Penn State graduate students, including those from the Department of Public Health Sciences, participate in the ninth annual Graduate Student Oath Ceremony on August 18, 2017. The students are pictured standing in a line, reading from a program.

MD/MPH Program

Integrating Medical Practice and Public Health

The Penn State Master of Public Health (MPH) program offers a five-year MD/MPH joint degree program for medical students enrolled at Penn State College of Medicine.

The MD/MPH degree is ideal for medical students who want to enhance their experience and offers:

  • Integration of medicine and public health education
  • Advanced training in public health
  • Expanded expertise in community and global health
  • Hands-on experience applying public health to a clinical practice
  • Insight into areas of the health care system such as population health

If you have questions regarding the MD/MPH program, please contact MD/MPH Program Director Jeff Lubin, MD, MPH, or Julie Lentes.

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About the Program

Curriculum

The five-year MD/MPH requires 42 credits in the public health area.

Students will take one year off between the third and fourth year of medical school to complete MPH credits, including a practicum and a capstone.

Some medical school credits can double-count toward a MPH degree.

Learn more about the MD/MPH curriculum.

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Accreditation

The logo for the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is a circle with the words Master's/Doctoral CEPH Accredited and an image of three red and gray interlocking circles.

The MPH degree program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The MD/MPH joint degree program is accredited as part of this existing unit of accreditation.

To request a copy of our accreditation self-study document and final accreditation report, please email Julie Lentes at jlentes@psu.edu or Jessica Yingst at jmy5048@psu.edu.

Upcoming Events in PHS

What Students Are Saying

From our program graduates:

"I was able to learn about how public health issues affect the patients that walk into clinic every day, deepen my understanding of the statistics in the literature I read to give patients the best possible care, and make connections that have allowed me to contribute to research and education in ways that will hopefully benefit the patients of other clinicians."

"I greatly appreciated the opportunity afforded by the MPH year to explore and cultivate my interests related to health and medicine outside of the walls of the clinic. What I learned will make me a better clinician and serve me well as I pursue a passion in health care administration. Being a part of the MD/MPH program was definitely the right decision for me."

Penn State College of Medicine's MD-MPH program graduated three students in May 2019. They are pictured taking a selfie at Commencement.
The three 2019 graduates of Penn State College of Medicine's MD/MPH program are seen grabbing a selfie together at Commencement.

More About Penn State College of Medicine

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Student Resources

Penn State College of Medicine strives to create the best culture of respect and inclusion for our students. A number of programs, services and facilities are available.

A sign noting a maximum occupancy of four people, and reminding people entering to stay six feet apart, appears on the door of a study room in Harrell Health Sciences Library in fall 2020. The precautions are due to COVID-19.
Penn State College of Medicine is taking precautions to ensure students have access to safe study spaces in light of COVID-19.
See more resources for current students

Campus Life

Student Housing

Housing is available to Penn State College of Medicine students, residents and postdocs in University Manor East and West apartment complexes. One of the complexes is pictured as seen from a higher floor of a nearby building, with a road and trees framing it in the background.
Housing in University Manor apartments is available to Penn State College of Medicine students.

Penn State College of Medicine offers housing in its University Manor East or University Manor West apartments to full-time students, residents, postdoctoral scholars and visiting scholars.

Read more about on-campus housing.

Life in Hershey, PA

Penn State College of Medicine is in Hershey, PA, a town known as the home of the HersheyPark amusement park and the Hershey Chocolate Factory. Two banners depicting cartoon candy characters are seen on a light pole in downtown Hershey, PA, in summer 2016, with a brick building with large glass windows in the background.
Hershey, Pa., is known as "The Sweetest Place on Earth."

Penn State College of Medicine's primary campus is located in Hershey, Pa. The area provides numerous diverse and delicious dining experiences, sports, concerts and entertainment, and is a short drive away from the Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, metro areas.

Read more about life in Hershey.