Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Public Health

The College of Osteopath Medicine and the College of Health Science offer a concurrent degree program that provides a consistent pathway for academically driven medical students to complete a Master of Public Health while pursuing the Doctor in Osteopathic Medicine degree program. Graduate students in the joint program obtain valuable experience through community engagement activities, research projects, clinical rotations, and interactions with public health professions, which foster positive learning opportunities. In addition, by pursuing both the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and the Master of Public Health concurrently, students can complete both degrees in a shorter time period (4 years) than if they were to pursue the two independently (6 years). 

Application to the joint degree program is continuous, and students have an opportunity to apply to the program during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

Students must meet the following requirements for admittance to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Public Health dual degree program:

  • Successful acceptance to the SHSU Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree program.
  • Successful acceptance to the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program.
  • Achievement of a GPA of 3.00 or higher in major courses.
  • Completion of the application requirements for the MPH program, payment of the application fees, and submission of the required documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
  • Participation in an interview with the MPH admissions committee.
  • Registration for MPH courses in accordance with the guidance provided by the MPH Administrative Associate.


Students accepted into the DO/MPH dual degree program will commence their MPH coursework in the summer prior to beginning the DO program.

The Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Public Health dual degree program allows students to utilize up to nine credit hours of coursework across both degrees, therefore, saving time and money in completing both programs. In addition, physicians with an MPH degree typically command higher salaries compared to those with standalone MD/DO degrees.  Furthermore, graduates with the DO/MPH dual degree program enhance their career opportunities in working with underserved populations, research settings, and leadership roles.

Students must meet all requirements for both the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and Master of Public Health (MPH)

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and Master of Public Health (MPH)
MPH: Summer I
HLTH 5355Health Services Administration3
HLTH 5376Public Health Biostatistics3
HLTH 6396Health Program Planning/ Pre-Capstone3
DO: Year I
ANAT 7801Clinical Anatomy8
CMED 7201Clinical Medicine 12
CMED 7304Clinical Medicine 43
CMED 7402Clinical Medicine 24
CMED 7403Clinical Medicine 34
MEDS 7405Hematopoietic System4
MEDS 7504Skin & Skeletal Muscle5
MEDS 7803Medical Microbiology and Immune System8
OSTM 7301Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine 13
OSTM 7302Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine 23
REBM 7301Research and Evidence-Based Medicine3
SFOM 7801Scientific Foundations8
MPH: Summer II
HLTH 5318Current Topics in Environmental Health3
HLTH 5353Epidemiology3
HLTH 5361Social and Behavioral Determinants of Public Health3
DO: Year II
MEDS 7320Systems Integration3
MEDS 7404Renal & Genitourinary4
MEDS 7508Endocrine & Reproductive5
MEDS 7607GI System & Nutrition6
MEDS 7802Neurologic & Behavior8
MEDS 7806Cardiovascular & Respiratory8
OSTM 7303Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine 33
OSTM 7304Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine 43
MPH: Summer III
HLTH 5350Public Health and Social Justice3
HLTH 5351Immigrant and Refugee Health3
HLTH 6352Public Health Grant Writing3
DO: Year III
CLIN 7010Elective Clerkship32
CLIN 7401General Surgery Clerkship4
CLIN 7402Adult Inpatient Medicine Clerkship4
CLIN 7403Emergency Medicine Clerkship4
CLIN 7404Psychiatry Clerkship4
CLIN 7405Family Medicine Clerkship4
CLIN 7406Pediatrics Clerkship4
CLIN 7407Ob/Gyn Clerkship4
CLIN 7408Rural & Underserved Medicine Clerkship4
CLIN 7409Adult Inpatient Med-II4
CLIN 7414Medicine Selective Clerkship4
CLIN 7415Surgery Selective Clerkship4
MEDS 7318Clinical Clerkship Preparation3
OSTM 72333rd and 4th Year Longitudinal OMM Clerkship2
MPH: Summer IV
HLTH 5363Management and Leadership for Health Professionals3
HLTH 5365Aging and Health Promotion3
DO: Year IV
CLIN 7411Womens Health and Wellness4
CLIN 7414Medicine Selective Clerkship4
CLIN 7415Surgery Selective Clerkship4
CMED 7304Clinical Medicine 43
OSTM 72333rd and 4th Year Longitudinal OMM Clerkship2
Total Hours226