Celebrating the Inaugural MD/MPH Health Management and Policy Cohort Graduates

PORTLAND, OR — Celebrating a major milestone at the intersection of medicine and public health, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and Portland State University (PSU) are honoring the inaugural graduation of their very first MD/MPH cohort specializing in Health Management and Policy (HMP).

The pioneering group of four graduates represents the first wave of physician-leaders trained under an expanded dual-degree curriculum launched to equip students with critical skills in clinical medicine, health systems management, and health equity advocacy. Jointly sponsored by the OHSU School of Medicine and the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, the rigorous five-year program prepares graduates to navigate and reshape the complexities of modern healthcare systems.

“These graduates are uniquely equipped to be excellent physicians in their fields while simultaneously advancing health equity and leading healthcare transformation,” says MD/MPH program director, Alex Foster, MD.

The four trailblazing graduates have successfully matched into prestigious residency programs across the West Coast, where they will begin their careers as medical residents and healthcare advocates:

• Tamana Ebrat will be heading to the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) to specialize in Internal Medicine.
• Allison Connor has matched at Providence Hospital to specialize in Internal Medicine.
• Naseeha Islam will remain at OHSU to pursue training in General Surgery.
• Nikita Farhaj will also remain local, joining the OHSU residency program in Internal Medicine.

Originally established as an epidemiology-focused dual degree in 1997, the MD/MPH program expanded its offerings to include the HMP track in 2021 to meet a growing market demand for doctors with leadership, policy, and data management skills. While balancing standard medical training, this inaugural cohort completed immersive community-engaged experiential learning, field practice, and extensive integrative projects.

Neal Wallace, the MPH-HMP program director, noted how the two disciplines beautifully complement one another in practice. “While Dr. Foster’s team ensured these graduates built a flawless clinical foundation, our mission was to give them the tools to navigate health economics, law, and organizational behavior. These four trailblazers are stepping into their residencies as true systems thinkers prepared to manage complex public health challenges and design a more equitable healthcare future.”