Public Health Medical Student Rotation Program

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) is working with medical students from Rocky Vista University of Osteopathic Medicine as part of an innovative partnership that provides public health training for future physicians in El Paso County, Colorado. The effort, coordinated by Board of Health Vice President, Dr. James Terbush, is the first such partnership with medical students at El Paso County Public Health. Rocky Vista University is an Osteopathic Medical School in Parker, Colorado, graduating approximately 150 new physicians each year. Under the supervision of Dr. Terbush, students spend four weeks of elective rotations in various programs at El Paso County Public Health. The purpose is to expose medical students to actual public health practice. Students receive hands-on experience in topics such as infectious disease investigation, emergency preparedness, clinical services, and tobacco use prevention. Students work alongside public health professionals to better understand the role of public health in the community. This emphasis on disease prevention will assist in keeping our at-risk populations from developing acute and chronic diseases, lessen morbidity and mortality in a disaster and raise the overall standard of health of our Community. In addition to providing El Paso County Public Health with research and assistance in identified areas, a future desired outcome of the program includes helping to attract physicians to El Paso County.