Public Health, B.S., Pre-Medicine Concentration

(Pre-Dental, Pre-Medical, Pre-Optometry, Pre-Podiatry, Pre-Veterinary, Pre-Chiropractic, and Pre-Pharmacy)

Department Contact:

Chair: Dr. Kristofer Wisniewski, Telephone: (814) 471-1132, kwisniewski@francis.edu

Program Description:

Public Health is an evidence-based science of protecting and improving the health of human populations through education, research, and community-wide interventions. The Public Health program at Saint Francis University consists of an interdisciplinary curriculum to best foster the examination of population health from a broad, integrated, liberal arts perspective. Required and elective courses represent an array of topics that provide a solid foundation to this fascinating field. The program design includes practical

experiences where students work with seasoned practitioners across a variety of community and clinical settings.

Many career opportunities exist in the field of public health with employment possibilities that span from government, non-profit, consulting, advocacy, to the private sector. Additionally, the Bachelors of Science in Public Health Pre-Medicine allow students to apply for medical school, pharmacy school, or other health-related graduate programs.

Students who major in Public Health will have a variety of opportunities to pursue their interests through active involvement in campus clubs and organizations, as well as, through summer internships, volunteerism, community service, and to engage with faculty in supervised research. Public health majors determine their course sequencing together with a faculty advisor from the Public Health program with the option of earning a BA or BS degree in Public Health. Students may also choose from the following concentrations in Public Health:

BS Public Health, Environmental Science

BS Public Health, Epidemiology

BS Public Health, Health Policy and Administration

BS Public Health, Pre-Med

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Gain an understanding and appreciation of how social determinants of health affect the population from a regional, national, and global health perspective
• Apply critical thinking, quantitative reasoning and evidence-based research skills to assess population needs, assets, and capacities affecting community health
• Evaluate public health policy issues with respect to access, quality, and cost and demonstrate an understanding of health disparities within vulnerable populations
• Use a collaborative community approach in the planning of public health programs in diverse communities and effectively communicate disease prevention orally and in writing

Upon completion of this specialization, students will also be able to:

• Apply critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and scientific inquiry to address healthcare issues.
• Understand the biological and chemical basis of health.
• Be able to communicate effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
• Apply ethical reasoning to historical and contemporary challenges in healthcare.

Graduation Requirements:

A candidate for graduation must satisfy the following requirements:

● Complete all requirements for an approved program of study;

● Complete the minimum number of credits (120 for a bachelor’s degree; 64 for an associate’s degree);

● Repeat for an acceptable passing grade any course required for the major in which the grade of “F” has been received;

● Successfully pass Exam 401;

● Complete the last 30 credits for the degree at SFU;

● Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better in all courses taken at SFU;

● Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better in all major or collateral requirements;

● Satisfy the requirements of the General Education core curriculum;

● Satisfy the capstone requirement as specified by the major department(s);

● Submit a completed Application for Degree form at least one semester prior to graduation date; and

● Satisfy financial obligations to the University.

Capstone Requirement:

Students in the Public Health program are required to complete an evidence based capstone project and supervised field experience in order to graduate from the program.

The requirements can be met by successfully completing the following courses:

● PUBH 410 Public Health Rotation 1 (6 credits)

● PUBH 420 Public Health Rotation 2 (6 credits)

● PUBH 430 Capstone Project in Applied Learning (3 credits)

Other information to include, related to this program:

Students will participate in two field experience rotations generally scheduled for the Spring semester of their Senior year. These rotations occur in combination with Public Health 410 and 420 courses. These rotations require the student to be present at the field site on a regular basis. Costs for clearances associated with field experiences and all travel to and from the field site, including incidental costs associated with travel are the student’s responsibility.

Estimated Completion Time:

Typically 4 years of full-time study

Total Number of Credits Required:

124 credits