Learn About Public Health

Anyone with an interest in helping keep others healthy and happy can find their niche in public health. The summer 2012 issue of Findings magazine from U-M SPH looks at today and tomorrow's top 3 issues in population health: obesity, chronic disease, and health care reform. Learn more.

Defining Public Health:

“…the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical health and efficiency through organized community efforts…” – C.E.A. Winslow, 1920
The goal is to improve the health and well being of individuals in communities globally by preventing problems before they occur.
Public health professionals work towards this goal with communities by helping them implement educational programs, develop policies, administer services, and conduct research.

Core Areas

The field of public health encompasses a variety of academic and professional disciplines. UM SPH is composed of the following 5 departments or core areas of concentration:

Biostatistics offers training in the development and application of statistical methods used in biomedical research. Explore Biostatistics careers.
Environmental Health Sciences aims to protect human health from adverse environmental conditions--in particular from harmful practices and exposures in air, water, and food in the workplace, home, and ambient environment. Explore Environmental Health Sciences careers.
Epidemiology is concerned with analyzing and describing patterns of occurrence and determinants of diseases in human populations. Explore Epidemiology careers.
Health Behavior and Health Education focuses on the factors associated with health-related behavior and health status, and develops and evaluates educational activities designed to improve individual and community health and quality of life. Explore Health Behavior & Health Education careers.
Health Management and Policy provides training for high-level careers that span the entire spectrum of health administration and policy analysis. Explore Health Management & Policy careers.

Quick Links

M.P.H. student and blogger Claudia provides her view on diversity and the PAID summer programs for undergrads at UM SPH, designed to fight health disparities by launching a new generation of leaders. (Pictured below: Future Public Health Leaders 2012 inaugural cohort.)

What's UM SPH's newest degree program? What's the latest eco-initiative to hit campus? Answers in Findings magazine.