PA/MPH Concentration

The PA/MPH are prepared to pursue careers that are purely clinical, full-time in public health, or in their own unique blend of the two disciplines. The Tufts School of Medicine Physician Assistant (PA) program and the Public Health program offers a combined PA/MPH degree track for interested students that allows students to earn a PA and a MPH degree in just over three years. The goal of this program is to integrate clinical skills learned in training to be a PA with a thorough understanding of public health concepts such as health equity, social determinants of health, global health, epidemiology, and community health needs assessments and interventions. 

Skills & Competencies

  • Articulate a rationale for bringing public health perspectives and methods to clinical practice
  • Identify and utilize applications of quality improvement methods to improve clinical practice
  • Apply the clinical tools of physician assistants to address public health problems
  • Apply concepts and tools of population health to clinical practice in diverse health care settings
  • Explain how the organization, financing, and/or structure of the health care system impacts access to clinical care

Course Requirements Beyond Core Curriculum

  • PH 229: Integration of Public Health – Physician Assistant
  • PH 231: Health Services Quality Improvement Methods
  • PA 213: Professional Practice (Taken in second year as part of PA curriculum)
  • PA 218: Nutrition (Taken in second year as part of PA curriculum)
  • PA 235: Primary Care 1 (Taken in second year as part of PA curriculum)
  • 10.5 credits of electives