The master's program will be offered for the first time at UB this fall.

"This joint program will benefit both of our institutions," said David C. Carpenter, dean of the University at Albany's School of Public Health. "UB gets access to our nationally accredited MPH program with a minimal financial investment. The University at Albany gets to set the standard of public-health education and expand its student base."

Courses will be taught by faculty in the UB Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, who will hold adjunct faculty appointments at the University at Albany. Public-health degrees will be granted through the University at Albany. Long-range plans call for courses to be taught by faculty from both SUNY schools via teleconferencing, and for new courses to be developed that capitalize on the expertise and resources of both faculties.

UB already offers most of the relevant courses through the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine's master's of science program in epidemiology.

"This new program gives us expanded ability to train our faculty in public health and prevention of disease, and is an excellent complement to our existing graduate program in epidemiology and community health," said Maurizio Trevisan, professor and chair of the department.

"It is also a concrete example of how two SUNY institutions can work together to provide excellent educational opportunities."

Interest in the program is keen, Trevisan said, and he expects demand to be strong. Initially, only persons already holding an M.D. or D.D.S. degree will be admitted to the MPH program. Other health professionals may be admitted as the program matures.

While medical school and specialty residencies train physicians to treat diseases of individual patients, public-health training concentrates on improving and protecting the health of populations, with particular emphasis on the prevention of disease.

Arthur Michalek, director of graduate studies for UB's graduate program at Roswell Park and one of the initiators of the joint program, said the MPH degree is an attractive option for clinical staff, giving physicians a chance to see both the public-health impact and fiscal sides of health programming. Michalek will help coordinate the project.

Carpenter noted that in an era of managed care, tighter budgets and reduced access to health services for many people, educating health-care providers in public-health issues has never been more important.

"The old adage, 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,' still applies," he said.