<p>Hi all. I am new to the boards and I am looking to get some advice. </p>
<p>Here's a little background because... why not? I currently go to Oregon State University and I am a transfer student from a community college with junior standing. Because I wanted to take organic chemistry at the university level rather than community college so it'll mean I will be at OSU for three years because so many courses have organic chemistry as a pre-requisite. My major is Microbiology and I will, automatically with a Micro major, get a chemistry minor. I also want to get a Health Management and Policy minor as well as a French minor (because I know a lot of the language spoken globally, after English, is French). </p>
<p>My goal in my academic career is to work with disease and epidemics on a global level. Ideally, I would work for the WHO or CDC, or similar. I currently have a 3.97 GPA and I am doing very well in my current courses. I volunteer at Oregon Health and Science University in the emergency department and in the research lab. I also will be going to Kenya and Nepal for 10 weeks this summer working in health clinics. </p>
<p>First of all, it would only take me three 400-level classes to get a minor in European History. Would that be worth it?</p>
<p>My short list of schools for my MPH include University of Washington, Stanford, Johns Hopkins (this is #1 in that field), and Columbia. The first two would be ideal because they are closer to home and I am familiar with the areas and their climate, and I know people there. Johns Hopkins would be a dream but I would go hands down, if I got in. I want to focus on Epidemiology, with a global concentration. </p>
<p>I am wondering if there will be a gap year? Or, if there will be a way around it? I would utilize that year of course, I live close to a lot of great biomedical/research places and my (non-college) home is just minutes away from the Oregon National Primate Research Center, a Gene Therapy Institute and a medical manufacturing plant (and I think there are a few more around, too). I could also go back to Kenya and/or Nepal. But I am 24 and I would rather expedite the process and eliminate that year. Not that I would hate it, or suffer, but is that possible? A what would I need to do to not have it?</p>
<p>I am posting here because I am also wondering if I should go for a MPH/MD program. I know OHSU has them. Is it too much work? Does it look good or bad, or does it matter? Would I enjoy it more going to two different schools as in do the MPH at one place then MD at another? I want to go through an MD program after my MPH so should I do both?</p>
<p>Also, is there something else I should do to boost my experience? There's a lot of science centers around here. Lots of agricultural, geological, and a big marine biology place. Would it benefit finding something in one of those places?</p>
<p>I'm sorry this was long, but I am just a little uncertain.</p>
<p>And just in case you were wondering, I got my late start because I had to help my grandma take care of my grandpa when he was ill for the last years of his life. We couldn't afford much help and someone had to do it, so between working, taking care of him and school, school lost out. :(</p>