To prepare students for a career in public healthcare, the University will offer a graduate study certificate online in public health. According to a news release by UVM, the 18-credit program will become available in summer 2013 to medical and graduate students, health practitioners, public health professionals and healthcare researchers. ?There is an urgent need for more people trained in public health,? said Associate Dean for Public Health Jan Carney. ?This is because of rising health concerns in modern society such as obesity, tobacco use and infectious diseases.?Not only will the program prepare students for health issues prevalent in today?s society, it will also prepare them for changes in the healthcare system, she said.The classes offered are part of nationally recognized core disciplines necessary for public health education. They aim to teach students the foundations in public health sciences such as epidemiology, which studies the cause and effect of health and disease in specific populations, and biostatistics, Carney said.Students will take five of the core courses and are allowed one elective from a list including Global Public Health and Public Health Law and Ethics.The course is offered online to allow students more flexibility in planning, Carney said. It also allows students not living in Vermont to utilize the program and provides faculty with the chance to use a variety of teaching methods, she said.?Changes in the health care system will benefit from health professionals having additional knowledge in public health, to prevent more diseases and help entire populations of patients,? Carney said.The end goal of the course is to prepare graduates to practice in a changing health care environment, engage in public health practices effectively and demonstrate knowledge and skills in foundation public health sciences.