Program Overview

Master of Public Health in Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Degree at a Glance

The Master of Public Health in Occupational and Environmental Medicine is a program geared toward physicians. The degree and residency training are designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of occupational and environmental health.

About the Degree and Residency Training

Applicants to the MPH in Occupational and Environmental Medicine must first be accepted into the UW Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency Program or the Madigan Preventive Medicine/Public Health Residency Program. Experience in clinical medicine, military medicine, research, policy, or public health practice strengthens an application.

Culminating Experience

Students complete a research thesis or a culminating practice-based project. The thesis option involves formulating and testing a hypothesis, then sharing and defending the results in a written thesis. The project option involves participating in a supervised field study, collecting and analyzing information, producing a practical solution to a real-world challenge, and sharing the results through a project report and final presentation.

Tuition and Funding Support

The annual in-state tuition and fees are $24,192. Funding support is available through traineeships, fellowships, research and teaching assistantships, and other opportunities.

Careers

The program provides 1:1 career advising and internship support. Career support services include personalized career advising, help with finding internships and jobs, career development workshops, networking opportunities, and access to a LinkedIn networking group, internal internship boards, and public health job sites.

About the Degree

The MPH in Occupational and Environmental Medicine is a wide-ranging preventive medicine specialty focused on the evaluation, treatment, and prevention of disease related to environmental and occupational exposures. OEM physicians treat work-related injuries and diseases, recognize and resolve workplace and environmental hazards, conduct research to understand and prevent illnesses and injuries related to the workplace and the environment, and guide occupational and environmental health public policy.

As a student in the MPH in Occupational and Environmental Medicine program, you will:

• Take six MPH core courses focused around cross-cutting themes in public health, including ethics and equity, global and local perspectives, communication skills, systems thinking and leadership and collaborative skills, and the evidence-to-action-and-back cycle.
• Gain hands-on, real-world experience through a clinic-based practicum experience under the guidance of a faculty adviser and a practicum site supervisor.
• Take common core courses in environmental and occupational health sciences introducing foundational concepts and skills, including risk assessment, management and communication, assessment and management of exposures to environmental hazards, and the core principles of toxicology.
• Learn about the epidemiology and management of occupational and environmental diseases and develop skills in occupational health and safety hazard recognition in a variety of industrial settings.
• Complete a culminating experience (thesis or project) showcasing your ability to integrate the skills you have learned to address an environmental or occupational health problem.

Student Research Projects

Examples of student research projects include:

• Determining how long truck driver whole-body vibration exposure data has to be collected to accurately estimate actual daily exposures.
• Investigating occupation and environmental factors influencing the practice of safe firearm storage.

Alumni Profile

The program's faculty and alumni are dedicated to the field of occupational and environmental medicine. For example, Dr. Dorian Kenleigh praises their adviser, Dr. Coralynn Sack, for her passion and dedication to the craft, which motivates students to learn more and keep up with her expertise.