ISMMS Graduates Its First DPM/MPH
Michael Gazes is on track to become the first student to graduate from the ISMMS’ newly affiliated dual DPM/MPH degree program with the New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NYCPM). He successfully completed the MPH portion of his education in September 2013 and is scheduled to graduate with a Doctorate in Podiatric Medicine in May 2014. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE A DUAL DEGREE? I originally decided to pursue the dual degree because I wanted to enhance my knowledge and abilities in healthcare administration, health promotion, disease prevention, and research so that I could be a valuable asset wherever my future brings me. I liked the idea of working towards both degrees simultaneously but it took extreme organization and a lot of strict scheduling for me to complete the coursework to my satisfaction. Classes at the NYCPM typically ran from 8am to 4pm, and then I would go directly to Mount Sinai for evening classes until 6 or 7 pm several times a week.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF COMING TO ISMMS? The actual courses in the MPH program were incredibly interesting. I enjoyed being able to share my thoughts on Public Health topics with medical students, residents, practicing physicians, and the other graduate students in my classes. I
established relationships with my classmates that I plan on maintaining as we continue to embark on our separate fields of practice. Moreover, the resources at Mount Sinai (mainly the library and its enormous amount of studying space) allowed me to absorb material comfortably. I ate more meals at the Mount Sinai cafeteria than anywhere else during my tenure living in Manhattan! DID YOUR BACKGROUND IN PODIATRIC MEDICINE HELP SHAPE YOUR MPH EXPERIENCE? For my practicum, I assisted in establishing a research database for the Foot Center of New York. This required getting an IRB approval and then examining the details of nearly 1,000 patient charts. The project lays the framework for future research about the clinic’s population and the information that we collected may lead to funding from outside sources interested in podiatric care. My thesis was submitted and accepted in September 2013.
WHAT’S NEXT ON YOUR AGENDA? I matched into a Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency with an added credential in Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle Surgery at Yale – New Haven Hospital. I’ll be starting in July 2014. I hope to utilize the knowledge I’ve gained from my DPM/ MPH education (such as in biostatistics, epidemiology, research methods, and healthcare administration) to organize evidencebased and cost effective treatment modalities to best serve my future patients.