Public Health to Medicine Scholars Program
Passionate about public health? Planning to apply to medical school?
The Public Health to Medicine Scholars Program at Touro University California is a three or four semester Master of Public Health (MPH) program designed for academically strong students who want to gain public health skills, participate in meaningful hands-on experiences, specialize in community, global or criminal justice courses, and become part of Touro's collaborative health professions community.
Why Choose This Program?
- Learn how to improve community health on a large scale
- Engage in community health and interprofessional experiences alongside DO, PA, PharmD, and MPH students
- Public Health to Medicine Scholars program students can qualify for guaranteed acceptance or a guaranteed interview for the Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine*
*Conditions and restrictions apply. Students must have an earned Public Health to Medicine Scholars program Overall GPA of 3.50 or higher and have a composite MCAT score of 504 or higher. For complete details, please visit the admissions page.
Is This Program Right for You?
This program is ideal for applicants who:
- Have a strong academic record in the sciences* and want to stand out to medical schools
- Want meaningful research, leadership, and community health experiences
- Are passionate about social drivers of health outcomes, prevention, and improving healthcare for communities
*The Public Health to Medicine Scholars program is not an academic record enhancer. Applicants need an undergraduate science GPA of 3.5+ to apply. Applicants needing to improve their science GPA should consider the TUC Master of Science in Medical Health Sciences program instead.
Build the Experiences Medical Schools Value
As a Public Health to Medicine Scholar, you will gain experiences that positively add to your medical school application, including:
- Community-based public health practice
- Faculty-mentored research
- Opportunities for presentations and publications
- Leadership and service experiences
Where Can an MPH + DO Take You?
Physicians with training in both medicine and public health are uniquely prepared to improve healthcare beyond individual patient care giving you the opportunity to:
- Design community-wide nutrition and lifestyle initiatives to prevent disease from developing, in addition to managing advanced diabetes in the clinic.
- Use epidemiologic methods to track hospital-acquired infections, analyze the data, and implement institutional protocols that save thousands of lives annually.
- Translate clinical realities into data-driven arguments that lawmakers understand, allowing you to advocate for better resource allocation, insurance coverage, and health equity.
Touro University California has one of the largest DO/MPH programs in the nation and we consistently graduate dual-trained osteopathic physicians who:
- Lead quality improvement initiatives
- Conduct clinical and public health research
- Address health disparities and social determinants of health
- Develop innovative community health programs
- Serve in academic medicine and healthcare leadership
- Shape health policy and population health programs
Program Format and Schedule
This is an online program where scholars take 7-12 units per semester through live zoom sessions with a cohort of their peers. Classes run two to three evenings a week during the first two terms (Fall and Spring). The third term (Summer) includes a hands-on 200-hour field study. The program can be completed in 3 or 4 consecutive semesters, and it is generally compatible with jobs, research, or shadowing. Select your concentration during your first semester, take specialized courses in Spring and Summer. See schedule below.
Schedule
Semester 1 | Fall Year 1
Social & Behavioral Sciences in Public Health
Biostatistics I & II
Environmental Health
Epidemiology
At the conclusion of Semester 1, students will select their MPH concentration (Community Action for Health, Global Health, or Criminal Justice & Health.
Semester 2 | Spring Year 1
Health Policy and Management
Research Methods
Program Evaluation
Concentration Course: Community Health Promotion, Global Health Essentials, Criminal Justice and Health Equity
Semester 3 | Summer Year 1
Concentration Course: Social Inequities in Health, Emerging Health Threats, Criminal Justice Law and Advocacy
200-hour Field Study Course
Capstone / Certified Public Health Exam
At the conclusion of Semester 3, students will transition into medical school (if accepted) or they will continue to Semester 4 to complete the program. Students accepted into medical school will work with program leadership to identify transfer credit with their medical school curriculum that will satisfy the remaining MPH curriculum requirements when completed.
Semester 4 | Fall Year 2 | Extended Track
Capstone / Certified Public Health Exam
Select 3 Breadth courses: Grant Writing, Leadership in Public Health, Geographic Information System (GIS), Public Health Law