<p>Does getting a MPH help your chances to get into medical school? So after graduation, taking a year or two off to get the MPH (not just to show the med schools but because I'm truly interested in public health), meanwhile applying to medical schools. Or is it more beneficial to spend that year in a research lab?</p>
<p>Depends on what gets accomplished in said research lab.</p>
<p>Most (all?) MPH programs are two years if you do them before medical school.</p>
<p>Dartmouth has a very young one year MPH that I was looking into, but some schools have 18 months programs such as Tulane, that you can start in May, so by August of the next year you can usually finish.</p>
<p>As for research I was thinking maybe a one year NIH fellowship, staying in the lab I'm in now and will definitely have publications, or go to a pharmaceutical company that I interned with, which will have cutting edge technology and research but not much in terms of publications.</p>
<p>I was already thinking about a getting a MPH with MD, but might it be better to get it before and at the same time increase my chances into a better or even a medical school?</p>
<p>Do what you want to do. Neither are going to increase your chances significantly. Med schools have plenty of applicants with a MPH on their record (it's certainly not hard to get into a MPH program). Med schools also have plenty of applicants with research experience.</p>
<p>I think either way would give you a noticeable but not dramatic boost. The research could be dramatic if you're wildly successful. (I think industry research would not help.)</p>
<p>Gracias to both of you. How does the cost work out if I were to do MD and MPH at the same time? Do I pay med school tuition and grad school tuition?</p>
<p>Industry research would help a little more in terms of saving up some money for med school, but I think academic research is a lot more fun and helpful too.</p>
<p>Depends on the school, but probably you'd pay five years of tuition.</p>
<p>It'll depend on the school. Some schools will give you a discount for doing a combined program, many won't.</p>
<p>Northwestern was pimping its 4-year MD/MPH program pretty hard at the interview so if you're interested in getting a MPH w/o spending extra years, that's something you can look at. It only costs approx. $22,000 to get the MPH via the combined program but $4000/course for the freestanding MPH program (you will need at least 9 courses to get the degree).</p>
<p>Mount Sinai also allows you to graduate with an MD/MPH in four years. You do have to pay the MPH tuition - I have no idea how much it is - and I think you finish that MPH by the end of MS2.</p>
<p>oo look a question right up my alley</p>
<p>i think there are a few main reasons to get an MPH before med school
1. you need to make up for some academic shortcoming during undergrad and are interested in public health
2. you are really interested in public health but don't trust that you will complete the MPH during med school or once you have an MD
3. you are interested in public health and want to do some less stressful academic work before the grind of med school</p>
<p>in terms of whether it'll help with med school admissions...i think i'll be able to answer this better with empirical evidence in a year but i would suspect that it gives med schools more basis on which to evaluate your candidacy and the skills you acquire while getting an MPH will come in very handy later and will most likely make you a more successful physician who sees things from a broader perspective.</p>
<p>i dont think its for us to tell you whether an MPH or lab work would be better....personally i am not a lab kind of person (despite being an engineer) and never worked in a lab in undergrad. public health and the research associated with it are very different than lab work and you simply need to choose the one you are more interested in and enjoy more. </p>
<p>Most MPH programs are 2 years and no they aren't very hard to get into. Some (harvard, JHU) require that you have prior work experience but the majority don't. I got into the Dartmouth 1 year program but decided against it...first of all in terms of med school admissions, you'd be applying even before you attend ...so they don't really see any results from your grad work. Also it isn't a school of public health, its just a department at the med school and as a result its less prestigious and doesn't attract the quality of faculty nor does it have the level of research that can be found elsewhere. </p>
<p>anyway, i'm just rambling now....if you have any specific questions you can PM me....i'm currently doing an MPH at columbia and will be applying to med school this summer</p>
<p>A contrary view:</p>
<p>I don't think a MPH will help much. The degree is largely a social science degree as it is taught at most places (with some exceptions, of course) and a MPH without a MD is not very well respected, either in the academic world or in the employment world for that matter. Many folks consider it a rather "soft" degree. Even if you do rather hard science in the program, that fact may be lost in the application process.</p>
<p>Rather than an MPH, you might want to consider a MA/MS in one of the disciplines that can be part of it, such as epidemiology to use an example.</p>
<p>Finally, for an MD to then get an MPH is a different ballgame, but even then, I don't see huge leaps in their careers...</p>
<p>though i will concede that certain concentrations in the MPH program like sociomedical sciences or environmental health science are not going to help you in your career as a doctor, it would be absurd to suggest that biostats, epidemiology and even health policy/management wouldn't. </p>
<p>the difference between an MS and an MPH is usually one semester and the MPH gives you a more well rounded perspective. </p>
<p>Granted the degree is not as rigorous as a masters degree in a hard science or engineering field but in terms of applying to med school it is still graduate level work that shows academic interest in the field of medicine.</p>
<p>Shraf, absurd to caution someone regarding the value equation of an MPH? </p>
<p>You yourself said "they aren't very hard to get into". That is one reason of many that leads to the lack of respect for the degree. Rarely can one get financial aid. So one runs up a lot of debt - before med school.</p>
<p>I agree that it "shows academic interest in the field of medicine". So do many cheaper activities. Heck, one could even be a lab tech for a year, getting paid to "show an interest".</p>
<p>Shraf, I would point out, was stating in that it would be absurd to suggest that certain aspects of an MPH would help you in your career as a physician, not help you get into medical school in the first place; a point I think very tough to argue with.</p>
<p>I tend to think that the MPH may help a little, not in and of itself because the program is not terribly rigourous and one would be applying to medical school while completing the program if only planning on taking one year 'off' after graduation from undergrad. However, it allows one's entire undergrad record to be part of your application, an unquestionable boost if you did well and improved your GPA senior year. It also allows you a relevant topic to discuss when every single secondary application you do asks you to described what you've been doing since finishing undergrad.</p>
<p>Lab science of course does the same thing, and no one has any evidence that one is better for your application than the other. Lab science certainly has the higher ceiling of the two opportunities (publications, etc.), but for most people such a distinction is irrelevant and it comes down to preference and finances.</p>
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Shraf, absurd to caution someone regarding the value equation of an MPH?
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Shraf, I would point out, was stating in that it would be absurd to suggest that certain aspects of an MPH would help you in your career as a physician, not help you get into medical school in the first place; a point I think very tough to argue with.
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<p>thanks for trying to clear that up phillySASer, i'd just like to reiterate that i was saying that it would be absurd to DENY that certain aspects/concentrations of an MPH would help your career as a physician. </p>
<p>newmassdad seems to be trying to twist my words a bit.</p>
<p>Also, doing an MPH doesnt relegate you to only doing your academic work. The vast majority of people i know in the program, including myself, do research, have a job, volunteer, etc on the side and its really quite easy to do that. Personally I work on very interesting research part time 20 hrs a week ontop of taking a full courseload. Good way to earn money and get some awesome experience. There is also a summer practicum requirement in most programs....so yes you are correct in saying it isnt academically very rigorous but you get alot of opportunity to gain wonderful experiences on the side that would undoubtedly come in very handy and be very relevant on a secondary or during an interview. Last year I had the option of either working full time for a year in non-lab research or doing the MPH and I think i made the right choice cause in this program i get to do both! its like having my cake and eating it too....i don't regret it one bit.</p>
<p>Shraf, I think I have to disagree with you on two comments. MPH programs tend to be one year (11 months). Also, I went to undergad at Hopkins AND I am now at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Hopkins. Where do you get the idea that sociomedical sciences and environmental health are "not going to help you in your career as an doctor"? I think thats a rather shallow statement, especially from someone pursuing and MPH. Example: Homeless population (They sure don't have the resources to see MDs on a regular basis and I guarantee you that access to a decent shelter, clothing, and food have socioeconomic and psychosocial determinants) Being a physician is not only about diagnosis- it is about understanding the disease AND the persons circumstance, with the later NOT being scientifically based. I am realizing that public health is becoming a fad for people. Do not consider it, if you are not willing to embrace the idea that " Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity"(WHO definition of health).</p>
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MPH programs tend to be one year (11 months).
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I looked into this and found that most programs are two years, with exceptions for those already possessing MD's.</p>
<p>You are right, bluedevilmike! Thanks. As for the one year programs I was thinking about schools that require experience first.Those that are two years usually involve coursework one year and a practicum the next. I know the MPH tags on an additional year for MD students because of the many MD/MPH programs.</p>
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Those that are two years usually involve coursework one year and a practicum the next.
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<p>It actually is 4 semesters of coursework and the practicum is the summer in between the 2 years (2-3 months).</p>
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Also, I went to undergad at Hopkins AND I am now at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Hopkins.
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<p>i dont see y you find it necessary to capitalize "AND" there.....question though...did you have any work experience before doing the MPH program?</p>
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Where do you get the idea that sociomedical sciences and environmental health are "not going to help you in your career as an doctor"? I think thats a rather shallow statement, especially from someone pursuing and MPH.
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<p>I took the EHS intro class and I really don't see how that stuff will help you day to day as a physician...not saying it isn't important or interesting. As for SMS...it might help you if you end up working in certain areas. </p>
<p>To elaborate on my previous statement though...I was saying that doing an MPH in one of those concentrations might not be very useful or as useful as some of the others offered. I think taking a class or two, which you would be required to do, would be more than enough.</p>
<p>Please do not take offense to my comments. I just felt like your post downplayed external factors that contribute to health. There are some people who who use this site religiously and it can impact what they choose to go into, even if they are passionate about it. (I.E. There are people who are passionate about urban health, but may choose to do international health, simply because there are people boasting about their opportunity to travel) . Sounds shallow but as is life. </p>
<p>Cheers and best of luck at Columbia.</p>