VCU announces new School of Population Health – VCU News

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By Danielle Pierce&#13

Virginia Commonwealth University declared these days the development of a focused Faculty of Populace Well being, the 15th university or university belonging to its educational organization.

“VCU is here to make a profound variance in the lives of persons just about everywhere,” explained Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU and VCU Well being. “Our objective is to aid boost thriving communities for all individuals. The VCU University of Inhabitants Health and fitness will even more that target with its mission to reduce and one working day get rid of long-standing socioeconomic and geographic overall health disparities that have plagued Virginia for centuries. We are poised to teach a modern day, proficient and effectively-ready community overall health workforce that is all set to provide the commonwealth. We will also advance analysis that helps us to bolster methods to public wellness in Virginia, nationally and globally.”

Helpful April 1, the college will combine present departments with inhabitants and community wellbeing plans now housed in VCU’s Faculty of Drugs under its new umbrella. Commencing with the tumble 2023 semester, college students can pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences and healthcare policy and study.

VCU has named Vanessa B. Sheppard, Ph.D., as the interim founding dean of the school, powerful April 1. A national qualified in inhabitants wellbeing, overall health equity and affiliate vice president for inhabitants and community wellness strategic initiatives in the Place of work of the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, Sheppard has led a staff to make the vision of this new faculty a fact.

“I am honored to direct the Faculty of Populace Health as the interim founding dean,” mentioned Sheppard. “I consider deeply in this operate and know that our place, dedication and solid local community partnerships allow us to be uniquely poised to help handle general public overall health and health and fitness equity difficulties in Virginia.”

The college will be dwelling to the initially Learn of General public Health and fitness system with a concentration on cancer health fairness. Students can interact in group-centered investigation and be immersed in experiential studying with VCU’s a lot of general public health companions, which includes the Virginia Division of Well being.

“Our basic safety-internet mission has always prolonged past clinical treatment,” claimed Marlon Levy, M.D., interim senior vice president for wellness sciences at VCU and CEO for VCU Overall health Procedure. “It also consists of how we approach training, research and community support. Alongside one another with our public overall health partners, we will develop a workforce that will make Virginia a hub for establishing, analyzing and utilizing higher-influence applications to reduce disparities in wellness that effects millions of people across the region.”

To build an unbiased tutorial entity concentrated on populace well being, VCU is relocating the departments of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Overall health Actions and Coverage from VCU’s College of Medicine to the new School of Population Health and fitness. About 100 college students at this time enrolled in community wellness programs throughout the aforementioned departments will transition their courses.

The eyesight for the college was born about two decades ago, prolonged prior to COVID-19 put a community highlight on the stark disparities that exist in the United States. VCU’s Grasp of General public Wellbeing (MPH) has been totally accredited by the Council on Training for General public Well being considering that 1996.

“Establishing a committed Faculty of Inhabitants Health and fitness is testament that our influence in that region is on par with VCU’s other exceptional professional schools dedicated to overall health sciences,” Levy stated.