PA/MPH Dual Degree

(PA Program at Emory Ranked #3 by the 2007 U.S. News World Report)

This dual degree program offers students the opportunity to earn an MPH degree in conjunction with training in the Emory University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program. The PA program, within the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, recruits, educates, and mentors a diverse group of students to become physician assistants providing quality health care.

The PA program emphasizes primary health care and preventive medicine and seeks to interest students in working in medically underserved areas. The program uses didactic and clinical training, promotes physician/PA team care, fosters an appreciation for research, leadership, and the need to be flexible in meeting the changing needs of the health care climate, and empowers faculty and students to become advocates for the physician assistant profession and for the delivery of primary health care. Students may apply their combined PA/PH skills in such areas as population or clinical research, health administration leadership, and community health promotion.

Students must apply to and be accepted by both the PA and MPH programs. Students apply to a specific department in the School of Public Health. Students enroll in the School of Public Health for one calendar year (fall, spring, summer) and complete 32 semester hours of courses. They include the required MPH core courses, required departmental courses and, in most instances, a thesis. Students must also complete a practicum, a structured field experience of relevance to public health.

Students generally complete the MPH program before enrolling in PA program courses. Students who complete the MPH degree requirements prior to entering the PA course of study may wish to combine their MPH thesis with the required research project for the PA program. Students may engage in a public health-related practicum during the time they are enrolled in the PA program.

As 10 semester hours of PA courses count towards the MPH degree (i.e., students must complete 32 rather than 42 semester hours), the MPH degree is awarded when the requirements for the PA program are completed.

The PA program requires twenty-eight months of training, including courses and clinical rotations. During enrollment in the MPH program, the student will be charged the rate of tuition established by the School of Public Health. When enrolled in the PA program, the student will be charged the rate of tuition approved by the School of Medicine for the PA program

For a description of requirements for the PA program, see http://www.EmoryPA.org