Disparities in presentation, care, severity, and disability for neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s have been identified in U.S. minority populations. Addressing health disparities becomes critical when considering the cost and burden on society of unequal care and treatment of what will be more than 50% of our society by 2060.
The program builds on the following unique resources at Wake Forest University:
The program builds on the following unique resources at Wake Forest University:
In neuroscience coursework, students study how the brain and the nervous system work, how they develop, and how they can be affected by the environment and by disease. WFU Graduate School offers training opportunities in state-of-the-art research that span virtually all areas of modern neuroscience, including molecular, developmental, and behavioral neurobiology, as well as cognitive and computational neuroscience. These resources, along with our open and collaborative environment, translate into a wide range of personal and professional opportunities for young neuroscientists.
In the past, basic, clinical, and community-based researchers operated in separate domains, often creating barriers to the translation of scientific findings into widespread improvements in human health. The Division of Public Health Sciences created the CPTS program to prepare scientists to address this translational gap. Coursework emphasizes biostatistics, epidemiology, and applied clinical and population research methods, along with the responsible conduct of research and scientific communication.
The Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity (MACHE) supports the learning health care system in advancing health equity and population health research by aligning scientific discoveries with best practices. MACHE has been designated as an NIH Center of Excellence. This prestigious designation positions MACHE to implement innovative approaches for improving population health. MACHE is dedicated to supporting translational research to impact population health, creating programming for the health and biomedical science pipeline, and conducting health equity education and training. By drawing on the strengths of these three programs, students receive a unique education that prepares them in state-of-the-art neuroscience research methods, trains them to conduct responsible clinical and population research, and equips them with knowledge of health disparities of minority populations so they are positioned to best address neurological health inequities.
