News Release

New doctoral training program offered through School of Public Health

May 5, 2008, University of Michigan School of Public Health release.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., -- The University of Michigan through the School of Public Health recently won a $700,000 training grant to fund a five-year, interdisciplinary doctoral training program in public health and aging.

Students admitted to or currently enrolled in a doctoral program in health sciences, social or behavioral sciences at UM, who have research plans that are interdisciplinary and focus on aging and public health, are eligible. Each trainee must also have a mentor and a co-mentor who represent an interdisciplinary approach.

Mary Haan, program director and professor of epidemiology, said the program office is already receiving inquiries by word of mouth because there is such a growing need for trained professionals in the field. Approximately 28 faculty from SPH and other UM disciplines are involved.

"The fact of the matter is that in both public health and aging there are lots of issues that come up in a research setting and a practice setting that require the contributions of people with different training and different points of view," said Haan. "For example, geriatricians provide clinical care, but health policies influence what they can do and how patients experience care delivery."

The deadline for applications is June 1, and decisions will be made by the end of June. The positions are available starting fall 2008 with four students the first year, adding two more each of the following years, for a total of 8-10 students trained, Haan said.

The program emphasizes three broad areas: the epidemiology of chronic diseases in aging adults; research methods and analytic models in aging; and translation of research on aging populations into public health practice and policy.

The grant is funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging.

For Application Information: Please contact UM School of Public Health, c/o L. Blythe, 109 S. Observatory St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104 or call (734) 615 8190, or e-mail lkblythe@umich.edu

Media Contact: Laura Bailey
Phone: (734) 647-1848 or (734) 764-1552
E-mail: baileylm@umich.edu