The Health Care and Prevention (HC&P) concentration of the Public Health Leadership Program is designed specifically for those persons who already have training in individual medical care and desire training in population health and health care.

The HC&P MPH curriculum can be completed in 12 months if students enroll in a full-time program of study, although many students take up to 24 months to finish. The curriculum may also be done on a part-time basis; however, it must be done on campus in Chapel Hill. Many medical students elect to pursue the HC&P MPH degree after the clinical year, usually between the third and fourth years of medical school. Other students complete the degree as a part of a fellowship program or after beginning their professional careers. The flexible nature of the HC&P curriculum allows each student to tailor the program to best fit his or her needs.

To earn the MPH degree, students are required to meet School of Public Health core course requirements and to develop general competency in the concepts of population health. The following core courses have been designed specifically for this program: Clinical Epidemiology, Quantitative Methods for Health Care Professionals, Health Care in the United States, Strategies of Prevention for Clinicians, and Environmental Health. Students may choose elective courses in population sciences (health assessment, policy development, healthcare assurance), critical appraisal of health literature, and other areas suited to their interests and career goals. Students also complete a Master's Paper, a Practicum Experience, an oral presentation, and a written comprehensive examination. The MPH course of study requires a minimum of 42 credit hours. See the HC&P Student Handbook for more information on program guidelines and requirements.

For further information contact Program Director Russ Harris (rharris@med.unc.edu) or Co-Associate Directors Sue Tolleson-Rinehart (suetr@unc.edu) or Anthony Viera (anthony_viera@med.unc.edu).    

Application deadlines: 

Applications to the Health Care and Prevention concentration are accepted only for Summer Session II (deadline - March 15) or fall semester (deadline - April 1).  

Application procedures:

Follow these steps to apply to the Health Care and Prevention concentration:

Step 1: Review application deadlines

• Summer Session II admission (encouraged) - March 15
• Fall admission - April 1
• Financial aid consideration* - January 1

* Note: UNC medical students can retain their current financial support while enrolled in the School of Public Health. The FAFSA form must be submitted prior to April 1.

For applicants wishing to be nominated for awards and/or scholarships at UNC, admission applications must be complete by January 1 for consideration. These awards can be based on merit, minority status, previous experience, and research interests. Awards are made by the Graduate School and the School of Public Health; no separate application is required. 

For additional information on financial aid, please contact Sheila Graham, Financial Aid Officer, UNC School of Medicine, at 919-962-6117 or by email at Sheila_Graham@med.unc.edu.

Step 2: Review admission requirements and collect application materials

MPH program admissions requirements for the HC&P concentration include:

• Submission of completed application materials by March 15 (for Summer Session II admission) or April 1 (for fall admission)
• CV/Resume
• Personal statement/Statement of professional goals
• Three letters of recommendation (for UNC medical students, one of the letters must be a letter of support from Associate Dean Georgette Dent)
• Official transcripts for all completed coursework and each degree received
• MCAT scores taken within five years of application
• TOEFL and completed financial certificate for international students

Step 3: Complete an application form

Applications are processed centrally through the UNC Graduate School. The graduate school application is available online. Create an account to begin the process. Further information, including fee and other requirements, is available on the Graduate School webpage. In completing the application form, HC&P applicants should choose "Public Health Leadership Residential" as their intended major and "Health Care and Prevention" as their area of interest (concentration).

The Graduate School also has information regarding North Carolina Residency for tuition purposes.*  If you have specific questions regarding residency, you can email Trish Bunn (tbunn@unc.edu).

*Note: In-state residency status does not transfer from the School of  Medicine to the School of Public Health. Students applying to the Health Care and Prevention program must complete a new North Carolina Residency application.

Step 4: Submit application materials to the Graduate School

Submit the following items to the Graduate School, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Bynum Hall, CB# 4010, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-4010:

• Application fee (information is available on the Graduate School's webpage)
• Transcripts - An official transcript is required from each institution where you studied after high school bearing the signature of the registrar and the seal of the institution (even if credits earned at one institution appear on another institution's transcript as credits transferred).
• MCAT scores
• North Carolina Residency application (for applicants claiming NC residency for tuition purposes) - Applicants are encouraged to use the online residency application. 

Step 5: Submit other application materials to the Public Health Leadership Program in the School of Public Health (the umbrella program for HC&P)

Send the following items to Sue Robeson, Registrar, Public Health Leadership Program, School of Public Health, 4111 McGavran-Greenberg Hall, CB# 7469, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7469:

• Transcripts - An official transcript is required from each institution where you studied after high school bearing the signature of the registrar and the seal of the institution (even if credits earned at one institution appear on another institution's transcript as credits transferred).
• Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be an academic reference and, for UNC medical students, one of which must be a letter of support from Associate Dean Georgette Dent. The Graduate School has cover letter forms for you to give to your recommenders.
• CV/Resume
• Personal statement/Statement of professional goals
  A two-page statement explaining why you want to pursue an MPH.
• Financial certificate (international students only)

If you have questions about the application process, please contact Sue Robeson at 919-966-5305 or by email at robeson@email.unc.edu.