With the 2024-2025 academic year around the corner, the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health is thrilled to announce the addition of Nichole Quick, MD, MPH, to our leadership team, effective September 1, 2024.
Dr. Quick joins us as a Health Sciences Associate Clinical Professor, Director of the Master of Public Health (MPH) Program, and the Director of Public Health Practice, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to our new school and the MPH degree program’s offerings. In addition, Dr. Quick will be providing her experience in occupational health across the larger UC Irvine campus.
Distinguished career in public health government
Dr. Quick’s career is marked by her dedication to improving population health through her work in governmental public health service and healthcare leadership. She has a proven record of addressing complex health issues and implementing effective public health strategies that have had a lasting impact on communities.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she dutifully served as the County Health Officer for the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA). During her tenure at OCHCA, she not only managed the county’s initial response to the pandemic, but also served as the physician leader for all OCHCA physicians and developed a medication assisted treatment for substance use disorder program for the county jail.
Following her departure from OCHCA, Dr. Quick provided her public health and medical expertise to numerous health institutions before landing at the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health as the Deputy Director of the Health Protection Bureau. In this role, she oversaw the divisions of environmental health, health facilities inspection, and emergency preparedness and response. In many aspects of her previous roles, Dr. Quick strives to build strong partnerships among government, academic, and community partners to achieve goals to optimize health. Her understanding of policy and its impact on our health coupled with her experience in governmental roles has equipped her with a unique perspective on public health challenges and the practical knowledge needed to develop and lead impactful health programs at Wen Public Health.
Looking forward for the MPH Program
As the new Director of MPH Program & Director of Public Health Practice, Dr. Quick is poised to lead our students into an exciting future. She is enthusiastic about preparing the next generation of public health professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to address today’s most pressing health issues. Dr. Quick’s deep connections in the public health sector are a testament to her commitment and influence. In just five years, our MPH program has quadrupled in size with an expected 120 students enrolled in the program this Fall. Her understanding of the complex nature of public health management is critical to supporting the continued growth of our MPH program. As the Director of Public Health Practice, Dr. Quick will be teaching courses to students about public health practitioners in action and how best to guide students at both undergraduate and graduate level through their own practicum experiences. In both roles, Dr. Quick will be at the forefront guiding our students toward achieving their full potential.
Dr. Quick’s commitment to excellence is evident in her academic and professional accomplishments. She holds both an MD and an MPH, underscoring her comprehensive understanding of both the medical and public health fields. Her dual expertise will be invaluable to public health students as they navigate their career after graduating.
We are confident that Dr. Quick’s leadership will enhance our MPH Program and our broader public health initiatives. Her dedication to population health and her experience makes her an ideal fit for our School and the larger campus.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Nichole Quick to Wen Public Health. We look forward to the innovative and impactful contributions she will bring to our community.
