Interprofessional Health Sciences

Program Overview

Students benefit from customized interdisciplinary research and teaching opportunities and gain a broad understanding of the ways health science impacts the functioning of individuals and society. The program’s dynamic systems approach to evaluate functioning in individuals with disabilities and develop interventions to enhance health is modeled after the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Concentrations are available in biomedical and health sciences, communication sciences and disorders, integrative health, and rehabilitation and movement science.

Curriculum

Begin with 12 elective credits transferred in for those holding a graduate degree OR 24 credits taken in the program prior to starting the remainder of the curriculum for those coming in with a B.S., 12 of which would count as electives towards the Ph.D. and 12 of which are required additional credit.

NOTE: 88 total credits for students who begin the program with a B.S. Each entering student’s academic record will be examined by the program director and appropriate supplementary courses recommended as required to ensure academic success.

Official course descriptions are outlined in the UVM Catalogue. Additional requirements are outlined in the program handbook.

Requirements

Applications must be submitted online to the UVM Graduate College. The application form requires:

• General application and associated fee
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts of all colleges attended
• Statement of purpose
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for non-U.S. residents

Please note the minimum TOEFL score for this program is 100. Applicants must have the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree, which consists of 16 years of formal education.

Review of graduate applications

An admissions committee will review all applications and interview selected candidates.

Evaluations will be based on the applicant’s grade point average, research experience, statement of purpose, and letters of reference. Factors considered for students who have already completed a graduate degree are: previous research experience, statement of purpose, and letters of reference. Transcripts will be used to verify previous degrees. GPAs will be used only to differentiate between otherwise equally qualified students. Final decisions will be based on the personal interview.

More

Students are expected to achieve competencies in areas of research, interprofessional content, teaching, and policy.

Research competencies

• Apply research methods
• Demonstrate skill in scientific inquiry in research rotations
• Communicate scientific content appropriate to professional publication and grant submission

Interprofessional content competencies

• Utilize the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (the ICF model) to develop a research strategic plan that can be sustained throughout one’s professional career
• Apply the ICF and relevant research to the scholarly investigation of important issues and problems related to human functioning and rehabilitation
• Collaborate with interprofessional teams of researchers, educators, and students to integrate a variety of perspectives in addressing scholarly problems in human functioning and rehabilitation
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in an area related to human functioning or rehabilitation

Teaching competencies

• Integrate evidence-based teaching methods to develop learning experiences for teaching other students in a supervised classroom setting

Policy competencies

• Explain the impacts of health care and education policy and regulations on delivery systems and health outcomes

Candidates will demonstrate these competencies by:

• Developing and submitting a research proposal for an internal or external grant competition
• Disseminating results of scholarly work in which the candidate has played a significant role through oral presentation at one or more professional meetings
• Publishing at least one peer-reviewed publication on which they are first author
• Teaching at least one course under the mentorship of a faculty member, or serving as a teaching assistant for at least one course and mentoring or co-mentoring an undergraduate or master’s degree research project
• Analyzing a delivery system or policy process affecting health and human performance of individuals with a selected health condition