Family Medicine and Public Health
[ undergraduate program | graduate program ]
All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. Updates may be found on the Academic Senate website: http://senate.ucsd.edu/catalog-copy/approved-updates/.
Courses
For course descriptions not found in the UC San Diego General Catalog, 2016–17, please contact the department for more information.
Lower Division
FPMU 40. Introduction to Public Health (4)
This course provides an introduction to the infrastructure of public health; the analytical tools employed by public health practitioners; bio-psychosocial perspectives of public health problems; health promotion/disease prevention; quality assessment in public health; and legal and ethical concerns.
FPMU 50. Primary Care and Public Health (4)
This course explores historical and current interactions, achievements and challenges of primary care and public health. It will analyze the impact of common medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes, mental health disorders, and others on individuals, their families, and society.
Upper Division
FPMU 101. Epidemiology (4)
This course covers the basic principles of epidemiology, with applications to investigations of noninfectious (“chronic”) and infectious diseases. Explores various study designs appropriate for disease surveillance and studies of etiology and prevention. Prerequisites: FPMU 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11; and upper-division standing.
FPMU 102. Biostatistics in Public Health (4)
Fundamentals of biostatistics and basic methods for analysis of continuous and binary outcomes for one, two, or several groups. Includes: summarizing and displaying data; probability; statistical distributions; central limit theorem, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing; comparing means of continuous variables between two groups; comparing proportions between two groups; simple and multiple linear regression. Hands-on data analysis using software and statistical applications in public health. Prerequisites: FPMU 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or MATH 3C or MATH 10A or MATH 10B; and upper-division standing.
FPMU 110. Health Behavior and Chronic Diseases (4)
This course introduces health behavior concepts through applications to chronic disease prevention. The focus is on smoking, dietary behaviors, and physical activity and is organized around relationships to health, measurement, influencing factors, interventions, and translation to public health practice. Prerequisites: FPMU 40 and upper-division standing.
FPMU 120. Health Policies for Healthy Lifestyles (4)
This course covers the rationale for and effectiveness of policies to influence nutrition, physical activity, and substance use behavior. Policies include legalization, taxation, labeling, produce manufacturing, warning labels, licensing, marketing, and counter-marketing practices and restrictions on use. Prerequisites: FPMU 110 and upper-division standing.
FPMU 130. Environmental and Occupational Health (4)
This core public health course addresses the fundamentals of environmental and occupational health, including identification of hazards, basic toxicology, risk assessment, prevention/protection, and regulatory/control policies. Specific environmental and occupational hazards and relevant case studies will be presented. Prerequisites: FPMU 50, FPMU 101 and upper-division standing.
FPMU 180A. Advanced Practicum I (2)
Emphasizes key public health concepts including program planning, research design, and written/oral communication skills. Seminar done in combination with research, internship, or overseas experiences, completed after FPMU 180A. Open to public health majors with upper-division standing. Prerequisites: FPMU 40, FPMU 50, FPMU 101, and FPMU 110. Department approval required. Restricted to upper-division public health majors only (FP25). 3.0 cumulative GPA. 3.3 GPA in FPMU 40, 50, 101A, and 110.
FPMU 180B. Advanced Practicum II (2)
Seminar participants will interpret and contextualize findings from research, internship, or overseas experiences planned in 180A and completed prior or concurrently with 180B. Oral and written presentations will focus on challenges of research and of program implementation, evaluation, and sustainability. Prerequisites: FPMU 180A, FPMU 102, and FPMU 120. Department approval required. Restricted to public health majors only (FP25). 3.0 cumulative GPA. 3.3 GPA in FPMU 40, 50, 101A, 101B, 110, and 120.
FPMU 199. Independent Study (2-4)
Individual undergraduate study or research not covered by the present course offerings. Study or research must be under the direction of a faculty member in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health and approval must be secured from the faculty member prior to registering. P/NP grades only. May be taken for credit three times. Prerequisites: upper-division standing, completion of ninety units of UC San Diego undergraduate study, a minimum UC San Diego GPA of 2.5, consent of instructor, and a completed and approved Special Studies form.
Graduate
FPM 231. Exposure Assessment and Biomarkers in Epidemiology (2)
To address how exposure assessment accuracies or biases can influence study outcomes and conclusions in epidemiology. Special emphasis will be on biomarkers as recent measures of exposure.
FPM 233. Clinical Nutrition (2)
Clinical nutrition is the study of nutrition and diet as related to the prevention and treatment of human disease. Nutrition is an interdisciplinary field of study, built on a foundation of biomedical and behavioral sciences. This course emphasizes class discussion of clinical topics and assigned readings in current areas of research and practice (i.e., diet and cancer, vitamin and other diet supplements), with case studies and illustrative class exercises.
FPM 237. Microarray Technology and Informatics (2)
This course is an introduction to microarray technology and analysis of gene expression data. This ten-lecture course will cover a range of microarray topics including platform types. Image processing, experimental design, and statistical analysis and application in medicine and health sciences.
FPM 238. Introduction to Clinical Family Medicine (1-7)
Introduction to clinical ambulatory medicine where students spend one afternoon per week in a physician’s practice participating in patient care commensurate with their training. Students may opt to continue the course over successive quarters or enroll full time during the summer for up to four weeks. S/U grades only. May be taken for credit two times. Prerequisites: medical student status.
FPM 244. Clinical and Public Health Elective, Baja California, Mexico (2)
(Cross-listed with MED 248) Integrated clinical and public health experience with U.S. and Mexican graduate student and faculty teams over three to four days in Baja California, Mexico; emphasis on common clinical and public health problems in underserved populations. Minimal working knowledge of Spanish recommended. May be taken for credit four times. Prerequisites: UC San Diego SOM student and graduate students with consent of instructor.
FPM 246. Occupational/Environmental Health (2)
An introduction to the history and epidemiology of work-related disease. A review of occupational-related health problems, i.e., heart disease, pneumoconiosis, peripheral neuropathy, sterility, birth defects, psychiatric problems. Emphasis on the occupational history in the diagnosis of job-related disease and disability. Major modalities of prevention and control will be presented and the role of health practitioners, government, management and labor will be reviewed. The course will include guest lecturers, films, videotapes and field visits to local industries and/or clinicians treating occupational diseases. Prerequisites: SM 208.
FPM 247. Clinical Epidemiology Seminar (2)
This seminar is designed to expand the student’s understanding of clinical epidemiology by investigating several major controversial issues, such as treatment of breast cancer, oral hypoglycemic in diabetes, and dietary habits as a risk factor for coronary artery disease. The seminar will address clinical and methodological issues in the epidemiology of various chronic diseases.
FPM 257. Cancer: Cause and Prevention (2)
This course will provide an overview of the problem of cancer and its avoidable causes. It covers some of the hottest topics currently facing cancer prevention professional as they try to prevent cancer from occurring in the first place and delay its progression.
FPM 258A. Public Health Doctoral Lecture Series I (2)
This first quarter of a three quarter sequence combines didactic instruction, interactive sessions and student presentations. Topics cover study design, ethics, data analysis and management techniques, and qualitative research will be presented. Focus: lectures (different from II or III). Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, SOM student.
FPM 258B. Public Health Doctoral Lecture Series II (2)
This second quarter of a three quarter sequence combines didactic instruction, interactive sessions and student presentations. Topics cover study design, ethics, data analysis and management techniques, and qualitative research will be presented. Focus: lectures (different from I or III). Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, SOM student, FPM 258A.
FPM 258C. Public Health Doctoral Lecture Series III (2)
This third quarter of a three quarter sequence combines didactic instruction, interactive sessions and student presentations. Topics cover study design, ethics, data analysis and management techniques, and qualitative research will be presented. Focus: lectures (different from I or II). Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, SOM student, FPM 258B.
FPM 259A. Applied Epidemiology—Scientific Analysis (4)
Students will explore an epidemiologic research question by reviewing relevant published literature, and then design and conduct appropriate data analysis using a pre-existing dataset. May be taken for credit two times. Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate students.
FPM 259B. Applied Epidemiology—Scientific Writing (4)
Students will learn the principles of scientific writing, review examples of scientific literature, and then complete a manuscript suitable for publication based on their project from FPM 259A. May be taken for credit two times. Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, FPM 259A.
FPM 259C. Applied Epidemiology—Scientific Presentations (4)
Students will learn the principles of scientific presentations, for the classroom, and for scientific meetings (both oral and poster presentations). Students will then prepare and deliver presentations based on their project from FPM 259A. May be taken for credit two times. Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, FPM 259B.
FPM 270. Cultural Perceptions of Health and Disease (4)
To improve knowledge about health and illness within cultural contexts, including review and discussions of epidemiologic studies describing health indicators/beliefs/practices. Students interact with experts in cross-cultural health research to explore ethnicity/culture in health care delivery and utilization, and disease risk. Prerequisites: medical or graduate student. Other students admitted with consent of instructor.
FPM 272. Community Advocacy (4)
The UC San Diego Student-Run Free Clinic Project operates in partnership with two community programs for the homeless and an inner-city elementary school. Students participate in didactic sessions learning principles of working with the underserved and are supervised in clinical, health education, and administrative roles at the clinic sites. S/U grades only. Prerequisites: medical student.
FPM 276. Health Behavior Interventions I (4)
Course will include a discussion of intervention goals suggested by major theories of health behavior change. Common communication modes and messages will be studied, including examples using small group settings, mass media, legislation, and telephone counseling. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health.
FPM 277. Health Behavior Interventions II (4)
This course focuses on critical analyses of success and failure of behavior theories as applied to interventions in multiple fields (e.g. smoking, dietary behavior, and physical activity). It covers individual and population approaches to behavior change. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the UC San Diego/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health (PU 75 and PU 76).
FPM 278. Scale Development for Behavioral Health Measurement (4)
Course will present theory and methods for developing scales to assess health behavior constructs (e.g., self-efficacy, social support). Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health. Graduate level statistics or research methods class.
FPM 280A. Practicum in Health Behavior I (4)
Students will learn about grant writing, project management, and preparation of manuscripts for publication and presentations for scientific meetings, and also work individually with a faculty mentor to learn how to conduct a health behavior intervention. S/U grades only. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health (PU75 and PU75). Courses must be completed in sequence (e.g., A before B and B before C).
FPM 280B. Practicum in Health Behavior II (4)
Students will learn about grant writing, project management, and preparation of manuscripts for publication and presentations for scientific meetings, and also work individually with a faculty mentor in preparing manuscripts using data from a specific health behavior intervention. S/U grades only. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health (PU75 and PU75). Courses must be completed in sequence (e.g., A before B and B before C).
FPM 280C. Practicum in Health Behavior III (4)
Students will learn about grant writing, project management, and preparation of manuscripts for publication and presentations for scientific meetings, and also work individually with a faculty mentor in analyzing existing data sets. S/U grades only. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health (PU75 and PU75). Courses must be completed in sequence (e.g., A before B and B before C).
FPM 285. Clinical Trials: Issues and Dilemmas in Clinical Trials (2)
(Cross-listed with NEU 285) This course provides a methodological perspective on clinical trials. Topics will include ethics, design of Phase I–IV trials, randomization/blinding, bias and sample-size power. Lectures will also cover “application” with eminent UC San Diego trialists describing conduct, design and statistical issues of specific studies. S/U grades only. Prerequisites: medical or graduate student standing.
FPM 286. Free Clinic II (2 or 4)
The Free Clinic Project operates at three community-based sites. In this class, students, under faculty supervision, provide clinical services and learn administrative, health education and leadership. S/U grades only. May be taken for credit as many times as desired. Prerequisites: FPM 272.
FPM 288. Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (4)
Focus on qualitative methods addressing both theoretical and practical dimensions of conducting qualitative research. Identify research questions for which qualitative methods are appropriate, and to critique qualitative research in terms of design, interview techniques, analysis, and interpretation.
FPM 290. Health Policy and Health Behaviors in the United States (3)
This course summarizes characteristics of the US health-care system and how it motivates health behaviors that negatively or positively affect outcomes. Also addressed are contemporary health policy issues related to health behaviors (e.g. smoking, dietary behavior, and physical activity). Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the UC San Diego/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health (PU75, PU76 and PU77) or consent of the instructor.
FPM 291. Dissemination and Implementation Science in Health: An Introduction (4)
Focus on disseminating and scaling up health interventions in real-world settings. Interactive didactic sessions and guest lectures on implementation of research principles, approaches, and methods. Will design a proposal to implement or scale-up a clinical or public health intervention.