New York Medical College’s School of Health Sciences and Practice in Valhalla offers Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees that attract a range of professionals—nurse practitioners, pharmacists, hospital administrators, actuaries and underwriters, lawyers, social workers—who, through their current professions or by transitioning to another, want to make the world a healthier place, while also securing a successful career.
“The one unifying thread [among MPH degree-seekers] is the desire to help build, maintain, and monitor a healthier society,” says Robert Amler, MD, professor and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice. “And they do it through a variety of professional outlets: management of a neighborhood health center, disease control, food inspection.”
One of the more popular MPH degrees is in Health Policy and Management. Amler believes this is because healthcare facilities across the country (and especially in Westchester) are undergoing big transitions. As they are squeezed for resources, and trying to find ways to become more efficient and effective, healthcare institutions are either sending employees back to school or hiring new recruits with higher levels of training.
Food and water safety is another growing area of study. An increasing amount of fresh food and water is being transported across the country and the world, requiring professionals to find innovative ways to test it and protect it from contamination.
Students are also attracted to New York Medical College for the freedom it affords working professionals by offering both evening and online classes. Students also receive practical experience through internships at local hospitals, municipal organizations, health agencies, or nonprofits. “We take advantage of the broad network of agencies that support the social fabric of Westchester,” Dr. Amler says.
The Numbers
Breakdown of students actively enrolled in NYMC’s MPH Program (includes MH, DrPH, and Certificate):
- Behavioral Science and Health
- Promotion: 56
- Environmental Health Science: 55
- Epidemiology: 25
- Health Policy and Management: 155
- Certificates (Global Health, Emergency Preparation): 7
- Total: 298
Female: 198; Male: 100
Average age: 33
Data reflects enrollment in the fall 2013 semester.
