Department of Health

The Environmental Health Program

Charles V. Shorten Ph.D, P.E.
209 Sturzebecker Health Sciences Center
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2825


Gopal Sankaran, M.D., Dr.P.H., MNAMS, CHES

Gopal

Program Area: Health Promotion
211 Sturzebecker Health Sciences Center
Phone: (610) 436-2300
Fax: (610) 436-2860
E-mail address: gsankaran@wcupa.edu

Educational background:

  • M.B., B.S., 1977, Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi, India
  • M.D., 1980, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
  • M.P.H., 1983, University of California, Berkeley, USA
  • Dr.P.H., 1989, University of California, Berkeley, USA

Certifications:

  • Physician's License, 1977, Medical Council of India
  • MNAMS, 1982, National Board of Examiners & National Academy of Medical Sciences, India
  • Board Certification in Integrated Maternal and Child Health Care
  • Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), 1990, National Council for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.

Areas of Professional Interest:

  • Epidemiology
  • International Public Health Programs
  • Research Methods

Areas of Research:

  • HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control
  • Adolescent Health
  • Reproductive Health

Biographical Sketch:

Dr. Gopal Sankaran joined the faculty in the Department of Health in 1989. He is a physician, public health specialist, and health educator. His education, training and experience span these three health professions. In India, he trained medical and nursing students, medical interns and residents, and volunteers in Community Health. He has consulted with the World Health Organization (WHO) in the National Smallpox Eradication Programme and the Global Programme on AIDS. He has worked with PLAN International and Childreach on international HIV/AIDS prevention and control, child survival, and reproductive health projects. He has trained family practice residents from Pennsylvania and Delaware in Community Oriented Primary Care. He serves as a faculty preceptor for the medical students from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in the Bridging the Gaps: Philadelphia Community Health Internship Program.

Dr. Sankaran has received grants to research knowledge, attitudes, and practices of high school students, college students, and university faculty about HIV/AIDS. He has published several articles in professional journals and made over 75 presentations at international, national, state, and local professional conferences on a variety of public health issues. He co-edited HIV/AIDS in Sport: Impact, Issues, and Challenges, published by Human Kinetics, Inc. (1999). He is currently co-authoring a book, Sexual Harassment in Sport, to be published by Meyer & Meyer Sport, Germany. He is a reviewer for American Journal of Health Behavior, The Health Educator and the Professional Development Committee (ProNet) of American Association for Health Education (AAHE).

Dr. Sankaran served as a Member, Board of Governors for the National Council for International Health (now the Global Health Council) and as President, West Chester University Faculty Senate. He is a Trustee for the Pennsylvania Society for Public Health Education. His work has been recognized through College of Health Science Awards for Scholarship and Service.

Dr. Sankaran is currently a Professor of Public Health and Presidential Fellow for Planning at West Chester University. He is an American Council on Education Fellow for the 1999-2000 academic year