The Department of Preventive Medicine offers a combined biostatistics/epidemiology M.S. degree and the Ph.D. degree in biostatistics and epidemiology.

Medical research in the treatment and prevention of health problems in humans relies heavily on leadership from scientists well trained in the area of biostatistics. Their expertise is critical to assure that evaluative medical studies are designed efficiently so that definitive and reliable conclusions can be made. The goal of the track in biostatistics is to train scientists to develop and apply statistical theory to interpret and make inferences from data collected in medical research.

The track in epidemiology offers opportunity for study in the scientific discipline concerned with the causes and prevention of human disease. Interdisciplinary collaborations between epidemiology faculty and other researchers throughout the medical center, other state and national health institutions provide rich classroom and community training environments.

Graduates of the program in Preventive Medicine can expect to go on to successful careers as university/college faculty or scientists in industry or government.

The department plans to accept applicants for the fall quarter 2006.