ESU and The Commonwealth Medical College Announce Collaborative MD-MPH Degree Programs

Posted by: admin on October 9, 2012, No Comments

Caption:  Earlier today, representatives from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU) and The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) signed an agreement to offer a collaborative doctor of medicine (MD) and master’s degree in public health (MPH) thanks to a $1.5 million federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) over a five-year period.  Participating in the announcement ceremony were, first row, from left: Dr. Marcia G. Welsh, president of ESU; Dr. Steven J. Scheinman, president and dean of TCMC.  Second row, from left: Dr. Van Reidhead, provost and vice president for academic affairs, ESU; Dr. Marilyn J. Wells, vice provost and graduate dean, ESU; Dr. Alberto Cardelle, chair and professor of health studies, ESU; Dr. Steven Godin professor of health studies, ESU; Martin Raniowski, deputy secretary of health, planning and assessment, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Carol Fouad, 2011 graduate of ESU and current medical student, TCMC; Dr. Mark White, principal investigator and assistant professor of epidemiology, TCMC; Dr. Janet Townsend, founding chair of the department of family, community and rural health, TCMC; and Dr. Mushfiq R. Tarafder, assistant professor of epidemiology, TCMC.
Date: October 1, 2012
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Anne Green Director, Public Relations & Marketing The Commonwealth Medical College Office: (570) 504-9687 Cell: (570) 687-9073 agreen@tcmedc.org

Media Contact: Brenda Friday
Interim Director of University Relations
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
Office: (570) 422-3455
Fax: (570) 422-3846
bfriday@po-box.esu.edu

East Stroudsburg University and The Commonwealth Medical College announce collaborative MD-MPH degree programs $1.5 million federal grant funds integration of enhanced public health training in primary care medicine.

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania – On Monday, October 1, 2012 officials of East Stroudsburg University (ESU) and The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) signed an agreement to offer a dual MD (Doctor of Medicine) and MPH (Master of Public Health) degree program. TCMC received a $1.5 million federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) over five years, with a subcontract for ESU, to provide the funding for enhanced integration of public health and health care through a dual degree program and other health training programs between the two institutions.

The MD-MPH dual degree program combines the strengths of two highly specialized degree programs to train medical and health professionals who will help improve community and rural healthcare in northeastern Pennsylvania. TCMC students can receive additional training in public health by integrating public health studies, experiences and research at ESU during their medical school training. The program is scheduled to begin June 2013.

This announcement is a result of several years of collaboration, dialogue and milestone achievements between TCMC’s Department of Family, Community and Rural Health and ESU’s Department of Health Studies.

“All of us at ESU are proud of our partnerships with The Commonwealth Medical College,” said ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. “Specifically, this dual degree program provides medical students in our region with advanced training in the emerging field of public health, which is certain to enhance their professional delivery as physicians in our expanding global society. Our collaboration with TCMC is illustrative of ESU’s commitment to integrate higher education with the life and work of all students in order to fully prepare them for a bright future – hopefully, right here in northeastern Pennsylvania.”

“The Commonwealth Medical College and East Stroudsburg University share a strong commitment to the region’s health through academic excellence, community research and applied training with an emphasis on primary care,” stated Steven J. Scheinman, MD, TCMC president and dean. “We are committed to working with area colleges and universities to develop educational programs that will enhance and expand the overall educational experience for students in our region. This dual degree MD-MPH program combines our strengths to educate and retain people in the medical field in northeastern Pennsylvania,” Dr. Scheinman continued.

The HRSA grant will provide $300,000 of funding over the next five years for the purpose of enriching the education of future physicians, researchers and public health professionals by enhanced integration and development of public health, medical education and primary care content, experiences, and research.  Medical students will have the opportunity to complete either ESU’s 18-credit public health certificate during their four year medical school curriculum or, they can earn ESU’s 48-credit Master of Public Health (MPH) degree by devoting an extra year of training. The grant supported program provides mentoring by public health professionals and primary care physicians for participants in the program.  Students from both institutions will benefit from participating in classes together and from collaborating on public health projects that will benefit the region.

TCMC assistant professor of epidemiology Mark White, MD, MPH, is principal investigator for the grant. Co-directors of the joint training programs are Steven Godin, PhD, MPH, East Stroudsburg University and Olapeju Simoyan, MD, MPH, BDS, The Commonwealth Medical College. The curriculum will be developed on joint studies, research and training activities and other educational programs that will be mutually beneficial to students at both ESU and TCMC. This degree will provide TCMC students with additional training in environmental health, infectious disease control, disease prevention and health promotion, epidemiology and injury control.

The MD degree will be conferred by TCMC and the MPH degree by ESU. Students applying for admission to the dual degree program in Medicine and Public Health Administration must meet the standards and be accepted by both TCMC and East Stroudsburg University.

TCMC currently has affiliation agreements and pipeline educational programs with colleges and universities throughout the region including:  The University of Scranton, Wilkes University, Luzerne County Community College, and King’s College.

Background Information: ESU

Opened in 1893 as East Stroudsburg Normal School, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania today is a comprehensive university in northeastern Pennsylvania offering nearly 60 undergraduate and more than 20 graduate degree programs.  The university is accredited by the Commission on higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Education.  ESU is one of the 14 institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with nearly 120,000 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study.  About 500,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

Background Information: TCMC

The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) is one of the nation’s newest medical colleges located in northeast Pennsylvania. TCMC offers a community-based model of medical education with three regional campuses – north (Scranton), south (Wilkes-Barre) and west (Williamsport). TCMC offers a Medical Degree (MD) program, Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) degree, and Professional Science of Masters degree. TCMC was awarded degree granting authority by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2008; received preliminary LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education) accreditation in 2008; provisional accreditation in 2012, and accepted its first class of medical and master’s students in 2009. The College attracts students from within its 16-county region as well as across Pennsylvania and the nation who are interested in studying evidence- and community-based medicine and who have a strong desire to serve their community. In 2011, TCMC opened the 185,000 square foot Medical Sciences Building that houses the academic and research programs.

The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) has received degree-granting authority from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, provisional accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and has received Candidate for Accreditation status from Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).  The Commonwealth Medical College is committed to non-discrimination in all employment and educational opportunities.