Quick facts
Program location: CU AnschutzCredit hours: 42
This dual degree is offered by the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Colorado School of Public Health on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. In addition to receiving a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree, students concurrently receive the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in a concentration of their choice: Applied Biostatistics; Community & Behavioral Health; Environmental & Occupational Health; Epidemiology; Health Systems, Management & Policy; Maternal and Child Health; or a custom concentration. Only students already in or accepted into the University of Colorado MD program are eligible to apply.
When you leave this program, you’ll have a population-level perspective on issues affecting the health of patients.
Quick facts
Program location: CU AnschutzSample careers
ClinicianSkills you'll gain
Public healthUp to nine credits hours from the MD program will count toward completion of the 42-credit hour MPH. In order to help students select courses and successfully complete the dual degree, students are assigned faculty advisors from both the School of Medicine and ColoradoSPH.
Students pursue the MPH between years three and four of their medical education. The program requires an official leave of absence from the CU School of Medicine. Leave lasts three consecutive semesters (summer, fall, and spring). During this official leave, medical school loan obligations are waived. Students are assessed public health tuition rates for ColoradoSPH courses taken in the completion of the dual degree.
It is possible that some of the activities in the School of Medicine Mentored Scholarly Activity might be used to partially meet these requirements.
Course requirement | Course # | Credits |
Applied Biostatistics I | BIOS 6601 | 3 |
Epidemiology | EPID 6630 | 3 |
Social & Community Factors in Health | CBHS 6610 | 3 |
Health Systems Management Policy | HSMP 6601 | 3 |
Environmental & Occupational Health | EHOH 6614 | 3 |
Foundations in Public Health | PUBH 6600 | 2 |
Practicum | PUBH 6606 | 2 |
MPH Project/Capstone | PUBH 6991 (or equivalent) | 2 |
Public health concentration requirements | 12 | |
Public health electives from the School of Medicine curriculum | 9 | |
Clinical experience for MD/MPH students (optional)* | PUBH 6640 |
*Optional course: Students enroll for at least one credit per semester to have the same liability coverage as SOM students for work with clinical preceptors (these credits do not count toward meeting MPH requirements)
Medical school credits are calculated differently than MPH credits. Each medical school credit is equivalent to 0.54 MPH credit. Medical school credits are thus counted towards the MPH with this conversion, so an MD/MPH student would need 17 eligible medical school credits in order to fulfill 9 MPH credits.
The following medical school courses have been approved:
Course name | Course # | School of Medicine credits | ColoradoSPH credits |
Climate Change & Medicine | EMED 8010 | 2 | 1.08 |
Stout Street Health Clinic | FMMD 6624 | 1 | 0.54 |
PCMH Concept & Practice | FMMD 8041 | 2 | 1.08 |
Infectious Disease | IDPT 6004 | 4.5 | 2.43 |
Culinary Medicine | IDPT 6613 | 4 | 2.16 |
Refugee & Immigrant Health I | IDPT 6623 | 4 | 2.16 |
LEADS I | IDPT 6637 | 4 | 2.16 |
Health Care in Public Policy | IDPT 6639 | 1 | 0.54 |
Intro to Women's Health | IDPT 6642 | 1 | 0.54 |
Intro to Global Health | IDPT 6655 | 1 | 0.54 |
Global Health Seminar | IDPT 6669 | 1 | 0.54 |
Urban Underserved Care | IDPT 6671 | 1 | 0.54 |
Urban Underserved Care 2 | IDPT 6672 | 1 | 0.54 |
Rural & Community Care | IDPT 7061 | 1 | 0.54 |
Refugee Health II | IDPT 8023 | 4 | 2.16 |
Race in Medicine | IDPT 8027 | 2 | 1.08 |
Physician as Health Care Improver | IDPT 8040 | 1 | 0.54 |
Quality Improvement Practicum | IDPT 8041 | 2 | 1.08 |
Social Medicine | IDPT 8540 | 2 | 1.08 |
Longitudinal Scholarship | IDPT 8640 | 2 or 4 | 1.08 or 2.16 |
Mission Medical Clinic | MEDS 6050 | 1 | 0.54 |
Care for the Underserved | MEDS 8015 | 4 | 2.16 |
AIDS & American Culture | MEDS 8039 | 1 | 0.54 |
Vaccination in Pediatrics | PEDS 8030 | 2 or 4 | 1.08 or 2.16 |
Interprofessional Education/Ethics I | PRMD 5000 | 1 | 0.54 |
Interprofessional Education/Ethics II | PRMD 6000 | 1 | 0.54 |
Ethics/Humanities | PRMD 8006 | 4 | 2.16 |
Denver CARES Elective | PSYM 6632 | 1 | 0.54 |
SUD in Medical Practice | PSYM 6633 | 1 | 0.54 |
In addition to achieving the core MPH and concentration competencies, graduates of the MD/MPH will be able to:
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