School of Medicine Confers 62 MPH and MS-CR Degrees in 2022: Chen & Naik

On Sunday, May 22, a total of 62 Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Clinical Research degrees were conferred by the UVA School of Medicine in an afternoon ceremony. Some of the students’ projects are highlighted below.

Jacklyn Chen, Master of Public Health

This study examines the relationship between income, recent household job loss, and employment status on the confidence in ability to pay mortgage or rent next month in selected states by analyzing the US Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey data from April 2020 to October 2021. The findings suggest that there is a statistically significant impact by state policies on confidence levels due to factors, such as income, recent household job loss, and employment status. Future considerations may include policy changes to mitigate housing insecurity and homelessness, such as extending eviction moratoria and policies for more comprehensive eviction protections.

Bhiken Naik, Master of Science, Clinical Research

This study investigates the costs versus benefits of implementing a program to protocolize care for patients undergoing spine surgery using an incremental cost effectiveness approach. The study was conducted at the University of Virginia and demonstrated that considering length of stay after surgery as the sole determinant of an outcome, standard care was the dominant cost-effective strategy compared to protocolized approach. This study has real world implications on institutions considering implementation of protocolized care, especially in the face of cost containment and patient benefits.