School of Public Health's Preventive Medicine Residency Program Provides Unique Training Model

 

Dr. Heather Dacus and Dr. Sara Brenner have something in common: both were trained in the New York State Preventive Medicine Residency program at UAlbany's School of Public Health (SPH).

Dacus oversees cancer screening and control programs statewide as director of the New York State Department of Health's (NYSDOH) Bureau of Chronic Disease Control.

"The Cancer Prevention track was instrumental in preparing me for my current role in the field of public health," said Dacus. "The training afforded me the unique opportunity to focus specifically on population-based cancer prevention and control initiatives such as those involving tobacco cessation and cancer screening across New York State."

Brenner is the assistant vice president for NanoHealth Initiatives and assistant professor of Nanobioscience at UAlbany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE). Brenner was the first physician to create a nanobioscience rotation at CNSE, and then became the first physician on faculty at the NanoCollege.

"I have a unique opportunity to lead groundbreaking research at the UAlbany NanoCollege that targets occupational and environmental health and safety and the emerging field of nanomedicine, which is both exciting and critical for the delivery of 21st century health care," said Brenner. "The broad, contextual backdrop provided by the Preventive Medicine Residency program, with vital assistance from the American Cancer Society, has been an effective means of supporting this endeavor."

The residency program, a joint venture between the School of Public Health and NYSDOH, has received a $300,000 American Cancer Society (ACS) grant over four years to train physicians like Dacus and Brenner for leadership roles. Preventive Medicine residents earn a master's degree in public health and get hands-on training in a wide variety of public health settings. Graduates play lead roles in community health as medical directors and researchers in state and local health departments, academic centers, and other agencies.

"This award underscores the stellar reputation of the Preventive Medicine Residency program and the quality residents whom we support. Graduates of this program are second to none," said SPH Dean Philip Nasca.

The grant is supported by a bequest to the American Cancer Society by the Sanford H. Goldstein Estate.

"The American Cancer Society is thrilled to continue our work with the University at Albany's School of Public Health," said Diana Martin, regional vice president of the American Cancer Society. "The Physician Training Award in Preventive Medicine has trained successful leaders in public health and we're happy this grant can continue creating unique opportunities for future residents of the program."

The American Cancer Society-funded Cancer Control track prepares physicians for leadership roles in cancer prevention. Residents experience community-level approaches to preventing cancer, preparing them to lead cancer prevention efforts in public health departments, managed care plans, workplaces and other settings. ACS-funded residents do a practicum rotation at the Albany headquarters of the Eastern Division of the American Cancer Society.

Dr. Mary Applegate, director of the residency program and associate dean for academic affairs at SPH said she is delighted the program was chosen by the Goldstein estate to receive another round of ACS funding.

"Their generosity will enable us to train more leaders in cancer prevention and to continue our close collaboration with the American Cancer Society. That's been a wonderful relationship for the past six years. I'm very glad that it's continuing. I'm a cancer survivor myself, so I know how important this work is," said Dr. Applegate.

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