The School of Community Health Sciences and the University of Nevada School of Medicine (UNSOM) offer students the opportunity to pursue dual MD/MPH degrees. The dual program integrates the two areas of study and allows for 6 credit hours to count toward both degrees. MD/MPH students may complete the training for the MPH degree between their second and third or third and fourth years of medical school.
In order to be eligible for admission to the MD/MPH program, the applicant must meet all admission requirements for both programs (e.g., submitting MCAT scores and letters of recommendation). Applicants must be admitted first to the University of Nevada School of Medicine (UNSOM). Following that, students interested in the MD/MPH degree apply to the MPH program and must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Completing 45-credit hours is required for an MPH. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students must complete all core courses in public health (see section 2, MPH component below) and one MPH area of emphasis in epidemiology or social and behavioral health. Students must pass all courses and 32 elective credits in the medical school program. They must also pass the USMLE Step 1-Clinical Knowledge and Step 2-Clinical Knowledge (CK)and Clinical Skills (CS) examinations in order to graduate from the medical program.
During their first two years of instruction, students are provided with opportunities to learn the concepts, skills and professional values essential to the practice of medicine, including the basic sciences - biochemistry, behavioral sciences, anatomy, physiology and cell biology, microbiology, pathology, and pharmacology; the foundation skills in patient care necessary for entering the clinical years; and courses in problem solving for integrating basic and clinical sciences. Students must choose an emphasis within Public Health (e.g., epidemiology, or social/behavioral health) and complete the required and elective courses in their area. All emphases require a minimum of 45 credits.