AAMC-Based Projects

Development of Regional Centers to Improve Medical Students' Exposure to Public Health and Population Medicine

The establishment of Regional Medicine-Public Health Education Centers (RMPHECs) is a collaborative effort of the AAMC and the CDC to improve the teaching of population health to medical students. In 2003, seven medical schools became pilot sites through a competitive process. Applicants were required to partner with at least one state or local public health agency to enhance population health/public health education for all of their medical students, not only those interested in public health. The seven pilot schools were:

• Mercer University School of Medicine
• Morehouse School of Medicine
• Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
• SUNY Upstate Medical University
• Texas Tech School of Medicine
• University of Kansas School of Medicine
• University of New Mexico School of Medicine

The seven schools have different curricular structures and developed different educational approaches and materials. Although planned as a multi-year activity, funding beyond the first year was not available and the pilot program ended after one year. Summaries of their pilot experience follow, including publications and contact information:

• Mercer University School of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)
• Morehouse School of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)
• Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)
• SUNY Upstate Medical University (PDF, 2 pages)
• Texas Tech School of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)
• University of Kansas School of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)
• University of New Mexico School of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)

In early 2006, AAMC and CDC embarked on a second phase of the RMPHEC project. A Call for Proposals (PDF, 4 pages) was developed that requested applicants to "fully integrate population health into the medical school curriculum." All LCME-accredited U.S. medical schools, including those that had participated in the pilot RMPHEC project, were eligible to compete for this opportunity. As in the pilot, medical schools were required to collaborate with public health practitioners at state or local public health agencies. Applicants had a brief four-week deadline, but 47 schools submitted applications. More schools had expressed interest but could not meet the timetable. By May 2006, 11 schools were funded:

• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
• Harvard Medical School
• Mercer University School of Medicine
• Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
• Stanford University School of Medicine
• The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
• University of California, Davis School of Medicine
• University of Colorado School of Medicine
• University of New Mexico School of Medicine
• University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
• University of Vermont College of Medicine

The schools listed below are in their second year of funding:

• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)
• Harvard Medical School (PDF, 2 pages)
• Mercer University School of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)
• Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)
• Stanford Univerasity School of Medicine (PDF, 4 pages)
• The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
• University of California, Davis School of Medicine (PDF, 2 pages)
• University of Colorado School of Medicine
• University of New Mexico School of Medicine
• University of Rochester School of Dentistry
• University of Vermont College of Medicine

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