Primary Care & Population Health Scholars Program

Anthony J. Viera, MD, MPHUNC School of Medicine

Gillings School of Global Public HealthDirector, PCPH Scholars Program

Director, MD-MPH Program

PCPH Scholars• Current 1st-year student planning a career in

primary care (general medicine, general pediatrics, family medicine)

• Why? – Keep your passion for primary care going and

develop scholarly pursuits– Learn how to work to improve the health of

people by going beyond the clinic walls– Develop greater understanding of health policy

PCPH Scholars Program

• Evening cross-cutting seminars (small group, discussion-based)

• Scholarly writing project to be published • Mentors and opportunities to mentor• Travel funds for meetings• Strongly encouraged: MPH year after 1st

clinical phase (with early application)

Evening seminars (examples)• The Affordable Care Act – Intro and Updates• Health Disparities • Health Communication and Health Literacy• Healthcare Quality: Defining and Measuring It?• Why Are Health Care Costs so High, and What is the

Physician’s Role?• ACO’s, PCMHs, and other Alphabet Soup• Leadership in Medicine

Publications and projects

• Clinical synopsis to publish in Evidence Based Practice

• Other summer projects – as long as end-product (poster or publication)

• With opportunity for funding / stipend• Can apply for summer research funding

PCPH Scholars Program

• Evening cross-cutting seminars (small group, discussion-based)

• Scholarly writing project to be published • Mentors and opportunities to mentor• Travel funds for meetings• Strongly encouraged: MPH year after 1st

clinical phase (with early application) • Your own office! (shared only among Scholars)

Current Scholars

11 this past year•Several wrote an evidence-based synopsis on topic of interest that will be published•Others did original research– One submitted two papers and an abstract ($)– Other with ongoing data collection ($)

•A few did both

Second year

• Finish evening seminars in fall• Workshop in spring– Leadership– Teaching

PCPH Scholars

• Current 1st-year student planning a career in primary care (general medicine, general pediatrics, family medicine)

• Can still do Asheville (or similar) program

Applying is easy…

• Up to two-page personal statement explaining your intended career path and what you hope to get out of the Scholars program. Send as an attachment with a cover email to: pcphscholars@unc.edu

• Interviews will be arranged at least one member of our selection committee

• DEADLINE: January 2015