MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Thank you for your interest in USU’s Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics (PMB)! PMB is home to one of the finest public health programs in the world and is the only one dedicated to the practice of public health in the military. Public Health, including all of its component and complementary disciplines, is an exciting and rapidly changing field, and I congratulate each and every faculty member and student in the Department for choosing this path. No matter the political or social climate, our service members and families are at risk for both old and new public health issues—many which the general population face and many which are unique to our occupation. The health, wellness, and readiness of our military service members and their families depends in large part upon what you will be doing every day upon completion of your educational program. Given this important mission, we take very seriously our great responsibility in preparing students to become not only proficient in the practice of public health, but also become leaders in the profession.
The Educational Experience
In each of our programs (MPH, MSPH, MTMH, PhD, MHAP and GPM/OEM Residencies), our faculty members aim to instill in students the ability to apply critical thinking and state of the art scientific knowledge to public health problems. These problems cannot be solved by any one person or discipline alone, which is why it is critical for us to engage interprofessionally in public health teams to support Force Health Protection (FHP) and readiness for our military service members and their families. While it may be tempting to focus on the discipline-specific coursework of your particular program, we provide many opportunities for students and faculty to engage across specialties and disciplines both within and outside the Department. Through our weekly seminars, School of Medicine and Graduate School of Nursing talks and seminars on campus, and other public health educational and service activities within the DC area, there are a multitude of opportunities to learn and engage from professionals in a variety of fields. Our intent is for faculty and students to go outside their ‘comfort zone’ and engage in other disciplines of public health that are accessible in this environment to expand knowledge in unique ways. This engagement serves in the development of a professional who is ready to both work in and lead the teams necessary to solve the military’s toughest public health problems.
Our Research
We provide a well-rounded and thorough introduction to public health research across a range of disciplines and types of projects spanning qualitative research, performance improvement initiatives, and prospectively designed epidemiological research. We have a top notch cadre of faculty from diverse backgrounds who not only teach the basic fundamentals of research study design, but are also nationally and internationally recognized experts in their fields. In all of our graduate programs there is the requirement for the design and execution of an independent research study or project, which is a great opportunity for mentorship and real world application of the academic instruction which students have learned throughout the year.
Military Public Health Leadership: What Makes Us Unique
We have a remarkable and diverse faculty which makes this a dynamic academic setting. Beyond the fundamental knowledge and skills that are learned in our programs, your true effectiveness as a future successful public health professional relies on your ability to build and lead teams, motivate others, manage conflict, and communicate strategically. That is why the Mission and Vision statements of both the USU School of Medicine and the Department both focus on developing leaders in both military and civilian settings. There are many opportunities for leadership in the Department, the University, and external military and public health organizations. I encourage you to engage in as many of these opportunities as possible in order to learn and hone these skills.
On behalf of the Department and USU, I thank you for your interest in our programs, and please let me know if I can answer any questions!
James (Jamie) Mancuso, MD, DrPH, FACPM
COL, MC, USA
Chair, Department of PMB