M.D./M.P.H.

Prospective medical students with an interest in combining population health with clinical medicine to become successful physician/public health practitioners should consider pursuing the Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health (M.D./M.P.H.) dual degree at UT Southwestern Medical School and UT Southwestern Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health.

The M.D./M.P.H. dual degree program will give you the opportunity to gain strong methodological skills as an M.D. public health leader in:

• Health promotion
• Health economics and policy
• Data sciences
• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics
• Health systems science
• Implementation science

A dual M.D./M.P.H. degree gives graduates the tools to address social determinants of health, have an impact on large populations through public health policies, and build a career researching public health issues that affect patients.

About the Program

Students can earn the dual degree in four years. The program is an integrated degree plan that combines traditional M.D. training with the M.P.H. curriculum and shared credits between the Medical School and the School of Public Health.

Students will work closely with faculty, staff, and administrators from both schools to develop an individualized degree plan.

The four-year degree plan is designed as a complementary program. M.P.H. coursework is concentrated in the two summers immediately preceding and following the first year of medical school to provide context on public health data, systems, and populations. The emphasis during the fall and spring of the first year is on the Medical School curriculum. See below for the Example Completion Plan.

Admissions Process

Students seeking admissions must meet the application requirements for both UT Southwestern Medical School and the M.P.H Program at the Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health.

Applicants must apply and receive admittance to the M.D. program at UT Southwestern to be eligible for the M.P.H. Program. Start your application though our online portal, but DO NOT submit your application until you have received your acceptance into the UT Southwestern M.D. Program. Upon admittance to the M.D. program, we will send prospective students more information about the dual degree application process.

Students must complete a personal statement.

Your personal statement is a chance for us to get to know you and your academic and professional goals as a potential student in our program. In 1,000 words or less, please: 

1. State your reasons for pursuing an M.P.H.
2. Clearly and concisely, describe your relevant public health experience. 
3. Indicate why you feel UT Southwestern might be a good fit for you. 

Practicum Requirement / Applied Practice Experience (APE)

All M.P.H. students will complete three credit hours of a community service-learning experience toward their degree.

Students will work with their advisors to connect with UT Southwestern mentors and community partners for experiences focused on community engagement and practice.

Integrative Learning Experience (ILE)

The ILE represents the culmination of the M.P.H. program in which students demonstrate mastery of the concepts taught throughout the entire program.

Students will work with their advisors to choose foundational and concentration-specific aims that align with their professional and educational goals.

The ILE can take many forms, including:

• Practice-based project
• Essay-based comprehensive exam
• Capstone course
• Integrative seminar

All students will produce a scholarly paper as part of the ILE requirement.

Residency Specialties

Here are some of the specialties that our students pursue:

• Anesthesiology
• Emergency Medicine
• Family Medicine
• General Surgery
• Internal Medicine
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Pediatrics
• Plastic Surgery
• Psychiatry

Past Residency Locations

Here are some programs where our graduates have matched:

Curriculum

The M.P.H. program – 45 credits total:

• Core courses (18 credits)
• Shared credits from UT Southwestern Medical School (12 credits)
• Advanced public health coursework (9 credits)
  Integrative learning experience (3 credits)
• Practicum (3 credits)

Example Completion Plan

Students may choose to leave the dual degree program to take a leave of absence or to extend the program to five years.

Financial Aid

Students should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) document online beginning as early as October in the year prior to beginning their medical education. Students should indicate on the FAFSA that results must be sent to both schools: UT Southwestern Medical Center (school code 010019). For more information, see the Office of Financial Aid.

M.P.H. Course Delivery

M.P.H. coursework is offered in a hybrid format that is compatible with the M.D. curriculum. During first summer term, courses will be offered in an online format to allow for maximum flexibility. The remainder of the degree plan will include both hybrid and in-person learning experiences.

Contact Us

Rohit Das, M.D., M.P.H.

Associate Professor of Neurology

Program Director, MD/MPH Dual Degree

Rohit.Das@UTSouthwestern.edu

Trish Perl, M.D., M.Sc.

Professor of Internal Medicine

Liaison for Integration of Medical & Public Health Education

Trish.Perl@UTSouthwestern.edu