吃瓜网

Future doctors, researchers and health advocates often start with the same questions: How can we help people live healthier lives? What drives health disparities across communities? And how can compassion and science work hand in hand?

At 吃瓜网, those questions aren’t answered in just one department. Beginning in the 2026–2027 academic year, Whitman will offer a new interdisciplinary Public Health concentration, designed for students interested in pre憁ed studies, seeking comprehensive preparation for future health careers, or wanting to better understand health and society.

A Liberal Arts Foundation for Health Careers

Public health and pre-med students need more than just science coursework—health care, research and policy are inherently interdisciplinary, requiring students to understand biological processes, social systems, environmental conditions and policy frameworks. Whitman’s new Public Health concentration draws on all of those concepts and easily complements many majors, from Brain, Behavior and Cognition to Environmental Studies to Politics to Economics.

“Students interested in public health need broad education, strong critical thinking and information literacy skills, and the ability to communicate clearly,” says Alissa Cordner, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Public Health concentration. “Whitman’s liberal arts model provides an ideal foundation for understanding public health issues or going into health-related careers.”

Faculty Mentorship That Matters

Even in Whitman’s highly popular introductory courses in Biology and Psychology, students don’t get lost in large lecture halls. With small classes and professors who know them by name, students receive teaching and mentorship that bridges academic goals and real憌orld opportunities.

A new tenure憈rack professor in Public Health will join the faculty in Fall 2026, teaching courses on topics such as health literacy, social and individual determinants of health, and community health. This scholar憈eacher will guide students through a hands憃n capstone project, connect them with internships or research, and help them map out steps toward medical or health憆elated careers.

This new professor joins an interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff with deep experience mentoring students headed toward medical school and other health careers. Cordner notes that many students have limited exposure to public health before college, so these faculty relationships provide essential support as students explore the countless pathways for life after graduation.

Preparation That Goes Beyond the Classroom

Every student completing the concentration will take part in immersive learning experiences through research, an internship or community-based work. These hands-on engagements enable students to encounter public health practice directly while deepening classroom learning.

“This practical component will let students experience public health research and practice firsthand,” Cordner says. “And completing the concentration clearly signals to employers and graduate programs a student’s commitment to the field of public health.”

Supporting future career preparation, Whitman’s Office of Health Professions Advising helps students as they pursue graduate education or enter the workforce. In recent years, alumni interested in health careers have gone to medical school or continued in health-related graduate programs at institutions including the University of Washington, Emory University, Boston University, Tulane University and Johns Hopkins University.

Educating the Health Leaders of Tomorrow

Cordner says the Public Health concentration will open doors to a better future, not just for students but the places they live and the people they encounter. “Many students come to Whitman because they want an education that can help them make a difference in their communities and in the world, and public health as a field is full of ways to help your neighbors, your city, and whole populations.”

For students who dream of becoming doctors, researchers or community health leaders, Whitman’s Public Health concentration offers a program to build both the scientific knowledge and broader understanding that will serve them throughout their careers.