MPH decision: Dartmouth vs Michigan

[kat1009]

I am deciding between a larger, more prestigious, more expensive program (Michigan, epidemiology) and a shorter, smaller, less well known, still expensive program (Dartmouth, CECS).

Anyone have an opinion?
Cost (D:45K, M:90K?)
Time to degree (D: 1+summer, M: 2) definite bonus as it requires one less year of tuition and one less year of lost salary
Location(D: cold, small town, M: colder, medium size town) relocation required either way

Program size, resources, variety of courses, research opportunities are better at Michigan. But is the program worth the added expense (time and money).

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[jasmine2018]

Sounds like you've made a good, strong case for Michigan. What would you like to do with the epi degree after? If doctoral work is in your future, then Michigan all the way. You can still do clinical epi at Mich too so if cost is roughly the same and you have no location preferences, then I'd say choose Mich since the program's prestige and enormous resources in epi will take you a long way.

 

[kat1009]

I am more interested in outcomes research and tentatively plan to work for a healthcare company following the MPH. I think I can achieve this goal with either program.

The cost of Michigan (tuition, housing, and foregone salary) is twice that of Dartmouth. 45k vs 90k (ballpark) is a big difference in my opinion. I am trying to convince myself that the education is worth the price tag.

 

[AndrewJ42]

well..both schools are great. Darthmouth's program is up and coming, despite what you may hear on this forum, and it's a great comfort to know that you won't be in too much debt after you finish. on the other hand, michigan is an established school that has been at the forefront of public health studies for the better part (or even more) of this century. they are more expensive, but i'd like to think that you get what you pay for and an extra year in school would only bolster the knowledge and practice you get at working in the healthcare industry.

eitherway is great, but my vote does go to Michigan.

 

[ingemar]

I hear that this is the last year (2008) that Dartmouth will offer the 1-year MPH program. Next year they will switch to a two-year program. I think that Dartmouth offers a solid degree, and it's accredited. Of course, there is no School of Public Health at Dartmouth, the MPH is run through Dartmouth Medical School. The people that I have known to go through the program have liked it and gotten a lot of hands-on experience. I think that the Dartmouth degree is definitely up and coming and that in a decade or so the program will be recognized as a phenomenal one--so your degree is kinda like an investment, but the education is probably good wherever you go.

 

[mlw47]

If you're interested in outcomes research, there is no place stronger than Dartmouth.

Try a pubmed search for some of the following people:

Welch HG
Fisher ES
Woloshin S
Schwartz LM
Larson RJ
Goodman DC
Weeks WB

The work that they do here is incredible. Fantastic faculty. Great personal attention. And absolutely fascinating research.

-Dartmouth MPH'er

 

[mlw47]

Of course, there is no School of Public Health at Dartmouth, the MPH is run through Dartmouth Medical School.

The Dartmouth MPH isn't really your traditional public health program....

...you won't take classes in international public health or infectious disease.

What Dartmouth does do, it's very good at. I absolutely love it, and wouldn't have wanted to spend a year any place else than here.

Great take on epi/biostats, clinical microsystem improvement, health care finance and economics. It's a fantastic program.

If you're looking to work overseas with MSF or with IRC, don't come to Dartmouth. If you want to research on health outcomes, economics, or do clinical microsystem improvement, then Dartmouth is a fantastic place.

-Dartmouth MPH'er