SCHOOL OF 2012-2013 - St. George's University

School of Medicine
Course Descriptions
project time conducted off-campus and in-class instruction
designed to prepare students for field projects.
PUBH 853
Public Health Surveillance
This course provides a comprehensive overview of the key
aspects of surveillance: history of public health surveillance,
sources and collection of data, analysis and interpretation
of surveillance data, communication of surveillance
data, technology of public health surveillance systems,
evaluation of public health surveillance activities, ethical
and legal issues in surveillance, international and regional
issues in surveillance, and future considerations. The course
structure will be based on the principle that the purpose
of surveillance is to enable evidence-based development
of prevention and control programs, and to promote the
most effective use of health resources. Surveillance is built
upon dynamic and flexible principles of careful resource
allocation, the best response to the current epidemic state,
use of biological and behavioral data, and integration of
various data sources.
PUBH 854
Health Economics
The course will introduce students to the main concepts of
the public health field and the critical links between global
health and social and economic development. Students will
get an overview:
• To provide an economics perspective for management
decision-making.
• To provide theoretical groundwork for the study of finance,
accounting, marketing, and planning.
• To enable them as future health care managers to play
positive roles in the reform of health care. The course will
cover key concepts and frameworks but be very practical
in orientation.
PUBH 855
Community Medicine Seminar Series
This course is a 16 contact-hour seminar series experience
in which students are required to attend, participate in
presented topics as well as develop and deliver a seminar
on their own. This seminar series will contribute to the
development of well-rounded (holistic) medical professionals,
who will demonstrate knowledge and competence in
dealing with primary health care, desire for lifelong learning,
evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary team work, and
professional and ethical behavior in practice in order to
improve and sustain the health of the human population.
PUBH 881
Independent Study
This course is the opportunity for students to design a
course of particular interest for self study in association
with a faculty mentor. This course requires the permission
of a faculty advisor.
PUBH 889
Practicum/Internship in Public Health
This course is the third requirement of the department is
the practicum. The practicum experience is a critical part
of the Master of Public Health program, which integrates
academic preparation with field-based experience. The
internship allows students to apply academic coursework
and training within a public health agency setting under
the direction of a mentor or on-site supervisor. Internships
are arranged on an individual basis with written goals
spelled out in advance and approved by the student,
faculty advisor, and on-site supervisor. Students complete
a minimum of 240 hours of fieldwork in the public health
practice setting.
PUBH 893
Capstone Seminar
The fourth departmental requirement is designed as
a practical seminar to assist students to work through
systematic steps in preparation of their Capstone Paper.
The seminar covers topics in a planned sequence, such
as selecting a topic, reviewing the literature, selecting
data sources, selecting methods analysis, preparing a
proposal, and writing stepwise drafts. The Capstone
Paper demonstrates mastery of selected concepts of
public health by integrating the core functions of public
health within a comprehensive research paper. Students
determine the topic of the paper and work according to the
schedule of the Capstone Seminar to show understanding
and mastery through the application of public health
concepts to chosen research questions. Finished papers
are presented orally in a seminar setting and kept in the
department as reference documents; they may also be
submitted for publication.
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