Robert Hodge, PhD
Dr. Robert Hodge is an African-American, public health professional, publisher and lecturer, that has made his mark on local public health in the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His contributions to public health cover the spectrum including: dog bites on humans, rat bites on inner city children, assessment of public housing projects, homicides in Philadelphia, detection of domestic violence by medical practitionersand the development of public health performance measures.
Robert Hodge earned a B.S. in physical sciences from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD. Later he attended Temple University in Philadelphia where he earned a Master of Science degree in Physiology from Temple University's School of Medicine in 1994; a Master of Public Health degree in community public health in 1996, and a Doctorate degree in health studies in 2000. Dr. Hodge did his PhD Dissertation Title: “An Investigation of Behavioral Factors Related to Successful Adherence of Tuberculosis Patients to Directly Observed Therapy” which helped health practitioners to better understand why some tuberculosis patients had difficulty adhering to their daily medicine regiment. The results of this study improved ways to improve adherence to other medicinal treatments such as for HIV and high blood pressure.
Public Health Career Background
Beginning in 2009 Dr. Hodge has directed the City of Philadelphia'a Employees Medical Evaluation Program which oversees the fitness for duty aspects of job applicants and existing employees. From 2007-2009, Dr. Hodge served the City of Philadelphia as the Assistant Director, Environmental Health Services, prior to that assignment he was the Administrator of the Philadelphia Medical Examiners Office where he oversaw the implementation of policies that served to improve services to the public upon the death of a loved one. Dr. Hodge also served as the Director of two of the city's health centers where he focused on improving free health care services to the uninsured and unemployed. Earlier in his career he served as the Director of the Philadelphia Tuberculosis Control Program and was responsible for assuring that new immigrants and citizens without health care insurance were properly treated for tuberculosis disease.
Military Service
Robert Hodge began his public health career in 1973 as a United States Navy Hospital Corpsman, managing health care needs of wounded Navy and Marine Corps servicemen returning from Vietnam in 1974. As a hospital corpsman, Hodge was awarded the Vietnam Era Ribbon and several Unit Citation Awards. After three years as a corpsman, Hodge won a Secretary of the Navy nomination to the United States Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport Rhode Island, followed by a four year appointment at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Upon graduation, Ensign Hodge was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet where he served as a Communications Officer aboard the USS Deyo, DD-989. He also was assigned as a support group officer with the Atlantic Fleets Readiness Support Group based in Charleston, SC. In 1981 Lt. Hodge left military service to continue his public service in the civilian sector.
Professional Contributions
In 2002 Dr. Hodge has given speeches on “Quality Management Program at a Local Health Department” and “Community Health Assessment: Passyunk Homes” at several American Public Health Annual Conferences. He also was an adjunct Instructor in the Department of Public Health at Temple University during 2002 - 2006. He is an adjunct Associate Professor at Drexel University's School of Public Health, and has a secondary appointment as a Professor of Public Health at the same institution. He teaches on the legal aspects and policy-making of health services administration as an adjunct Professor at Strayer University in Philadelphia. Hodge was awarded the "Graduate Alumni of the Year” by Temple University's Department of Public Health in 2005; He has served on the Temple University, College of Allied Health Board of Visitors in 2006; he has served on the City of Philadelphia Institutional Review Board for the past ten years in addition was part of the Philadelphia Infant and Youth Fatality Review Team that was charged with studying the prevention fatalities among infants and children. Since 2008 Dr Hodge has contributed to the Mayor's Office of Leadership Investment by providing the mentorship of students interested in pursuing a public health career.
Early Life
Robert Hodge was born in Salzburg, Austria to an Austrian mother and a father whom he has never known. From childbirth to the age of five the biracial Robert lived in an Austrian orphanage as a ward of the state in Austria. He was later adopted by an American couple stationed by the military in nearby Vicenzia, Italy. It was during this time that the German-speaking Robert began to learn English and became a prolific reader of science and mystery books. At age seven the Hodge family moved to the States and settled in New Jersey where the young Robert attended public schools in Monmouth County. Five years after arriving in the United States, Robert became a naturalized citizen.
Today, Dr. Hodge continues to work in public health for the City of Philadelphia, lectures public health courses and health services administration, enjoys to travel to foreign countries and lives with his partner in the Mt. Airy neighborhood.