No past experience?

[CSU Undergrad]

After I graduate with B.S in biology I would like to go into a MPH program, but I have no previous experience. Do schools have previous experience requirements?

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[Gavin1911]

I dunno but there is still a chance; I have a similar problem

many schools only says *most* of their students have working experience but they did not say 'all'

 

[snoofle]

some programs do have previous requirements..certain tracks of study at Columbia, Harvard, JHU, etc. do have work requirements that are usually listed. However, alot of schools will conditionally accept you if they really like you and ask you to work for a year and then take you in the program so its good to try anyways. I applied to about 7-8 different schools for EPI and got into all of them except Columbia; I only took a year off after i graduated and am currently interning with a marketing firm. I'm going to Emory in the fall for BSHE and for Emory, the admissions advisor said that many of their accepted students in EPI or Biostat are often students right out of undergrad, but students in HPM for example, usually have a few years experience. Do the research on which programs you would like to go into..because I know for a fact you do not NEED work experience..its just a plus

 

[amers]

Cool to see another CSU person on here! I have NO public health experience and am also getting my B.S. in biology at the end of this quarter. I'm not sure if volunteering counts, but if it does, then I have volunteered for ACS since high school and all through college. I only applied to SUNY Albany, USC, and Yale. Got in at 2/3 so far and still waiting on the last one. Have a great SOP. That's important for sure. Good luck.

 

[tt13]

not only do i not have formal work experience in public health (or health care in general), i'm also graduating early from undergrad, yet i was accepted into almost all of the programs i applied to. i'm attending unc-chapel hill next year. i think if you can prove yourself and make up for the "lack of experience" elsewhere, you'll be fine. at the same time, i did have a diverse research-track from neuroscience to finance and a public health minor. i think it will ultimately depend on whether or not your background fits into what the program you're applying to requires. you may lack work experience but have other qualities to offer them.

by the way, to add to snoofle's comment. indeed, the average age for the hpm track is quite high, since most students gain work experience before attending. in fact, during an interview, i was told i was almost rejected during the first round of review due to my lack of experience... yet a few weeks after, i learned that i was offered a scholarship.. (??) strange, but anything can happen.

certain programs do REQUIRE that you have work experience, i think a few have been mentioned already. for instance, the mph in health management at johns hopkins canceled my application, because i didn't have any (but they didn't give me back my application fee!! jerks) .. i was given the option to re-do my application for the mhs instead, but i was too lazy and not interested in johns hopkins enough.

 

[Inde]

My wife had no studies after her undergraduate and was able to get into MPH programs.

 

[seva86]

I honestly don't think, outside of the HMP track, you need experience to apply for a MPH. But for some schools, it's highly recommended. I wanted to apply to Johns Hopkins but read that it requires incoming students to have at least a year or so of experience. Having no such experience, I didn't apply. Just recently I heard of someone who was accepted to JH with no experience... Sadface. I definitely kicked myself for that miss.

So it really doesn't hurt to apply anyway.

According to some current MPH students, the new trend is for schools to accept applicants coming right out of undergrad. Granted, some of us may have experience, but the majority of us don't. I'm also graduating with a B.S. in a bio-related area and can see your concern. I'm still waiting for several schools to respond, but I was fortunate enough to make it into a top 5 school so far (Michigan).

Anything is possible!

 

[wlflwr]

I have no formal work experience and was accepted to several HPM programs. I do have a lot of volunteer and extracurricular activies and in my personal statement showed that through those experiences I learned relevant skills.

 

[johnnyquest2009]

The average age of students for many programs is well higher than the age of individuals straight out of college, so although many on here post that they are going into a MPH straight out of undergrad, I believe that a majority of students will be a little older with a little work experience.

Global/International Health Departments
J. Hopkins: 27
Boston Uni: 27
Columbia: 35
Harvard: 31
Yale 26

Epi Department
Uni Washington 32
Michigan 31


Now that doesnt mean that you cant get into a program straight out of undergrad.

 

[dunaneer]

I think that different schools and different tracks within different schools look for various things. Certain schools and programs will appreciate more time in the field, whereas others will like people coming straight out of undergraduate equally. I am 22 and just graduated from undergraduate work, albeit I had a fair amount of part time work experience related to Public Health during college. I was accepted to several top schools so it totally depends on who what you have done and what you have to say in your personal statement. I was worried about being at a disadvantage, but have been accepted to many of the same programs as people who have far more full-time work experience. Ultimately, I think both types of applicants can be successful, depending on the quality of the rest of their application.

 

[Dr. Bob Doe]

After I graduate with B.S in biology I would like to go into a MPH program, but I have no previous experience. Do schools have previous experience requirements?

I believe there are plenty of students admitted with little to no experience, someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I have one friend with absolutely no experience who got acceptance into Harvard.