Urban Design for Medical Students

A co-curricular program at a Philadelphia medical school integrates public health and city planning.

1 minute read

February 5, 2018, 9:00 AM PST

By Elana Eden


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A small park in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. | ChrisErb / Wikimedia Commons

The links between health and urban design have been studied since modern cities began to rise, and contemporary research has continued to chart the impacts of noise pollution, air quality, access to nature, and proximity to highways or major streets on physical and mental health. But only since 2015 has there been a university program combining medical practice, public health, and city planning to take a holistic view toward wellbeing in cities.

The JeffDESIGN program at Thomas Jefferson University Medical School has as its mission to "design healthier cities, find more efficient ways to deliver care and develop the next generation of medical devices." In a feature on Next City, Bill Bradley describes student projects ranging from mapping the inefficiencies of hospital layouts to designing a better playground by monitoring how kids play.

Launched in February 2015, the program focuses on a broad range of design applications aimed at impacting real people’s health, from 3D printing that will help improve surgery to redesigning the physical space of hospitals. Most importantly, it’s about exploring the ways infrastructure, community and the built environment can have a positive impact on health.

Thursday, February 1, 2018 in Next City

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Floor-to-ceiling rotating gates at Fairmount subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems

SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

3 hours ago - Mass Transit

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

4 hours ago - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Intersection in downtown Sacramento, California with neoclassical building with columns on left.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects

The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.

5 hours ago - The Sacramento Bee