Core Courses

Caring for Health: A course designed to expose students to the health care delivery system and the notion of patient centered care and primary health care issues through presentations, case studies, communication exercises, and hands-on activities.

Thinking About Thinking: A series of sessions examining paradigms, creativity, constructive criticism, reflective learning, and reflective writing.

Learning Teams: This course provides students with a "living-laboratory" in which students closely examine a specific health issue. Students learn the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork as they investigate the issue from multiple perspectives.

Making a Difference: A series of presentations, discussions, exercises, and two shadow days, personal and professional development, and improvement of team work skills.

Concentration Courses: All students are assigned to a concentration course to pursue one area of study in depth. The courses vary from year to year and may include family and child health, behavioral health, geriatrics, global health, and public health. Effort is made to match students with their first choice, but if demand exceeds space, some may have to go with another choice.

Other Activities

One shadow day experience, multiple site visits, leadership projects, small discussion groups, guest speakers, simulation games, team projects and presentations, videos, independent study, and cultural events are included in the UPHCSA curriculum. The program also schedules social and recreational activities. Typically, students spend evenings after 8:30 p.m. working in computer laboratories or doing advance readings.

Facilities and Faculty

UPMC Health System is one of the nation's most renowned academic medical centers. UPHCSA students are privileged to meet with the professionals who are develop health policy, conduct research, and deliver patient care. Many of the UPHCSA classrooms are situated in the medical center hospitals.

A wide range of professionals volunteer their services as instructors and mentors at UPHCSA. The University of Pittsburgh campus is urban, and the program rules are strict for the well-being of participants. Students live in gender-separate quarters exclusive from other campus groups. Trained staff monitor curfews and residential life, and act as facilitators for projects and discussions.