Jie Chen

Jie Chen, Ph.D.  

Interim Chair and Professor of Population Health Sciences
 


Jiechen@augusta.edu

706-721-0801

Welcome to the Department of Population Health Sciences (DPHS) in the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) at Augusta University (AU). The department, established in 2017, strives to build a transdisciplinary research infrastructure, educational programs, and community partnerships to improve the health of all populations, in line with the 200-year history of MCG’s pursuit of better health. DPHS was shaped by consolidating two closely affiliated MCG units - the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and the Georgia Prevention Institute (GPI). The new Division of Health Economics and Policy was added in 2019.

The department currently has three divisions. The Division of Biostatistics and Data Science focuses on developing innovative methodologies in quantitative science to advance biomedical research; collaborating with biomedical and public health researchers on study design and data analyses; and training biomedical, public health and quantitative scientists. The Division of Epidemiology is engaged in research and educational endeavors for understanding the relationships between determinants and outcomes of health through epidemiological studies. The goals of the Division of Health Economics and Policy include developing research and training programs specific to health economics, outcomes research and health policy, and to develop evidence-based healthcare delivery policies that improve key healthcare measures and reduce cost through partnerships with healthcare providers and administrators. The divisions, while pursuing distinct but related goals, are well-integrated and work together for the overarching goal of improving the health of populations through research, education and community engagement. Together, we play a vital role in the education mission and the multidisciplinary and translational research mission of MCG and AU, crossing the boundaries of academic colleges.

I am confident that we can continually make significant and meaningful contributions towards building better health and improving the quality of life for our community, the citizens of Georgia and beyond.