Purpose

Our Mission & Vision

The UT Southwestern Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health is dedicated to advancing the nation's health through groundbreaking research and by training a new generation of leaders who can respond to emerging public health needs.

We improve the well-being of communities by:

Translating scientific discoveries into public health solutions.
Assuring that we have an expert public health workforce, skilled in data sciences, epidemiology, health policy, health care delivery research, implementation science, and other disciplines impacting public health practice.

Our programs address some of society's most challenging problems, which affect communities in North Texas and worldwide.

We focus on:

Disease prevention
Burden of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity
Cancer epidemiology and prevention
Disparities in health outcomes and health equity
Social determinants of health
Health care delivery research
Implementation science

A better understanding of these aspects of public health helps create more equitable and accessible care for all in North Texas, one of the most populous, diverse, and fastest-growing regions of the United States.

North Texas faces many long-standing public health challenges, including high rates of common chronic illnesses, disparities in access to care, and the impact of social determinants of health in our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for public health resources in our communities, including professionals who are trained in evidence-based preventive interventions, epidemiologic crisis response, disease surveillance, and public health outreach.