2022 Highlights

EPH faculty are frontrunners in the School of Medicine (SOM) mission areas related to research. EPH faculty published a total of 297 peer-reviewed papers, which nearly triples the number of papers published in FY21. In FY22, the department submitted 150 grant applications, requesting $75.6m in TCs, and realized a 33% increase in NIH funding compared to the prior year. 89% of extramural funding in the department comes from federal sources. Active extramural awards to all faculty with primary appointments in the department totaled $47m, and we achieved an overall average of $1m per faculty member (n=47).

During FY2022, all academic programs associated with the department returned to in-person instruction, while remaining flexible and adaptable to account for surges and outbreaks. Anthony Harris, MD, MPH (Medical Student Education) and Jennifer Albrecht, PhD (Clinical Research) stood out in their respective and new directorial rolls. Preventive Medicine Residents passed their boards at a rate of 100%. The MPH program has been approved for a reaccreditation site visit in October after submitting their self-study draft to the Council on Education for Public Health. The MPH program also submitted a revised syllabus with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion and received approval from the Curriculum Committee. Faculty also were engaged in training the next generation of scientists in two PhD programs: Epidemiology and Human Genetics; and Gerontology which is a joint program with University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

EPH has eight faculty providing clinical care services. Wendy Lane, MD, MPH, remains a role model to clinicians across the state with regards to issues of Child Welfare. Anthony Harris, MD, MPH, and his team of Infection Prevention specialists remained busy guiding the decision-making across the UM system with persistent COVID issues, and the emergence of Monkeypox. This group of seven infection control specialists also sees infectious disease consults at the UM Medical Center Downtown and at Midtown, and the Baltimore VA. This group also has tirelessly provided ongoing advice to the administration, patients, and organizations across the country, in addition to our UMB/UMMS community.

Outreach is a core value to the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. Opportunities for students and faculty to get involved rebounded as we emerged with cautious optimism at points deemed to be clinically safe to gather or integrate with partners and organizations in the community. The MPH students and Preventive Medicine residents, are consistently stand-outs, going above and beyond their service requirements and finding ways to make sustained impact through their work.