College of Public Health achieves accreditation

The UNMC College of Public Health has been granted accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and now is a full member of the Association of Schools of Public Health.

The UNMC College of Public Health has been granted accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health.

“This is a red letter day for UNMC,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “The College of Public Health affects the health and wellness of the entire state. Now, with accreditation, the final piece of the puzzle is in place and the college can soar to even greater heights.”

The college becomes one of only 47 accredited schools and colleges of public health in the United States.

Accreditation touches on all levels

For CEPH accreditation, excellence in education is tied to proficiency in practice and research.

“The accreditation process requires commitment from administrators, faculty, staff, students and other constituents,” said Laura Rasar King, executive director of CEPH. “The council recognizes the efforts of the University of Nebraska Medical Center to make ongoing improvements to ensure that students receive a high-quality education that advances them toward their career goals.”

Accreditation fast tracked

The college received accreditation within the minimum turnaround time of two years. The accreditation comes just five months after the college moved into its new $15 million building that was named for Dr. Maurer and his wife, Beverly.

“This is an incredible accomplishment that the entire medical center should take pride in,” said Ayman El-Mohandes, M.B.B.Ch., M.D., M.P.H., dean of the College of Public Health. “It was a total team effort that required a massive amount of work. This accreditation is concrete evidence of the strong support that the college has received from the medical center, the University of Nebraska, the state and the community at large”.

What it means

For public health students, accreditation means:

• The college’s educational programs have been found to be equal to the other accredited schools of public health;
  
• Advanced degree opportunities exist in all the various disciplines of public health;
  
• Credits between institutions can be easily transferred; and
  
• Students are qualified for student financial assistance and eligible for higher-level jobs, internships and fellowships.

Research implications

Accreditation also will make the college eligible for additional research funding available only to accredited schools and colleges, Dr. El-Mohandes said.

The goal, he said, is to secure $12 million in annual research funding within two years. (Read about two large grants the college recently received.)