New Public Health Scholarship Program to Launch in Fall 2020

The Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health Sciences announced a new scholarship program for prospective Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) and Master of Science in Public Health (M.S.P.H.) students who will enroll in the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. Eligible candidates will receive up to 25 percent in tuition scholarship awards. 

“Our master’s programs offer unparalleled opportunities to work hand-in-hand with faculty at the Miller School of Medicine on research and outreach projects that impact population health in South Florida, the United States, and beyond,” said David Lee, Ph.D., professor and director of graduate programs at the Miller School of Medicine. “It is our fervent hope that this new scholarship program will allow for more students to take advantage of the transformative educational opportunities at the U.”  

Students who are awarded the scholarship are required to complete either the M.P.H. or M.S.P.H. program, both of which are 45-credit degrees. All of the credits must be completed within the Department of Public Health Sciences. The scholarship does not cover transfer credits from other institutions or in an instance where a student is receiving an internal or external tuition discount or scholarship.

“During past years, we have been supporting students’ development by providing financial support for various scholarly activities,” said Viviana Horigian, M.D., M.H.A., assistant professor and director of public health education at the Miller School of Medicine. “This new program takes our support to another level, by providing equitable support for all when entering our programs. We are truly excited about this unprecedented opportunity for our M.P.H. and M.S.P.H. students.”

Currently, there are also financial support options for students in their other masters and doctoral programs. Scholarships are available for students in the Master of Science in Prevention Science and Community Health program, which consists of 33 credits, as well as in the Master of Science in Climate and Health, which consists of 36 credits.  

Other opportunities for financial assistance include an application fee waiver, travel awards for conferences, such as the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Exposition, funding for the capstone program and thesis project, support for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam, as well as graduate, research, and teaching assistant positions.

Hermes Florez, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., interim chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences, emphasized that department leadership believes that the investment in students is one of the best approaches to successfully training future leaders in public health.

“Our goal is to have at least 85 percent of the student population in the new cohorts receiving this support,” Dr. Florez said.

Margie Jimenez, M.A., CRA, assistant chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences, added that the scholarship program will “provide all students access to our stellar programs to train and prepare them to be change agents as they address public health challenges in our community, our nation, and abroad.”

For inquiries on admissions or about the new scholarship program, contact Andria Williams, director of admissions, at (305) 243-0291 or at alw57@med.miami.edu, or Ginelle Bou Nassar, senior program coordinator for admissions, at (305) 243-7246 or at gxb557@med.miami.edu.

Written by Amanda Torres

Published on January 21, 2020