BUIES CREEK – In another effort to enhance health care education at Campbell, the University announced Wednesday the addition of a new master of science in public health degree that will start next fall.
The program will address the shortage of public health professionals and focus on rural health care disparities.
The Association of Schools of Public Health estimates more than 250,000 public health workers will be needed by 2020 and to meet this need, schools will have to train three times the current number of public health graduates over the next nine years.
“This program will allow us to assist in meeting the need for the anticipated shortage of public health professionals, and serve as a counterpart to our pharmacy and medical programs,” said Campbell University President Jerry Wallace.
The University will offer the master of science in public health degree through its nationally acclaimed College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. The College will start accepting applications for the two-year program in November, with classes beginning in August 2012.
The new program will align with Campbell University’s pursuit of providing health care in rural and underserved areas. The degree will focus on training a public health workforce to reach not only these specific populations but also the local community in Harnett County and throughout central North Carolina.
“By focusing on rural health care disparities and partnering with health departments, community clinics, and other local organizations, the MSPH program will focus on enhancing the health and wellness of all citizens of Harnett County and beyond,” said Tina Tseng, PhD, MSPH, who was recently named chair of the new program.
Tseng led the development of the new degree program, and hopes it will give to the community as much as it will teach students about public health.
“I hope the MSPH program will attract students who want to embrace this educational opportunity to make a real and lasting impact in rural communities,” Tseng said.
Currently, public health programs at other universities within the state do not primarily focus on local disparities in central North Carolina. Campbell’s program will require students to conduct research within the local population in Harnett County and surrounding communities.
The MSPH program will complement the University’s pharmacy, physician assistant, and proposed doctor of osteopathic medicine programs, to further expand the breadth and size of the health care workforce with expertise in public and rural health of North Carolina.
Story: Courtesy of Andrea Pratt, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Photo: Campbell University President Jerry Wallace and Tina Tseng, PhD, MSPH, chairman of the new public health program
Photo by Bennett Scarborough