By Christina Verheul, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
SPOKANE, Wash. – Opportunities in nutrition and exercise research will expand in the fall when the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine will launch two new advanced degree programs at Washington State University Spokane.
The two programs offered by the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology will lead to master of science and doctor of philosophy degree. The tracks will offer advanced-level coursework with emphasis on research in clinical and community settings, as well as epidemiology and population health. Students will have opportunities to engage with food banks, schools and community organizations, and work with faculty on research projects aimed at community health and wellness.
The department aims to begin with five students in the new degree programs and grow to 15 students by 2023. Applications for fall 2018 are being accepted now.
“This is a proud moment for us to introduce these degree programs into our curriculum and educate the next generation of nutrition and exercise researchers and community health experts,” said Glen Duncan, chair and professor of the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. “As nutrition and exercise become increasingly intertwined with medicine, the time is right for us to build on our departmental strengths and the momentum of the medical school by expanding our curriculum and research.”
The Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, which was embedded in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine in 2017, educates more than 100 undergraduate and graduate students annually. It’s rapidly growing research efforts, which include geographic information systems and food desert mapping, twin studies, and community and population health analyses, are all aimed at improving the health of people locally and across the state.
For more information, visit medicine.wsu.edu.
Contact:
- Christina VerHeul, director of communications and marketing, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, 509-368-6850, christina.verheul@wsu.edu
