Posts tagged ‘public health’
Collaborating to make central Pennsylvania healthier
A new report evaluates the state of healthcare in central Pennsylvania – and lays the groundwork for efforts to make the region’s residents healthier. Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center collaborated on the community health needs assessment with Holy Spirit Health System and PinnacleHealth System.
The assessment was compiled using interviews, surveys, data analysis and other methodologies. It was conducted by Tripp Umbach, a national leader in conducting health studies and assessments. Penn State Hershey, Holy Spirit and PinnacleHealth will now use the information gathered to develop individual plans to best address their community’s health needs and improve the overall health and well-being of residents of Central Pennsylvania. The findings show that there is a need for additional information and services that promote healthy lifestyles and make health education and healthcare easier to access.
Read more about the community health needs assessment: Executive summary | Full report
September 11, 2012 at 8:13 am pennstatemedicine Leave a comment
New education programs aim to better prepare students
In its usual tradition of education innovation, the Penn State College of Medicine has recently introduced a number of new or reconfigured programs. From dual-degree programs to an exciting new Physician Assistant Program, the College of Medicine is realigning its curriculum to better prepare future physicians, nurses, and researchers for the changing landscape of the biomedical research enterprise, and the health care arena where new discoveries are applied.
The new interdisciplinary graduate program, Biomedical Sciences (BMS), is a departure from the traditional graduate programs. “Up to a year ago, our graduate programs aligned with their basic science departments. We determined that this structure wasn’t meeting how we needed to train our students for the future,” says Michael F. Verderame, Ph.D., associate dean for graduate studies, professor of medicine, and director, Medical Student Research Project. “Students can build their own curriculum to address the work that they want to do.” The first class of students just completed their second semester in May.
Many of the new programs build on the tremendous strengths that Penn State has to offer to its students. One of those areas is its Department of Public Health Sciences, where faculty has been working for several years in developing the new Master of Public Health program. The first class included thirteen students. “The fact that we’re training the future generation to participate in the improvement of health in our nation is an important contribution,” says Verderame. Also in this department is a new Ph.D. program in biostatistics. That program targets a smaller number of students, who are expected to start with the next academic year. (more…)
Today’s Research – Medical center-based farmers markets improve health
Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine are actively working in Hershey, with colleagues at Penn State, University Park and other Penn State campuses, and with colleagues at various institutions across the country to conduct groundbreaking research. Their discoveries continue to contribute to the advancement of health care on all levels.
Farmers markets at medical centers may contribute to greater wellness in surrounding communities while adding public health value to a market’s mission, say College of Medicine researchers who have developed and evaluated a market created at the Medical Center.
“Farmers markets are serving public health by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, revitalizing neighborhoods, strengthening local economies, and empowering community members to learn more about the items they buy,” said Daniel George, Ph.D., M.Sc., assistant professor, Department of Humanities.
