Mission
To improve population and public health locally and globally through the pursuit of high-impact, transdisiplinary research; the translation and communication of knowledge; and the training of outstanding students, professionals and future researchers, educators and leaders.
We are among the nation’s leaders in population and public health
Although a department and not a school, since its founding in 1977, Preventive Medicine has consistently ranked among the top 10 Schools of Public Health in terms of competitively-awarded funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
We are beginning a new phase of growth
With the continued support of Keck/USC, new leadership, and greater public health awareness motivated by the global SARS/COVID-19 pandemic, Preventive Medicine is embarking on a trajectory of additional growth, building on current strengths and expanding in new and exciting research and educational directions.
We apply an integrated, transdisciplinary approach
Transformation and novel team-science approaches are needed to address today’s many pressing population health issues – current and future pandemics, tobacco and substance abuse, pollution and climate change, health disparities with attention to race, sex, age, socio-economic status and other relevant factors, unsustainable healthcare systems, and understanding the risk factors that continue to drive obesity, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, dementia and cognitive impairments, and other chronic diseases. These challenges are over-lapping and inter-connected in ways that demand coordinated and integrated evidence-based solutions that utilize ‘big data’ and state of the art analysis methods to identify novel risk factors and associated “precision public health and medicine” approaches to improve human health.
We build on our established strengths
With 113 full-time faculty, an average of 800 trainees per year, and deep partnership across USC and beyond, Preventive Medicine is positioned to address these wide-ranging population health issues with a broad research and education agenda that leverages one of the largest and most diverse populations in the urban U.S.– Los Angeles County, as well as other communities. Ready access to these populations positions Preventive Medicine researchers to evaluate and generate the evidence needed to rectify multiple health disparities and transition populations toward health equity and wellness.
We capitalize on our unique opportunities and invite you to join us in this effort
Preventive Medicine will meet these challenges by pursuing innovations in transdisciplinary collaborations, by leveraging its unique investments in world-class research among the residents of Southern California and beyond, and by translating the evidence generated into actionable policies that contribute towards the evolution of the Los Angeles metropolitan area and similar communities around the world to models of sustainable, equitable, and healthy urban living.
The Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program, the first population-based cancer registry in LA, was envisioned by cancer epidemiologist Brian Henderson
The Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program, the first population-based cancer registry in LA, was envisioned by cancer epidemiologist Brian Henderson in 1969. It commenced in 1972 with researchers Thomas Mack, Malcolm Pike, Susan Preston-Martin and John Hisserich. The program continues to collect and analyze information on all new cancer diagnoses to this day, and has become one of the world’s most productive cancer registries.
1st Chair 1978-1988
Brian Henderson, MDDepartment of Family and Preventive Medicine was formed and chaired by Dr. Brian Henderson The Department of Community & Family Medicine was founded in 1978, with Brian Henderson appointed the inaugural chair by then-Dean Allen W. Mathies, Jr. Henderson would later become dean of the USC medical school 2004 to 2007 and Kenneth T Norris Jr Chair in Cancer Prevention.
Division of Occupational and Environmental Health was established
John M. Peters founded the Department of Community & Family Medicine Division of Environmental Health and the Children’s Health Study in 1980.
The Dept incorporated the faculty of the Institute for Prevention Research (IPR) and formed the Division of Health Behavior Research
The Dept became the Department of Preventive Medicine when the independent Department of Family Medicine was formed.
2nd Chair 1989 - 1999
Malcolm Pike, PhDMalcolm Pike, recruited by Brian Henderson, took the helm of the Department of Preventive Medicine in 1989.
The Cancer Surveillance Program and the Divisions of Biostatistics, Occupational & Environmental Health, and Health Behavior Research moved into the Center for Health Profession (CHP) building.
The Division of Epidemiology moved into the Norman Topping Tower of the Norris Cancer Center.
3rd Chair 1999-2006
Ronald Ross, MD
Interim Chair 2006-2008
Malcolm Pike, PhD
4th Chair 2008-2017
Jonathan Samet, MD, MSInstitute for Global Health created by Jonathan M. Samet
The Division of Bioinformatics created, with Paul Thomas as Division Chief
Consolidated most of the department in the new Soto Street Building (SSB)
The Division of Disease Prevention & Global Health formed
Interim Chair 2017-2020
Thomas Valente, PhD
The Division of Disease Prevention & Global Health changed to the Division of Disease Prevention Policy & Global Health Institute of Global Health changed to Institute of Inequalities on Global Health
