Students take their MPH courses during an "SPH Block" which occurs after their clinical block. They have fall and spring semester courses, then have an "MPH discovery period" from May through August. During this period, many students arrange an outside experience, whether in Washington (for the Health, Policy and Management students) or in an international location, or right here in Atlanta in association with our partner institutions (CDC, CARE, the Carter Center, etc). This period then is followed by their Medical School Discovery Block of five months, which allows them to continue their MPH experience, put together new clinically-based research options, visit potential residencies, etc. The two blocks can be mixed, so that the student has great flexibility.
Global Field Experiences are encouraged at the SPH through funding of many students for such projects. See http://www.sph.emory.edu/admissions.index and http://www.sph.emory.edu/rollins-life/gfe.index for more information.
Each degree concentration has an academic coordinator, officially titled an Assistant Director of Academic programs. Students are required to meet with these coordinators before registering for a degree concentration. A list of these directors can be found here:http://www.sph.emory.edu/rollins-life/resources/adaps/index.html
The students switch into the MPH mode instantly. They worry about going back to their clinical duties, so most, if not all, volunteer in ERs or other medical settings during the MPH block. Since they are dual degree students, they can do all the volunteering they want during the MPH block and are still protected by the medical school's malpractice insurance.