The Tor Vergata University postgraduate training program in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine holds 15 training positions, several of which are funded by the Ministry of Health (in recent years,the number of ministry funded positions has been 8/year) while the remaning are non ministry funded. Non ministry funded positions are reserved for physicians employed in affiliated hospitals, local health units, or other health organizations. All applicants must pass an admissions exam.

The program was established in 1986 and has continually developed over the years, on the one hand by recruiting expert lecturers in the various sectors of Public Health and on the other hand, by increasingy centering the program around the trainee who is required, by statute, to reach a number of professional objectives during his training.

Over the years, the school has established a number of affiliations with various external organizations such as the National Institute of Health, a number of local health units across the province of Rome, Frosinone and Latina, as well as different hospitals in Rome, such as the Fatebenefratelli Hospital, the S. Pietro Fatebenefratelli Hospital, and the Policlinico Italia.

The program facilitates development of knowledge through teaching activities (courses), as provided in the school statute, as well as through other academic activities. In fact, at the beginning of each academic year, trainees across the four years of training are divided into groups and each group is required to prepare a seminar on a public health related topic. Each group is made up of an approximately equal number of trainees from ministry funded and from non ministry funded positions. The seminars are attended by the school director and by all trainees. Other seminars are periodically held by experts in specific sectors of public health.

Trainees with ministry funded scholarships are able to acquire practical experience and skills through field rotations in specific units of affiliated institutions: local health units, hospitals, Epidemiology and Environmental health units, public health units and preventive medicine departments. Each field placement lasts 6-8 months. During the placement each resident works essentially to achieve specific professional objectives required by the training program.

During the academic year 2001-2002 a Quality Manual was approved and a Training Program Quality assurance system was established within the school. The Quality Manual was prepared by department staff with the cooperation of several specialists-in-training. Ten copies have been published and signed by the school director and by the quality assurance coordinator.

The quality assurance system was tested for one year before implementation; program faculty staff agreed to participate in the trial year. Selection criteria for faculty lecturers were defined and include a static evaluation (of curricula etc.) as well as an ongoing evaluation of the lecturers' achievements.

Areas of professional development that are included in the school statute were grouped into four homogeneous areas across the four years of training. School staff was involved in defining the four areas. For each area, a coordinator was identified to act as intermediary between the director of the program and lecturers.

The teaching program was developed in agreement with the lecturers. In addition, at the start of the academic year, all 2nd 3rd and 4th year trainees were administered a pretest,consisting of multiple choice questions, in order to evaluate their knowledge in each area and thus better define their training requirements. Test results were then discussed in meetings between lecturers and trainees.

Pretest results showed that trainees correctly answered approximately 30-35% of the multiple choice questions. At the end of the trial year all trainees were asked to anonymously give their opinion on whether the school should continue with the quality assurance system; 87% of trainees gave a positive response.

Trainees were also asked to evaluate each lecturer's characteristics, teaching methods, teaching material used etc. This was done through completion of additional questionnaires.

The school is currently planning to implement a quality assurance system for the practicum component of the program.