MD/MPH Joint Degree Program
Integrated (4-year) MD/MPH Joint Degree Program - University of Illinois College of Medicine and UIC School of Public Health
The MD/MPH program is available in partnership with UIC’s School of Public Health. The joint degree program is designed to prepare students for leadership at the interface of clinical medicine, public health, and preventive medicine. The American health care system needs leadership to facilitate collaboration in clinical services and public health to achieve optimal health status for the population. The joint degree will facilitate careers as high-level clinical health system administrators, consultants, and executives in public health. The 4-year program of study enables graduates to combine clinical knowledge and administrative skills and facilitate delivery of health care services in a wide variety of settings.
Program Curriculum and Schedule
The College of Medicine and School of Public Health collaborate on an Integrated MD/MPH Joint Degree Program granting both the MD and MPH degrees in 4 years. The Joint Degree Program considers applications following admission to the College of Medicine, during the M1 year.
View Program Curriculum and Schedule
Program description:
Combining the strengths of the University of Illinois College of Medicine and School of Public Health, the MD/MPH Joint Degree Program addresses skills and knowledge to enhance population health through collaboration among multiple health organizations and health professionals. The program prepares graduates to serve as leaders and consultants, combining clinical and public health expertise, to facilitate achievement of optimal community health outcomes through collaboration among colleagues across medical and public health specialties.
Students enrolled in the Integrated MD/MPH Joint Degree Program can expect to pay no more than $16,000 in additional tuition over the course of the 4-year program, beyond the cost of the MD degree tuition.
Program admission:
The MD/MPH Joint Degree application is a supplement to the MD application process. Interested students will have the opportunity to apply for the integrated MD/MPH joint degree program soon after admission to the College of Medicine during fall of the M1 year (application distributed during fall term).
Program Curriculum:
The MD/MPH joint degree program requires completion of 42 graduate course credits. Up to 12 credit hours may be shared between the MD and MPH curricula. The MPH coursework occurs throughout the 4-year medical curriculum, comprising predominantly online courses on both synchronous online evening schedules and asynchronous online delivery. Courses are offered in 8-week modules and multiple times per year.
The Program curriculum consists of the following courses:
Program Curriculum
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| IPHS 450 | Foundations and Determinants of Public Health | 3 |
| IPHS 451 | Public Health Policy, Systems and Advocacy | 3 |
| IPHS 452 | Public Health Planning, Practice and Evaluation | 3 |
| IPHS 453 | Public Health Management and Leadership | 2 |
| IPHS 454 | Quantitative Methods and Analysis I | 3 |
| IPHS 455 | Quantitative Methods and Analysis II | 3 |
| IPHS 456 | Introduction to Research Design for Public Health | 1 |
| IPHS 650 | Applied Practice Experience (APE) | 3 |
| IPHS 698 | Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) | 1 |
| EOHS 401 | Foundations of Environmental and Occupational Health | 2 |
| CHSC 421 | Community Health 1: Assessing, Promoting and Improving Community Health | 4 |
| HPA 431 | Public Health Law and Ethics | 3 |
| IPHS 409 | Global Health Challenges | 3 |
| IPHS 457 | Current Topics in Public Health | 2 |
| CHSC 485 | Communications, Mass Media, and Public Health | 3 |
| HPA 413 | Economics of Public Health | 3 |
4-year MD/MPH sample curriculum schedule
| Fall A: August to mid-October | Fall B: Mid-October to December | Spring A: January to early March | Spring B: Early March to end of April | Summer 2: Mid-June to Early August |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 Fall A | M1 Fall B | M1 Spring A | M1 Spring B | M1 Summer |
| Matriculation into COM | MD/MPH applications | Start MD/MPH | ||
| IPHS 421 SPH Success (0) | IPHS 454 Quantitative methods I (3) | IPHS 455 Quantitative Methods II (3) | ||
| IPHS 450 Foundation and Determinants in PH. (3) | IPHS 456 Introduction to research design (1) | |||
| M2 Fall A | M2 Fall B | M2 Spring A | M2 Spring B | M2 Summer |
| USMLE Step 1 | Start core clinical clerkships | |||
| IPHS 451 PH Policy and System Advocacy (3) | IPHS 452. Public Health Planning, Practice and Evaluation (3) | HPA 413. Economics and Public Health (3) | Off No MPH Courses | Off No MPH Courses |
| M3 Fall A | M3 Fall B | M3 Spring A | M3 Spring B | M3 Summer 2 |
| Core clerkships | Core clerkships | Core clerkships | Core clerkships | Sub-internships, away rotations |
| Off No MPH Courses | Off No MPH Courses | CHSC 421 Assessing, Promoting, and Improving Community Health (4 ) | HPA 431 PH Law and Ethics (3) | IPHS 650 APE (3) |
| M4 Fall A | M4 Fall B | M4 Spring A | M4 Spring B | |
| Residency applications | Residency interviews | Residency interviews | Match | |
| IPHS 409 Global Health Challenges (3) | EOHS 401 Foundations of Environmental and Occupational Health (2) (or any Fall B) | CHSC 485 Communications, Mass Media and Public Health (3) | IPHS 453. Public Health Management and Leadership (2) | |
| IPHS 698 ILE (1) |
Students advising resources:
MD/MPH students received advising from three sources:
- Academic advising
- Faculty mentors
- Peer advising
All students receive academic and career advising from assigned faculty mentors from both the College of Medicine and the School of Public Health. Advising occurs through both individual and small group consultation. Mentors provide resources to students throughout the 4-year curriculum. The peer advisors program provides insights from M3 and M4 students to M1 and M2 students.
Student progress assessment:
Student academic performance is evaluated each semester by both faculty advisors/mentors and the faculty teaching the courses during each semester. The evaluations address both student performance in the MD/MPH joint degree and performance in the College of Medicine curriculum. Priority evaluation is achievement required progression in the College of Medicine curriculum. Students who experience challenges progressing in the College of Medicine curriculum will consult with faculty advisors/mentors and have the options to pursue a Public Health Foundations Certificate option that requires much less time commitment or withdraw from the MD/MPH degree program.
Public Health certificate:
The SPH also offers a Public Health Foundations Certificate that students who wish to obtain a certificate in lieu of the MD/MPH degree may complete (as a terminal qualification or for application toward future MPH completion). The Public Health Foundations Certificate delivers essential training in core public health topics. This fully online asynchronous, 4-course certificate designed for working professionals can be completed in as few as 16 weeks. All courses completed with a B or better seamlessly transfer into UIC’s Master of Public Health program upon admission, providing a clear pathway to advance your public health career.
How to Apply
Applicants to the MD/MPH program must:
- Apply to UI COM through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).
- During M1 year, apply to the UI College of Medicine joint degree program (application distributed during fall term)
- The successful applicant will have completed M1 fall term, preferably scored more than ½ standard deviation above minimum pass level for at least one fall term block exam, have no unmet requirements in M1 fall term longitudinal courses, and have not failed an M1 fall term course.
Length of program: Full-time students may complete the degree in 4 years.
Program Contacts
For additional information, you may contact:
Wayne Giles, MD, MS
Dean
Professor
School of Public Health
wgiles@uic.edu
Jamie F. Chriqui, PhD MHS
Senior Associate Dean and Professor
Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Career Development, UIC
Dean’s Office and Health Policy & Administration
jchriqui@uic.edu
Brandon Sieglaff
Assistant Dean, Admissions & Recruitment
School of Public Health
sieglaff@uic.edu
Ron C. Gaba MD MS
Assistant Dean, Joint Degree Programs
Professor, Department of Radiology
UI College of Medicine
rgaba@uic.edu
Ed Zordani, MPA
Assistant Director of Academic Services
School of Public Health
zordani@uic.edu