Welcome to the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and our Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. If this is your first time visiting our Website, take a good look. That’s because as the Department’s new Chair, I have instituted a top-to-bottom review and evaluation of everything we do here. The Department already has a wonderful reputation; I intend to make it a stellar department.
A stellar Department is at the forefront of the science of public health, responsible for discoveries that can improve our common wellbeing locally, regionally, nationally and internationally; develop and apply cutting edge theory and methods, produce the best graduates, and disseminate our knowledge for the common good.
Miami is a rapidly changing metropolis that is fast becoming an international hot spot of cool science. Miami is a living laboratory for the study of change and diversity. Not only Miami, but our University, School and Department are rapidly evolving to prepare our students for the science and public health challenges of the 21st Century. This is a place of change and excitement.
Public health is at a crossroads. The health of our world and our world’s population is not doing as well as it must. Our country’s health system has become unsustainable, and our public health systems do not have the resources to do what it must to improve the health of our nation. We are facing the challenges of immigration, climate change, urbanization, increasing poverty and marginalization; confronting new epidemics of violence, obesity and infectious diseases, and much else. All of this at a time when more trained public health professionals and scientists are desperately needed.
We are committed to meeting these challenges by building on our strengths: We have a terrific faculty, impressive students and excellent facilities. Second, we will continue to recruit scientific leaders with outstanding global reputations. Third, we will review our curricular programs to be sure that they are leading edge while providing long term mentoring experiences in world-class programs of research and public health settings, thus ensuring that our students are well prepared. And finally we are expanding the reach of public health locally, regionally, nationally and globally in support of these activities.
This is an exciting time for the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and I hope you will join us as we move into a new era of excellence. Please feel free to contact me with your ideas.
Professor and Chair
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health
Associate Dean for Translational Research & Community Development
jszapocz@med.miami.edu
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