed for students interested in acquiring the competencies necessary to bring practical solutions to the health problems of underserved and neglected populations in resource poor settings worldwide. Many of the greatest challenges in public health are global. Experts in global health and individuals with a sense of responsibility towards populations lacking adequate access to health care are needed to help solve the many health problems these populations face. The MPH Global Health Specialty Track fosters the acquisition of the competencies necessary to bring positive, lasting change to challenged populations around the world.

The Global Health Specialty Track includes both didactic and practical experience designed to allow students to accomplish the competencies determined necessary to be global health practitioners. Classes feature many world-renowned lecturers from the fields of medicine, public health, social sciences, health economics and health management, as well as experts from NGOs and government policy makers. The courses are designed to give students a thorough understanding of the principles of public health, with special emphasis on globalization and human rights, and the arguments surrounding the interrelation of these fields of study.

In addition to the core course work an MPH with a global health emphasis includes coursework that covers a wide variety of topics such as equitable distribution of life-saving drugs, the health impact of asylum seekers, global communicable diseases, global trade, humanitarian aid and the public health impact of military intervention. Students acquire practical skills that enable them to work successfully in a wide variety of settings with diverse populations both domestically and abroad. With constant interaction between students and instructors, discussion and debate are important features of this course of study. Students are encouraged to pursue locations and study topics that are of particular interest to them.

Examples of projects undertaken in this track over the past few years include: working to improve the health of residents in India through child health nutrition programs and community education; examining the role of alternative and complementary medicine in villagers in rural outpatient settings in India; designing and teaching a basic public health curriculum in a local college in the Spirit Lake Nation of the Native American Dakota Tribe; performing targeted needs assessments in rural Kenya through collaboration with the International Rescue Committee which serves refugees affected by violent conflict.

1. Explain the global context in which public health problems occur including the social, political, or economic forces that underlay them.

2. Apply social justice or human rights principles in the assessment of public health programs, interventions or policies.

3. Describe the roles or relationships of the entities that influence global health.

4. Identify the leadership or management skills needed to effectively participate or lead local, national, or global reproductive and maternal rights organizations.

5. Describe multi-agency policy-making in response to complex health emergencies.

Global Health Track Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

The Environmental Health Sciences Specialty Track focuses on environmental exposures that affect human health that arise from air, water, food, work, and the built environment that affect the health of individuals and communities. This track also explores global environmental issues like climate change, and highlight emerging pollutants of concern and cutting-edge research on chemical exposures and fetal origins of adult diseases. Throughout the coursework and practical experiences, students will learn applicable principles of toxicology, environmental epidemiology, exposure and risk assessment, and strategies to prevent disease, as well as fundamentals of laws and regulation that address environmental and occupational hazards. Students also learn to recognize, address, and prevent common environmental and occupational health threats such as heavy metals, asthma triggers, pesticides, and solvents.

The Environmental Health Sciences Track is interdisciplinary and considers the broader context of environmental exposures and their contribution to health disparities on a local, national, and global scale. Students will gain a core skill set that will prepare them to become leaders in this important and growing field of public health.

1. Assess environmental or occupational exposures.

2. Identify the adverse effects of chemical, biological, or physical exposures on human health.

3. Design or interpret epidemiologic research related to toxic hazard.

4. Synthesize relevant information in order to assess or manage environmental or occupational risks.

5. Engage in public health messaging or risk communication activities with a focus on the environmental health

Environmental Health Sciences Track Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

The Health Care Management Specialty Track prepares graduates for positions of leadership and management in public health, health, government and community service organizations.

Students will learn competencies in strategic, ethical and accountable management practices, in state of the art human resource management and supervision, in the techniques of finance and budgeting, the use of quantitative tools for management accountability and for managing cost effective health care and they will learn to design, implement and evaluate programs and projects.

The Health Care Management specialty track curriculum provides competency-based learning in organizational development and organization behavior, including theory and application, team leadership, relationship building, collaboration and community orientation, social marketing, public relations and communication and information systems management and assessment.

1. Apply theories of organizational analysis, organizational behavior, or financial analysis to leading health organizations.

2. Design, implement, or manage cost-effective health projects.

3. Develop skills in team management, collaboration, or leadership to effect change at multiple levels.

4. Identify various health care payment methodologies for diverse at-risk populations.

5. Develop community partnerships within the context of sustainable service provision and evaluation.

Health Care Management Track Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

The Biostatistics Track provides students the necessary statistical reasoning and methodology skills to effectively design, assess, and analyze studies of the effectiveness and safety of therapeutic interventions, the characteristics and distribution of diseases in populations, health services research, and programs of health care delivery.

The Biostatistics Track builds on the core curriculum in the MPH program to offer students a practical foundation in biostatistics through courses in important areas such as statistical inference, probability, multivariable models, analysis of longitudinal and time to event (or survival) data, genetics, and statistical computing. This foundation is meant to be a springboard to launching a successful career in clinical research, for both clinical researchers seeking quantitative skills and those seeking careers as biostatisticians.

1. Apply the necessary quantitative, logical, or computational skills to successfully conduct clinical research.

2. Translate clinical questions into statistical hypotheses.

3. Construct and manage datasets for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies using statistical software.

4. Develop analytical strategies that take account of the specific qualities of data to be analyzed, sources of variation, or assumptions required.

5. Effectively communicate complicated statistical concepts and results to clinical colleagues or community partners.

Biostatistics Track Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

The epidemiology track provides students with the skills necessary to analyze public health trends, design and implement studies, and interpret the results for policy and program development. They also learn to investigate disease origins, and prevention and intervention strategies at the individual and societal levels. The program prepares graduates to take on leadership roles in clinical and population- based health research in government, health care institutions, and private industry.

In addition to the MPH-required coursework in health policy and management, socio-behavioral health, and occupational and environmental health, students take epidemiology track-specific coursework in epidemiology, biostatistics, and clinical outcomes research. Students are required to take two elective classes in specialized areas of epidemiology. Electives are available in infectious disease, chronic disease, molecular, genetic, and environmental and occupational epidemiology.

1. Develop capacity to complete in-depth epidemiological analyses using statistical software.

2. Critically synthesize the public health research or practice literature for a selected health topic.

3. Distinguish between a statistical association and a causal relationship using appropriate principles of causal inference.

4. Identify circumstances under which non-randomized (observational) designs are the best approach to addressing important health-related knowledge gaps.

5. Use tabular or graphical methods to explain model results.

Epidemiology Track Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

Students are expected to seek guidance from their Specialty Track Advisor regarding their interest in specific topics in public health. Specialty Track Advisors can provide information and advice regarding elective courses, Applied Practice Experience and Culminating Experience opportunities, proposals, competencies, and development, as well as information on the public health profession.

All MPH students are required to complete a Culminating Experience. The Culminating Experience is typically started towards the end of the student’s first year and completed by the end of the second year. The goal is for students to synthesize, integrate and apply the skills and competencies they have acquired to a public health problem. Students may choose to complete a Master’s Thesis, First Author Manuscript or Capstone to satisfy the Culminating Experience. The type of project completed will depend on the student’s Specialty Track and topic of interest.

The Culminating Experience must be completed under the direction of an ISMMS Faculty Advisor. The ISMMS Faculty Advisor may or may not be the student’s Specialty Track Advisor. Students can identify another ISMMS faculty member to serve as their ISMMS Faculty Advisor as appropriate. If a student is working closely with an offsite mentor, this mentor may serve as a co-advisor/second reader alongside an ISMMS Faculty Advisor.

Once an ISMMS Faculty Advisor has been determined, the student must submit the Statement of Support with an approved outline of the project to Academic Program Office. This Statement of Support must be submitted prior to initiating any research or project to ensure relevancy to public health.

The Culminating Experience requires:

• One written Thesis, First Author Manuscript or Capstone formatted according to applicable guidelines as outlined in the Culminating Experience Guide

• Two Oral Presentations

  • Public Health Research Day Poster Session in the Spring II term before graduation

  • 10-minute Oral Presentation to summarizing their Thesis, First Author Manuscript, or Capstone project to the ISMMS Faculty Advisor and Second Reader

• Forms documenting the experience

  • Statement of Support – submitted before beginning work

  • Evaluation – submitted after the Oral Presentation

  • Deposit Form - submitted after the Oral Presentation

  • Other documentation as detailed in the Culminating Experience Guide

Below are general descriptions of each of the three types of projects. Please read the Culminating Experience Guide on Blackboard for all details regarding the Culminating Experience.

Master’s Thesis

The goal of the Thesis is to advance or create new knowledge to an existing body of research. The student develops a research question and a hypothesis based on previous research on the topic. The student gathers data (either through primary or secondary data collection) and analyzes the data, usually with statistical analysis software, such as SAS or SPSS. The findings are then discussed as to whether or not they support the hypothesis. The study should be designed so that the results of the analysis are generalizable to a larger population, rather than the sample used in the student’s data analysis.

First Author Manuscript

The First Author Manuscript must be written in publishable format for a selected scholarly journal. Students meet with their Specialty Track Advisor and Culminating Experience ISMMS Faculty Advisor to determine which journal is most appropriate for their topic. The format of the paper is based on the formatting guidelines for submission as outlined by the selected journal.

Capstone

This scholarly project is much more applied in nature. The Capstone is a scholarly project developed for and with consultation of a public health organization or community agency. Generally, the capstone builds directly upon the Applied Practice Experience (formerly known as the Practicum experience) in that the student produces a deliverable based on the needs of the Applied Practice Experience site. The Capstone can take on several forms, including:

• Community Needs Assessment

• Public Health Program Plan

• Program Evaluation

• Training Manual

• Policy Analysis

• Systematic Literature Review

• Grant Proposal

The Health Promotion & Disease Prevention track builds on the long and rich tradition of Mount Sinai’s collaboration with the East Harlem community in the promotion of health and the prevention of disease. Students who pursue the Heath Promotion & Disease Prevention Specialty Track will learn how to improve the public’s health by working with individuals and their communities. This track emphasizes community level interventions through a curriculum developed to reflect the World Health Organization’s 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion: “Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health.” Students in this track achieve the competencies necessary to assist communities in effective action in setting priorities, making decisions, planning strategies and implementing them to achieve better health. At the heart of this process is the empowerment of communities, their ownership and control of their own endeavors and destinies.

Additionally, this track looks at individual behavior as a major determinant of health and helps students develop into public health practitioners capable of influencing social norms that provide a framework for health promotion and disease prevention across life stages. Students in this track learn how to collaborate with agencies, institutions and community-based organizations that influence the social determinants of health to foster the development and implementation of policy and environmental strategies that enable healthy individual behaviors. Topics addressed include nutrition and physical activity, chronic disease prevention and control, health literacy, health communications, injury control and prevention, aging/health and disabilities, men's health and women's health, as well as children’s health. Particular emphasis is placed on the elimination of disparities in health outcomes.

Examples of projects undertaken in this track over the past few years include: working on accurately recording all pediatric vaccinations given in New York City through collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; creating educational tools and evaluating effectiveness of those tools in a population of HIV/hepatitis C infected substance abusers; working to establish an Arab-American clinic at Mount Sinai; developing an obesity education program for the East Harlem community.

1. Apply behavioral or social science theory in the development, implementation, or evaluation of health promotion interventions.

2. Effect programmatic change at individual, community, or policy level.

3. Synthesize surveillance data to identify sources of health disparities.

4. Describe the health, legal, social or political implications of policy alternatives.

5. Examine the psychosocial and environmental causes of health disparities in the implementation, or evaluation of health promotion or intervention programs.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Track Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

General Public Health Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

Global Health Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

Outcomes Research Requirements and Electives

*Elective Options

Students in each Track are strongly encouraged to contact their Track Advisor early on and regularly throughout their time at ISMMS. Track Advisors are an important resource, and can provide information and advice regarding elective courses, Applied Practice Experience, and Culminating Experience opportunities, proposals, competencies, and development, as well as information on the public health profession.

Public Health Research Day, held annually by the Graduate Program in Public Health, is a required event for all MPH students. All graduating MPH students are required to present posters during the Public Health Research Day. The Public Health Research Day Committee will select the 3 top-ranked abstracts for oral presentations, and each will receive a Blue Ribbon Award with an honorarium. All other students are required to attend the day’s events. Public Health Research Day showcases MPH student thesis, manuscript, and capstone projects. In addition to the annual poster session, the event will include a keynote lecture, oral presentations, and a networking reception. This is an excellent opportunity for networking among students, faculty, alumni, and community stakeholders, and to gain experience in presenting your work to an audience with diverse professional interests.

All graduating students are encouraged to prepare in advance for Public Health Research Day. The Culminating Experience Abstract for Public Health Research Day will be due in early April, and the poster will be due in early May.

The Master of Science in Epidemiology provides students with a fundamental grounding in both the theory and practice of epidemiology, and emphasizes the development and application of quantitative research skills to real-world research in public health with the acquisition of skills in hypothesis formation; data collection and management; statistical computing and interpretation and presentation of results. Graduates of the program assume research positions in academic settings, government, hospitals, or private industries. They are also well-positioned for doctoral education in epidemiology and related fields.

To complete the Master of Science in Epidemiology degree, students are required to obtain a minimum of 34 credits and complete a Thesis or First-Author Manuscript.

For complete program description and application materials please visit the website at: https://icahn.mssm.edu/education/masters/epidemiology

This chapter covers the Master of Science in Epidemiology Program. Students can find the following information in this section.

• Program Information

• Program Competencies

• Program Requirements

  • Requirements to Graduate

  • Standards for Maintaining Satisfactory Progress

• Curriculum

• Advising

• Thesis or First Author Manuscript

In order to earn the MPH degree by your intended degree conferral date, the documentation required for the Culminating Experience and all other outstanding degree requirements must be submitted by the following deadlines.

Please refer to the Culminating Experience Guide for detailed information, including step-by-step procedures, registration requirements and track-specific requirements. The Culminating Experience Guide can be accessed on Blackboard > MPH Students Organization.

The epidemiology track provides students with the skills necessary to analyze public health trends, design and implement studies, and interpret the results for policy and program development. They also learn to investigate disease origins, and prevention and intervention strategies at the individual and societal levels. The program prepares graduates to take on leadership roles in clinical and population-based health research in government, health care institutions, and private industry.

In addition to the MPH-required coursework in health policy and management, socio-behavioral health, and occupational and environmental health, students take epidemiology track-specific coursework in epidemiology, biostatistics, and clinical outcomes research. Students are required to take two elective classes in specialized areas of epidemiology. Electives are available in infectious disease, chronic disease, molecular, genetic, and environmental and occupational epidemiology.

• Describe a public health problem in terms of magnitude, person, time, and place.

• Calculate basic epidemiological measures.

• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of epidemiological studies.

• Interpret results of statistical analyses found in public health studies.

• Critically synthesize the public health research and practice literature for a selected health topic.

• Conduct an epidemiological and biostatistical data analysis.

• Distinguish between a statistical association and a causal relationship using appropriate principle of casual inference.

• Identify appropriate methods of study design, analysis, and data synthesis to address population-based health problems

• Identify circumstances under which non-randomized (observational) designs are the best approach to addressing important health-related knowledge gaps.

• Recognize the assumptions and limitations of common statistical methods and choose appropriate approaches for analysis.

• Use tabular and graphical methods to explain model results.

International Student Degree Completion Policy

International students enrolled in the MS in Epidemiology students will have a maximum of three terms from their initial enrollment term to complete their degree requirements. The International Programs Office (IPO) will be kept informed of the degree completion dates for all international students.

The Program Office, in collaboration with IPO, will conduct regular check-in meetings with international students each term. These meetings will serve as an opportunity to remind students of their degree requirements, address any questions or concerns they may have, and provide support as needed. The Program Office will inform concentration advisors about the requirements and timeline for international students, ensuring that they are aware of any specific considerations regarding degree completion.

Maintaining Full-Time Status:

International students who hold an F1 student visa must maintain full-time status in each term. Graduate students who carry 9 or more credits each semester or trimester are considered full-time students. Those students who register for less than 9 credits may, in certain situations, be granted "full-time equivalency" if engaged in full-time educational activities. Typically, full-time equivalency is granted if one of the following applies:

• Taking 7-8 credits of coursework and working as a teaching or research assistant for the program.

• Completing or have fulfilled all coursework requirements and are working full time on thesis research or dissertation research.

Students who are granted full-time equivalency will be designated as "full-time" by the Registrar. International graduate students who enroll in less than 9 credits and who are not eligible for full-time equivalency may jeopardize their visa status and should consult with the Office of International Personnel.

Thesis (MS in Epidemiology Students):

Students are strongly encouraged to begin discussing plans for the Thesis with the Program Director. Note: While the Thesis can be completed over several terms, students are required to register for the Thesis as soon as they identify a project.

This section covers the following program requirements:

• Requirements to Graduate

• Standards for Maintaining Satisfactory Progress

Master of Science in Epidemiology students maintain satisfactory progress by:

• Making progress toward core and track courses - successfully completing required core courses within 2 attempts of taking the courses. Grades that are not considered a successful completion include: incomplete, missing grades, withdraws, and failing grades (F or below minimum).

• Successfully completing at least 50% of course credits attempted each semester.

• Resolving incomplete grades within the guidelines established by ISMMS.

• Attaining an overall grade point average of 3.0 is needed at the time of graduation to be eligible to earn the degree. Students who earn a GPA below 3.0 should raise their GPA within 3 consecutive terms to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.

• Making progress toward degree requirements as outlined in the Culminating Experience Guide.

• Demonstrating the ability to grow in professional skills.

• Completing the degree program within the maximum time to earn degree prescribed for the degree, as outlined in the Graduate Program in Public Health Student Handbook

Students who do not meet the criteria for Good Standing may be placed on probation by the Program Director, Dean of the Graduate School, or their appointed representatives: including the Academic Advisory Committee and the Academic Program Office. Once a student is placed on academic probation, academic progress must be made within two terms. Dismissal is the likely consequence if performance continues to be unsatisfactory. Students on probation are considered enrolled.

Students are required to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Students who fall below a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Anytime a student’s GPA falls below 3.0, the Academic Program Office and the Academic Advisory Committee will be consulted and a plan for remediation developed. The student will meet with a member of the Academic Advisory Committee, develop an individual plan of remediation, and sign a statement of understanding that they are on academic probation.

The Academic Advisory Committee meets at the end of each term and reviews the progress of each student on probation. If the GPA has not improved in the subsequent term, the student will continue to meet the Academic Advisory Committee member revising the remediation plan, as needed. If the student’s GPA has not reached 3.0 within two terms having been placed on probation, the student may be dismissed from the program.

The program has a structured curriculum that can be completed in 12 months full time. To fulfill the requirements for the MS degree, students are expected to complete 34 credits with a minimum grade point average of B (3.0).

The MS in Epidemiology degree must be completed within 3 years of the student's first matriculation date, including the completion of the Thesis or Manuscript.

These time limits include any time for personal or medical leave of absence.

In the Graduate Program in Public Health, benchmarks of satisfactory progress must be completed as outlined in the specific program requirements. Students who are approaching the time limit for completion will be reviewed with enough notice so that a plan is in place to enable the student to complete the requirements by the end of the time limit.

If a student does not complete their degree within the Time to Complete Degree, it is the responsibility of the student to contact the Academic Program Office to discuss their plan to complete their degree. As students approach their maximum Time to Complete Degree they will be reminded of the Length of Time to Complete Degree policy. The student will be placed on a registration hold, and required to meet with the Academic Program Office to ensure that the degree is completed by the end of their maximum Time to Complete Degree. Students who do not complete their degree within the required time frame are administratively withdrawn from the program.

Under extenuating circumstances an extension of the Maximum Time to Complete Degree may be granted by the Academic Program Office and Program Director. If a student’s appeal for an extension is denied, the student may not reapply to the program.

Required MS Core Courses (25 credits)

Approved Elective Courses (minimum of 9 credits)

All MS in Epidemiology students are required to complete a Thesis or First-Author Manuscript. The goal of the Thesis/Manuscript is for students to synthesize, integrate and apply the skills and competencies they have acquired to a public health epidemiological problem. The topic of the project will depend on the student’s area of interest.

The Thesis aims to advance or create new knowledge to an existing body of research. The student develops a research question and a hypothesis based on previous research on the topic. The student gathers data (either through primary or secondary data collection) and analyzes the data, usually with statistical analysis software, such as SAS or SPSS. The findings are then discussed as to whether or not they support the hypothesis. The study should be designed so that the results of the analysis are generalizable to a larger population, rather than the sample used in the student’s data analysis.

The First Author Manuscript is a similar research pursuit, and must be written in publishable format for a selected scholarly journal appropriate for their topic. The format of the paper is based on the formatting guidelines for submission as outlined by the selected journal.

Please read the Thesis/First Author Manuscript Guide on Blackboard for all details and instructions.

The Thesis/Manuscript must be completed under the direction of an ISMMS Faculty Advisor. If a student is working closely with an offsite mentor, this mentor may serve as a co-advisor/second reader alongside an ISMMS Faculty Advisor.

Once an ISMMS Faculty Advisor has been determined, the student must submit the Statement of Support with an approved outline of the project to Academic Program Office.

This Statement of Support must be submitted prior to initiating any research or project to ensure relevancy to epidemiology.

The Thesis/Manuscript requires:

• One written Thesis/Manuscript formatted according to guidelines outlined in the Guide

• Two Oral Presentations

  • Public Health Research Day Poster Session in the Spring II term before graduation

  • 10-minute Oral Presentation to summarizing their project to the ISMMS Faculty Advisor and Second Reader

• Forms documenting the experience

  • Statement of Support – submitted before beginning work

  • Evaluation – submitted after the Oral Presentation

  • Deposit Form - submitted after the Oral Presentation

  • Other documentation as detailed in the Guide

Students should meet regularly with the Co-Director of the MS in Epidemiology Program regarding academic advising, career planning, and professional pursuits.

Dania Valvi, MD, PhD, MPH Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health Email: dania.valvi@mssm.edu Tel: 212-824-7062 Mailing Address: One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1043, New York, NY 10029 Location: CAM Building, 17 E. 102 St., West Tower, 2nd floor - room D2-134

Public Health Research Day, held annually by the Graduate Program in Public Health, is a required event for all Master-level students. All graduating students are required to present posters during the Public Health Research Day. The Public Health Research Day Committee will select the top-ranked abstracts for oral presentations, and each will receive a Blue Ribbon Award with an honorarium. All other students are required to attend the day’s events. In addition to the annual poster session, the event includes a keynote lecture, oral presentations, and a networking reception. This is an excellent opportunity for networking among students, faculty, alumni, and community stakeholders, and to gain experience in presenting your work to an audience with diverse professional interests.

All graduating students are encouraged to prepare in advance for Public Health Research Day. The abstract for Public Health Research Day will be due in early April, and the poster will be due in early May.

In order to earn the MS in Epidemiology degree by your intended degree conferral date, the documentation required for the Thesis/Manuscript and all other outstanding degree requirements must be submitted by the following deadlines.

Please refer to the Thesis/Manuscript Guide for detailed information, including step-by-step procedures, registration requirements and other requirements. The Thesis Guide can be accessed on Blackboard > MS in Epidemiology Organization.