Pre-Public Health Preparation at UHMānoa

(Text compiled from the Association of Schools of Public Health website www.asph.org, the Public Health Institute website, www.phi.org, the Center for Disease Control website www.cdc.gov, Pfizer’s Guide to Careers in Public Health website by ASPH at www.whatispublichealth.org, and the UHM 2006-2007 Catalog.)

Public Health Programs
Prerequisites for Admission
What makes a strong candidate?
Standardized Tests
The Application Process
Contact Information
Additional Information
Downloadable Brochure

The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) defines public health as follows:

"Public health is the science and art of protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention... Public health is concerned with protecting the health of entire populations. These populations can be as small as a local neighborhood, or as big as an entire country. Public health professionals try to prevent problems from happening or re-occurring through implementing educational programs, developing policies, administering services, and conducting research."

For example, according to the Center for Disease Control, public health in the twentieth century dramatically increased the quality of life and average lifespan of Americans by developing programs for vaccination, motor vehicle safety, workplace safety, controlling infectious diseases, family planning, ensuring safer and healthier food supplies, and fluoridation of water, to name only a few.

Public health involves a wide variety of disciplines, such as biology, sociology, mathematics, anthropology, public policy, medicine, education, psychology, computer science, business, engineering, and more. Consequently, there is no single pathway to public health and there is no "typical" public health job.

Because public health is so broad, students pursuing an MPH degree choose an area of specialization, or concentration. Schools vary in which concentrations they offer, but all accredited schools offer the five core disciplines.

Core Disciplines
Additional Concentrations
Behavioral Science/Health Education
Biostatistics
Epidemiology
Environmental Health
Health Services Administration 		Biomedical Laboratory Science
International/Global Health
Maternal and Child Health
Nutrition
Public Health Laboratory Practice

Public health professionals work in both public and private sectors, including local, state, or federal health departments, non-profit organizations, pharmaceutical companies, health insurance companies, or universities.

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Public Health Programs

Becoming a Master of Public Health (MPH) requires 6-10 years of education:

  • Bachelor degree (4-5 years)
  • School of Public Health (2-3 years)

The public health curriculum varies from school to school, but often includes courses in each of the five core disciplines, courses within the area of concentration (sometimes called the major), electives, practicum experiences, and a final, culminating experience, often conducted in a work environment.

Because public health incorporates such a broad spectrum of disciplines, many students pursue the MPH in tandem with a second degree related to their intended area of specialization. Joint/dual degrees are usually completed simultaneously and in less time than it would take to complete two individual degrees. Some of the most common joint/dual degrees include

  • MPH/MSN (Master of Science in Nursing)
  • MPH/MSW (Master of Social Work)
  • MPH/MPP (Master of Public Policy)
  • MPH/MD (Medical Doctor)
  • MPH/DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery)
  • MPH/JD (Juris Doctor)
  • MPH/MBA (Master of Business Administration)

Some schools offer a single, combined application; others require that students apply and be accepted to each program separately.

UHM’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) offers Master of Science (MS) and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees in two of the core disciplines: Epidemiology and Social & Behavioral Health Sciences. Degrees in both concentrations require approximately two years to complete. The MS degree prepares students to pursue research or a doctoral degree; the MPH prepares students to begin a career in public health.

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Prerequisites for Admission

Almost any major can prepare students for a career in public health, but it does help to have foundation courses in your intended area of concentration. For example, to pursue biostatistics, a student does not have to major in math, but does need to have basic competency in pertinent math principles.

The following list, provided by the Association of Schools of Public Health and adapted to UHM majors, demonstrates how a variety of majors can prepare students for a career in public health. Whatever your major, courses that develop strong verbal and written communication skills are essential.

Undergraduate Majors/Minors
Public Health Concentrations
Education, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Biology, Marketing, Communication, Criminology
Behavioral Sciences/Health Education
Math, Statistics, biology and other Basic Sciences, Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, Computer Sceiences
Biostatistics or Epidemiology
Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Agriculture, Earth Sciences (Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography), Archeology, Psychology, Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Environmental Health
Business, Economics, Public Policy, Political Science, Health Science, Marketing
Health Services Administration
Social Sciences, Linguistics, Political Science, History, Biology and other Basic Sciencies, Anthropology, Communication, Ethnic and Culture Studies
International/Global Health
Biology, Social Sciences, Health Science, Public Policy, Social Work
Maternal and Child Health
Biology, Chemistry, Food Science and Human Nutrition
Nutrition

At UHM JABSOM’s Department of Public Health Sciences, the recommended academic preparation for a concentration in Epidemiology includes courses in biology, microbiology, immunology, and chemistry. The recommended academic preparation for a concentration in Social & Behavioral Health Sciences includes courses in mathematics or statistics, biology or human development, and sociology or psychology. Students in both concentrations must have strong computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets, and internet applications.

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What makes a strong candidate?

Schools of public health are graduate programs, which means that admission is competitive. Admissions committees are looking for applicants who:

  • have strong academic record
  • have a strong overall GPA
  • performed well on a standardized test (not required for all schools)
  • have effective written and oral communication skills
  • understand the field of public health
  • have relevant volunteer, school-based (i.e., internships), or work experience
  • have clear career goals
  • have the necessary academic foundation for the chosen concentration
  • submit a well-written, carefully considered personal statement

Applicants to UHM JABSOM's Department of Public Health Sciences should have not only an appropriate academic background, but also experience in public health, and should be able to demonstrate their interest and commitment.

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Standardized Tests

Requirements about standardized tests vary by school and program area. Contact the schools you are interested in attending to ask about their test requirements and admission policies. If you have an area of concentration in mind, be sure to ask if there are specific requirements for that concentration.

Schools of public health accept a number of different standardized tests, including the Dental Admission Test (DAT), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), and the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). Students who learned English as a second language may also need to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

The most frequently requested test is the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE can be scheduled for almost any day of the year and will soon be available only in computer-based format. Appointments are scheduled first-come, first-served basis. You can register three ways: 1) via telephone, at 1-800-529-3590, using a credit card; 2) via online at www.gre.org, using a credit card; or 3) via mail, by sending a completed Authorization Voucher Request Form (found
in the GRE Registration Bulletin) and registration fee payment to the designated address.

The GRE requires approximately 3-4 hours and tests your verbal, quantitative (math), and writing skills. Some versions include an ungraded, experimental section. Scores for the verbal and quantitative sections range from 200 to 800, with 800 being highest; scores for the writing section range from 0 to 6, with 6 being highest. Your score report will be mailed to you, usually within ca. two weeks of the test date, and will include not only your scores but also your percentile ranking.

If you are planning to take one of the tests other than the GRE, summary sheets about each test are available in PAC. PAC peer advisors can also help you learn about each of the tests, and test preparation materials are available.

Note: For tests other than the GRE, you will need to provide a designation code to indicate that you are applying to schools of public health; the codes are available on the SOPHAS website.

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The Application Process

For some schools of public health, you will need to apply directly to each school. Many schools (38 of the CEPH accredited schools, as of May 2007) now use the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS).

With SOPHAS, you can submit one application, which will be forwarded to the schools you designate after it is verified as complete. The SOPHAS application requires:

  • Official transcripts;
  • Test scores (if required by the schools you designate);
  • A personal essay;
  • 3-5 letters of reference; and
  • An application, which includes:
    • Contact and personal information,
    • Research and work experience,
    • Community and volunteer experience,
    • Honors and awards,
    • Colleges and universities attended,
    • Coursework completed, including grades, and
    • A Curriculum Vitae or resume (required by only some schools).

Some of the schools use the SOPHAS application only for initial screening, in which case, they will request an additional, secondary application if they are considering admitting you. Secondary applications often request another essay or essays and sometimes, additional letters of recommendation. All secondary applications are submitted directly to the individual school(s).

Applicants interested in attending UHM JABSOM's School of Public Health Sciences should apply directly to the school.

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Contact Information

Department of Public Health Sciences
1960 East West Road, Biomed D209
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 956-8577

For questions regarding epidemiology, contact Dr. Al Katz at (808) 956-5741 or katz@hawaii.edu. For questions regarding social/behavioral health sciences, contact Dr. Kathryn Braun at (808) 956-5768 or kbraun@hawaii.edu.

For Application Information:

Office of Graduate Student Academic Services (OGSAS)
John A. Burns School of Medicine
1960 East West Road, Biomed D204
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 956-8267
Email: ogsas@hawaii.edu
Website: www.hawaii.edu/publichealth

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Additional Information

UHMānoa's Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center (PAC) has reference books, lists of volunteer opportunities, academic planning worksheets, and one-on-one advising by peers who can help you prepare for and apply to schools of public health.

UHM JABSOM’s Department of Public Health Sciences www.hawaii.edu/publichealth
American Public Health Association www.apha.org
Association of Schools of Public Health www.asph.org
Pfizer's Guide to Careers in Public Health www.whatispublichealth.org
Public Health Jobs www.publichealthjobs.com
www.publichealthjobs.net
Graduate Record Examination www.gre.org
Schools of Public Health Application Service www.sophas.org

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