We are passionate about healthy communities. We believe that we can improve the health of people in Kansas and the region by advancing the science of public health and health care delivery through our teaching, research and service.

We are committed to excellence in teaching, whether it is teaching public health students, health administrators, medical students or future researchers. In our Master of Public Health program, we take gifted students and empower them with the tools they will need to face the public health challenges of tomorrow. We prepare our medical students to navigate complex health care systems and provide them with skills for lifelong learning. Our Master of Health Services Administration integrates theory with practice to empower health to face the demands of a rapidly changing health care system. With our Master of Clinical Research program, we are preparing the next generation of researchers for careers in scientific discovery that will advance the future health of our communities. Our Ph.D. program in Health Policy and Management provides advanced training for talented individuals interested in advancing the science of health care policy and delivery.

We are committed to excellence in research, research that has direct, tangible benefits for our communities. Our research is conducted in the community, with community participation, working to translate scientific discoveries into improved health for all of our citizens. In our applied research programs, we are tackling the greatest challenges to the health of our communities, addressing issues such as obesity, tobacco, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Moreover, we are trying to tackle these issues in our most vulnerable communities, including rural, Native American, African American and Latinx communities, as well as those suffering from addictions or mental health problems or caught up in the legal system.

We are committed to excellence in service. Our faculty have dedicated themselves to lifelong careers in public service. This service is not confined to the medical center campus, but extends to collaborative work with public health agencies, health care systems and community organizations at the local, state and national level.

We are proud of our program, and we are continuously striving to make it better. We hope that you will take the time to learn more about the University of Kansas Department of Population Health and how we are working together across all three KUMC campuses in Kansas City, Salina and Wichita. We think that the more you learn about our department, the more you'll appreciate how application of population health principles can lead to tangible improvements in the health of our communities.

Edward F. Ellerbeck, M.D., MPH
Chair, Department of Population Health