The health of the Western New York community came first and foremost last Friday in Harriman Hall, when UB President William Greiner announced the grand opening of the newly formed School of Public Health and Health Professions.
Merging the previously existing School of Health Related Professions with the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, which was previously part of the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, created the new school.
Provost Elizabeth Capaldi appointed Maurizio Trevisan, chairman of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, to the position of acting dean of the new school. Trevisan said he has been involved with the formation of the School of Public Health and Health Professions for a couple of years.
"This department is something that we began thinking of over a year ago," said Trevisan.
According to Trevisan, one of the primary objectives of the school is to improve the health of the residents in the Buffalo area, as well as the rest of New York and the entire nation.
"Our mission is to advance the health of Western New York," Trevisan said. "And this is just the first step."
According to Greiner, the merger is one of the steps UB is taking for research and combating new diseases and threats.
"We are doing everything we can to move forward," Greiner said. "This is crucial to the future of health services and UB."
Trevisan said the faculty and students in the School of Public Health and Health Professions will achieve their mission through working with the community and community-based organizations.
At the press conference, Trevisan outlined a few key steps to ensure the school's success.
"First thing we will do is work on our core curriculum," Trevisan said. "We will expand on our training and knowledge of public health along with problems like chronic diseases, environmental health and AIDS."
Nick Cavallo, a sophomore exercise science major involved with a work-study program in the new school, said progress made within the School of Public Health and Health Professions will "have an overall positive effect on the way we will be able to treat patients in the future."
"Not only will we be able to focus on disease and injuries, but now we can also concentrate on prevention and overall awareness of patients," Cavallo said. "The new school, and the programs it brings, will also expand our opportunities in the future."
According to a press release, existing programs within the School of Health Related Professions, including the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Science, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Department of Social and Preventive Medicine will combine to form one department in the new school.
Trevisan said the administration of the new college is working at increasing the number of courses in which its students can enroll.
"This has just begun," he said. "It will take a while to get this thing started, but new classes as well will start."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
