Dual Degree Students Present Poster at the 2015 State of Public Health Conference

Lis Cruz, Ali Fitzsimmons, Lauren Reed, Amber Flanigan.

Several members of the December 2015 graduating cohort of the UGA MSW/MPH Dual Degree Program presented at yesterday's State of Public Health Conference sponsored by the UGA College of Public Health.

The students presented a poster, "Innovative Approaches to Public Health Education: The MSW/MPH Dual Degree" with program coordinator Dr. Trina Salm Ward. Providing specific examples from integrated field practicums this past summer, they described how dually-trained professionals are uniquely equipped to address public health challenges.

Mark Flangan

Presenters included: Lisbeth Cruz, Mark Flanagan, Ali Fitzsimmons, Amber Flanigan, Liz Franchot, and Lauren Reed.

Breanna Miller

Dual degree student Breanna Miller (Spring 2016) also presented a poster, "Safety Practices and Law Knowledge among Bicyclists and Nonbicyclists: An Evaluation of Bicycle Safety in a University Town." The poster detailed results of a research project from her graduate assistantship under the supervision of Dr. Carol Cotton, Director of the Traffic Safety Research and Evaluation Group in Health Promotion and Behavior at the College of Public Health.

Poster Abstract:
In the United States, there is a growing interest in dual MSW/MPH educational programs; the number of programs almost doubled between 2006 and 2013, growing from 20 to 37. The University of Georgia launched the only MSW/MPH program in the state of Georgia in 2011. Along with current students, the program coordinator will describe the program and the knowledge, skills, and values that an MSW/MPH professional provides in the workplace. Using specific examples taken from their integrated field practicums, students will describe how they are uniquely equipped to address public health challenges.