Joint M.D. & M.P.H. Process

You can earn both your Medical (M.D.) and Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degrees simultaneously in 5 years at UND's School of Medicine & Health Sciences.

M.D. students have the option of completing their M.P.H. degree between Phase 1 and Phase 2 or between Phase 2 and Phase 3 of their program.

The timing of the M.P.H. degree is based on what is best for you under consultation of the M.D. program.

To do this, you will be on a leave of absence (LOA) from the M.D. program during your M.P.H. dedicated course time (usually one year) and be enrolled in the UND School of Graduate Studies during that time.

To make your intentions of earning the M.P.H. degree during your M.D. curriculum official, you must submit an official LOA request to the chair of MSAPC and Dr. Jim Porter by September of the year prior to start the M.P.H. program.

Additional steps are required prior to making a LOA request.

Courses

Select course work will be completed as M.D. credits and transferred toward your M.P.H. degree.

These include:

• Phase 2 Clinical Epidemiology (MED 8101-8104) course toward M.P.H. elective requirement (3 credits)
• Completing the M.D. research elective in Phase 3, working with your M.P.H. faculty to design a project which will qualify for transfer credit. Transfer credit will be applicable for the M.P.H. Integrative Learning Experience (PH 995).

Additional Important Information

If you leave your current class for an LOA, you are not guaranteed to be placed in your original campus location(s) for the remaining time in your M.D. curriculum. This will be dependent on available resources at that campus location and will be determined by Dr. Jim Porter in cooperation with the affected campus dean and staff at that location.

You will need to resign any positions you currently hold in your M.D. class such as committee positions or student council positions due to no longer being a member of that M.D. class when you return from your LOA.

Additional program information can found on the M.D. webpage and M.P.H. webpage.

As an MD-MPH dual degree holder, I am uniquely positioned to understand the intertwined narratives of health: the surgical precision of medicine and the broad, humanistic view of public health. I don't just wield a scalpel or use a stethoscope. I also employ a critical lens that sheds light on the social determinants of health. I recognize the role of poverty, education, and environment in shaping a patient's health journey.Zachary SebensClass of 2024