A Brief History of Public and Global Health at McGill University
While McGill University had a professor of public health as early as the end of the 19th Century, it was not until the arrival of Dr. J. Corbett McDonald in 1974 that a formal Department of Epidemiology and Health was created. Close to a half-century later, health researchers, educators, and practitioners at McGill have pioneered innovative training and research programs to bring critical knowledge and know-how to bear on public health challenges around the globe.
- 1964 – Department of Epidemiology and Health created, offering graduate degrees in Epidemiology and Medical Statistics.
- 1974 – Institute of Occupational Health and Safety created offering a Diploma in Occupational Hygiene.
- 1974 – Department of Community Health of the Montreal General Hospital is created, housing the clinical public health faculty members of the Department of Epidemiology and Health
- 1974 – Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada accredits the medical specialty training program in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at McGill
- 1983 – Institute of Occupational Health and Safety becomes the School of Occupational Health
- 1996 – School of Occupational Health merges with the Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics to create the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health
- 2005 – Global Health Programs is established as a connection point for international health work being done across McGill University.
- 2007 – Masters and Ph.D. degree programs in biostatistics offered
- 2011 – The MSc in Public Health is established