Dean's Message
Welcome to the School of Public Health at the University of Memphis.
Our goal is to build an impactful School of Public Health that is committed to being a Community-engaged, Anchor Institute, offering Research-based solutions, supporting Entrepreneurship and innovation while remaining Student-centric (CARES).
Our aspiration is to be a solution centric, impactful school of public health that prepares a community of learners and leaders addressing current and emerging 21st century public health challenges and promote health and well-being of individuals, families, and the communities they live in here in Memphis and beyond through the lens of Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Sustainability.
We are nationally accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health and CAMHE and offer undergraduate, Master of Public Health, Master of Science, Master of Health Administration, and a Doctor of Public Health programs. We have a wide range of certificate programs providing training in analytics, informatics, leadership, and population health to prepare students with the necessary skills towards addressing pressing public health issues both locally, nationally, and globally.
I am excited to share with you all about the establishment of two new federally funded centers for the next 5 years. One of the centers is Center for Public Health Informatics, Data, Equity, Analytics and System in collaboration with the Shelby County Health Department emphasizing on preparing the public health workforce that can address various public health challenges impacting our society. Another center is the Memphis Climate Health Environment Equity Research (MCHEER) center that aims to advance the work of Environmental Justice in the community in collaboration with Research Triangle Institute and a consortium of 8 different institutes including Alabama A&M University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, North Carolina Central University, University of Georgia, University of Kentucky, University of Memphis, and University of North Carolina.
We are committed to translating excellence in public health education towards greatest community impact. To achieve that, we are probably one of the first schools of public health in the nation that has developed public health dual enrollment program for youth to take public health undergraduate classes while they are in their high schools. In addition, to sensitizing youth about social determinants of health and health disparities, environmental and climate health, analytics and informatics, global health, and public health in action, we have developed a hybrid model of interdisciplinary public health certificate for high school and undergraduate students globally, along with an experiential learning and study abroad component. To support innovation and entrepreneurship in solving public health challenges, we have designed public health hackathons for the high school youth and are establishing public health clubs in high schools.
We want to be a resource and knowledge hub to our communities by providing them with data driven, evidence-based interventions and innovations and hence to prepare our community of public health learners and leaders to solve these challenges. Accordingly, our curriculum is revised based on linking academic training towards employer needs. Our faculty are nationally recognized public health leaders, distinguished in their respective disciplines through research, teaching, and service.
Our student body is diverse, and we welcome students from a broad range of professional backgrounds. We value the distinctive perspectives all our students bring to the public health learning experience.
Join us to take part in our mission "SPH CARES." Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
With warm greetings,
Ashish Joshi PhD, MBBS, MPH
Dean and Distinguished University Professor
UofM School of Public Health