Timothy Nywening, MD, MPHS, knew he wanted to be a doctor since childhood. He grew up with the understanding that a surgeon offered the patient both immediate and long term relief of illness. Dr. Nywening attended Georgetown University for his undergraduate degree and then the University of Florida for his medical degree. He arrived at Washington University School of Medicine as a general surgery resident.
Now, his goal is to work in both research and a clinical setting. Dr. Nywening aspires to be a hepatobiliary surgeon, focusing on liver and pancreatic cancer. In his clinical practice, he will be hands on with his patients and be able to help them in their time of discomfort and pain. From his research practice, Dr. Nywening hopes to bring new immunotherapy options to patients with liver and/or pancreatic cancer.
The Master of Population Heath Science (MPHS) program was an easy decision for Dr. Nywening. He understood that having statistical and population health training would be beneficial in reaching his goal as both an academic and practicing physician. “The MPHS program provides a fantastic core curriculum with a wonderful selection of elective opportunities that allow one to apply skills gained during the coursework to actual projects that I was working on at the time,” said Dr. Nywening. “Furthermore, having access to the world renowned faculty made the projects I was working on far better and more rewarding.”
After completing the MPHS degree, Dr. Nywening understands the full value of the degree and appreciates the training he has been able to translate into his research and clinical practice. During coursework and with his current and future research, he was given opportunities to work on his own data set through biostatistical training and turn that information into a clinical trial. He also discovered new approaches to answering clinical questions, with the application of large data sets or through the use of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The MPHS program helped set the stage for Dr. Nywening’s success in his professional goal as an academic surgeon, by providing the foundation, resources, and knowledge needed to answer clinical and academic questions.
The MPHS degree program accelerates clinical research expertise and gives physicians, residents, fellows and medical students the foundation to excel in leading, designing, conducting and moving research to applications in clinical settings. The curriculum emphasizes the role of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics in clinical effectiveness and outcomes research. Population health sciences training brings together passion for patient care and uses research to improve health outcomes for patient populations. The MPHS program gives you the opportunity to learn at a top-ranked medical institution, Washington University School of Medicine, known for patient care and population health excellence, in classes customized for clinicians and medical students.
To learn more about the MPHS program, visit http://mphs.wustl.edu or contact Blanka Hodzic, program coordinator, at 314-286-0881.