UCLA MPH in Health Policy & Management

[364462]

I am a first-year MPH student at UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) at the Fielding School of Public Health. I am in the Department of Health Policy & Management - and more specifically, in the Health Policy Track.

I found these threads helpful last year when I applied, and I am happy to provide initial impressions and to answer questions regarding the UCLA program. I can speak more generally about the other programs to which I was admitted: UC Berkeley, Boston University, Harvard, Columbia, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. However, I can obviously speak more to the program here at UCLA.

Good luck with your applications.

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[prashgopal]

Hey,

I am completing med school (M.D) from India and applying to MPH programs at pretty much all the universities you've listed. I am interested in HPM with management focus. I have an overall GPA of 3.3 (which I understand is pretty low) and a 4.0 in the public health classes I took (I wish to highlight this on my app). I am taking my GRE only in the first week of November and I expect a score of around 320 on the new format. I'd say i have pretty solid work experience, clinical research work as well as community work.

I'd like to know if my not-so-great overall GPA would be an important deciding factor and would you recommend I take the effort to explain the reason for the same in my essay or just focus on the better areas including work-ex, social work etc.

Also, I'll be completing my application process only by mid-November. Do schools review applications on a rolling basis or only after the end of the deadline? I'm worried that I'd be disadvantaged by sending my applications towards the end.
Thank you for your time and looking forward to your insight

 

[CrazySexyCool]

Hey,

I have an overall GPA of 3.3 (which I understand is pretty low) and a 4.0 in the public health classes I took (I wish to highlight this on my app).

3.3 is low?? I was so happy with my 3.32. I mean we have professional degrees and people don't get more than 3.5 in those.

 

[364462]

Hey,

I am completing med school (M.D) from India and applying to MPH programs at pretty much all the universities you've listed. I am interested in HPM with management focus. I have an overall GPA of 3.3 (which I understand is pretty low) and a 4.0 in the public health classes I took (I wish to highlight this on my app). I am taking my GRE only in the first week of November and I expect a score of around 320 on the new format. I'd say i have pretty solid work experience, clinical research work as well as community work.

I'd like to know if my not-so-great overall GPA would be an important deciding factor and would you recommend I take the effort to explain the reason for the same in my essay or just focus on the better areas including work-ex, social work etc.

Also, I'll be completing my application process only by mid-November. Do schools review applications on a rolling basis or only after the end of the deadline? I'm worried that I'd be disadvantaged by sending my applications towards the end.
Thank you for your time and looking forward to your insight

A GPA of (at least) 3.5 is considered competitive. Needless to say, something closer to 4.0 is preferable if you wish to be admitted to places such as Harvard. (Columbia may be a regarded as an Ivy League school, but it is not that difficult to gain admission there.) I would say that competitive public health programs weigh your professional background more than your GPA. Of course, there may be a correlation: those with extensive relevant experience may also be the same people with high GPAs. In your essay there is no need to talk about why you have a GPA of 3.3. You have limited space. You want to be sure you talk about other more important issues/topics.

Whether admissions consider applications on a rolling basis is difficult to say. I would ask the schools. No one here can rightly predict what others do in the privacy of their own offices. One theory goes that even if it is not on a rolling basis it is still to your advantage to submit on the early side of the application timeline. Applications are almost always reviewed in the order that they come. So, yes, they may not start to review until after the deadline, but when they do start to review, they start with the application that was submitted first in the pile. The theory goes that if you submit towards the end they are more weary, tired, and burnt out after having reviewed the numerous applicants before them. Just like career or job fairs, come early: recruiters are more fresh and interested.

 

[prashgopal]

A GPA of (at least) 3.5 is considered competitive. Needless to say, something closer to 4.0 is preferable if you wish to be admitted to places such as Harvard. (Columbia may be a regarded as an Ivy League school, but it is not that difficult to gain admission there.) I would say that competitive public health programs weigh your professional background more than your GPA. Of course, there may be a correlation: those with extensive relevant experience may also be the same people with high GPAs. In your essay there is no need to talk about why you have a GPA of 3.3. You have limited space. You want to be sure you talk about other more important issues/topics.

Whether admissions consider applications on a rolling basis is difficult to say. I would ask the schools. No one here can rightly predict what others do in the privacy of their own offices. One theory goes that even if it is not on a rolling basis it is still to your advantage to submit on the early side of the application timeline. Applications are almost always reviewed in the order that they come. So, yes, they may not start to review until after the deadline, but when they do start to review, they start with the application that was submitted first in the pile. The theory goes that if you submit towards the end they are more weary, tired, and burnt out after having reviewed the numerous applicants before them. Just like career or job fairs, come early: recruiters are more fresh and interested.

Hi porkbunsrule,

Thank you for your insight into the GPA requirement as well as the part about late application submission. I guess I'll send in my apps by mid-Nov - which is still 2 weeks to a month before the official deadline depending on the place Im applying to,

I have a specific question about the 12 month MPH program at UCLA with HPM focus (management track). Do you think the 3.3 GPA would make the cut or do you think the program is very competitive?
I would have completed med school by the time I enter the program (as a post-doc) and I would have had over three years of clinical experience through rotations and field placements. I have a couple solid work experience, internships/observerships in US hospitals over summer, clinical research experience and strong social work.

Does the program have strong connections with local healthcare organisations like UCLA medical centre, Kaiser, CHLA etc? When did you apply to the program and how long was it before they gave you an offer?

A lot of questions, I know. But I thank you for your patience and insight.

 

[364462]

Hi porkbunsrule,

Thank you for your insight into the GPA requirement as well as the part about late application submission. I guess I'll send in my apps by mid-Nov - which is still 2 weeks to a month before the official deadline depending on the place Im applying to,

I have a specific question about the 12 month MPH program at UCLA with HPM focus (management track). Do you think the 3.3 GPA would make the cut or do you think the program is very competitive?
I would have completed med school by the time I enter the program (as a post-doc) and I would have had over three years of clinical experience through rotations and field placements. I have a couple solid work experience, internships/observerships in US hospitals over summer, clinical research experience and strong social work.

Does the program have strong connections with local healthcare organisations like UCLA medical centre, Kaiser, CHLA etc? When did you apply to the program and how long was it before they gave you an offer?

A lot of questions, I know. But I thank you for your patience and insight.

The program is competitive regardless of your GPA. I would not get hung up on whether or not 3.3 is competitive. There are too many variables to consider, including your clinical training, work experience, etc. There is a mix of students here. Some come out from undergraduate studies, others have been in the field for a while. Some medical students have taken a year "off" to pursue the MPH, and some are doing dual-degrees in other areas (JD/MPH, MBA/MPH). I doubt their GPA was the deciding factor.

The Department of Health Policy & Management is very well regarded in Los Angeles, throughout California, Wash., D.C., and the Northeast. The department is very well connected to local hospitals, organizations, consultation firms, etc. The department emphasizes professional development skills, and students are required to attend professional development workshops, meetings, etc. The departmental student association is particularly excellent at organizing these kinds of things. For instance, they have arranged a dinner for students to attend with the CEO of Cedar-Sinai. We had a social event with current students, professors/faculty, and alumni this past week. The executive hiring administrators of the UCLA Medical Center have already presented to us, and one of the vice president of Cedar-Sinai did a workshop with us about a week ago. The former secretary of the CA Department of Health and Human Services and a former health policy advisor to the CA governor were recent guest lecturers. Nevermind that one of its own professors, Dr. Fielding, is the director and medical officer of the LA County Department of Public Health. The department is very well connected with the community.

I applied close to the deadline. I did not hear until some time in March. It takes a long time to review applications. I would sit tight.

 

[shailley]

Hello porkbunsrule

Congratulation and best wishes for your future ..

I am applying to all the schools (MPH/health policy) which you have listed. And also to - Emory, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Yale..

But, I really have some doubts on my profile.

Do these schools prefer medicos?

If I may ask what was your profile? (GPA, majors, GRE scores, prior exp ?? )

I am B.Sc. ( Chem)- 3.34 GPA M.Sc ( Med Chem) and Pharma MBA ( combined masters GPA 3.09, evaluated by WES). Low GPA for Ivy league ??
3 years exp in Pharmaceutical market research and regulatory affairs before MBA and 1.5 years core public health experience after MBA. Currently working as a public health program manager at national level.

GRE- 326 Q 168 V 158 AWA 4.5

I already have 2 Masters and again going for MPH, but Health Policy ( hope schools will see my passion for Health policy not the negative side.. )

Thanks

 

[Flash113]

Hello Porkbunsrule,

I am a UCLA undergraduate student looking to apply to UCLA's school of public health in the next week or so. I have a 3.45 GPA with a 24 MCAT (I was originally pre-med). I understand that I have low statistics, but what do you think my chances are with significant extracurricular involvement in community health. I have a significant clinical background as well. I guess my primary concern is my MCAT score - it'll be tough for me to take the GRE at this point considering applications are due soon. Will my MCAT scores handicap me in anyway?

 

[364462]

Hello Porkbunsrule,

I am a UCLA undergraduate student looking to apply to UCLA's school of public health in the next week or so. I have a 3.45 GPA with a 24 MCAT (I was originally pre-med). I understand that I have low statistics, but what do you think my chances are with significant extracurricular involvement in community health. I have a significant clinical background as well. I guess my primary concern is my MCAT score - it'll be tough for me to take the GRE at this point considering applications are due soon. Will my MCAT scores handicap me in anyway?

I will respond to the best of my abilities. I am not very well versed with MCAT scores/ranges to consider what is/what is not competitive. Having the UCLA pedigree is to your advantage. Some of my classmates were past or recent graduates of UCLA, as well. The professors are very well acquainted with the kind of rigorous curriculum the undergraduates go through and therefore will be familiar with your potential. Have you considered which department you want? I assume community health. As a general rule (though, of course, not always), the departments of epidemiology, biostatistics, and healthy policy and management (particularly policy) will be more competitive. (This is a gross generalization, of course.) A GPA of 3.45 at UCLA is 4.0 elsewhere, so I would not get too hung up on that. Numbers are important, but at the end of the day, they will look for other markers of potential. I am in my first-year, and consistently, what I am seeing amongst my classmates are rich, varied experiences. Focus on your personal essay/statement of purpose. Everything else will fall into place.

Good luck!

 

[Pdesai8]

I am a first-year MPH student at UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) at the Fielding School of Public Health. I am in the Department of Health Policy & Management - and more specifically, in the Health Policy Track.

I found these threads helpful last year when I applied, and I am happy to provide initial impressions and to answer questions regarding the UCLA program. I can speak more generally about the other programs to which I was admitted: UC Berkeley, Boston University, Harvard, Columbia, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. However, I can obviously speak more to the program here at UCLA.

Good luck with your applications.

Hi Porkbunsrule,

I got into UCLA and Berkeley MPH, both HPM (I'm actually surprised I found out this early!) I was wondering why you chose UCLA over Berkeley?

When I start the program this fall, I will have 5 years of work experience post-graduation. I'd like to be around peers with similar amounts of work experience instead of straight out of undergrad. What do you find at UCLA?

I'm also wondering how large the global health dept is at UCLA and how many opportunities there are in that area for internships/careers.

city-wise, I don't have a preference between SF or LA. I'm from Chicago so any sort of warmer weather is great

Thanks for your help!

 

[364462]

Hi Porkbunsrule,

I got into UCLA and Berkeley MPH, both HPM (I'm actually surprised I found out this early!) I was wondering why you chose UCLA over Berkeley?

When I start the program this fall, I will have 5 years of work experience post-graduation. I'd like to be around peers with similar amounts of work experience instead of straight out of undergrad. What do you find at UCLA?

I'm also wondering how large the global health dept is at UCLA and how many opportunities there are in that area for internships/careers.

city-wise, I don't have a preference between SF or LA. I'm from Chicago so any sort of warmer weather is great

Thanks for your help!

Congratulations! Both are top-notched programs, and I am sure you will do well and thrive in either program.

My choice for UCLA over Berkeley is largely personal. I did my graduate studies at Stanford, so I wanted to leave the Bay Area. I was there for 4 years. Also, I am originally from Los Angeles, I have family here. I have been away for graduate school and residency training for the last 6 years. I wanted to come back to L.A. to be closer to family. This was the overriding decision.

I think I would have been happy with either choice. Given your extensive experience post-college, there might be a reason to suggest Berkeley is a better fit - at least, in this regard. At UCLA there is a good mix of students right out of undergrad (a good handful from UCLA and USC), some with 2-3 years experience after college, and a smaller number with advanced degrees. I would say that most fall under the first two categories I mention. I would also say that most of these are in the management track. (I am in the policy track.)

I like the mix. I think it is a reflection of what will happen in the field. Some will have more experience/more education, others will not. Having been to graduate school before, I definitely think it is a perk. I am sure you will find the same given your extensive experience. I am less stressed about grades, compared to my younger classmates. I feel that I am more clear about what I want to get out of my time at UCLA, whereas my younger classmates are wont to be less clear - of course, part of this is age, because I remember having similar experiences during my first stint at graduate school. I am less neurotic about getting involved in so many things and instead choose to focus on 1 or 2 extracurricular activities that are consistent with my long-term goals/interests.

The global health certificate is a great option here. It must be noted that it is not a separate department (in the way that CHS, HPM, etc., are departments). The following centers do global health work: World Policy Analysis Center, Center for Global and Immigrant Health, Global Media Center for Social Impact, Bixby Center for Population and Reproductive Health, and Center for World Health. Why there are so many separate centers is a reflection of the bureaucracy of a large public university. I am sure they collaborate, but I think there is something to be said about having separate institutions that might have more impact if they pool their resources together.

The international internships are not hard to get. They are available, and many have had prior UCLA students to the extent that UCLA students return every year and are requested by these sites. The Center for Global and Immigrant Health is really the one that runs this aspect. They do a couple of info sessions, during the fall and winter quarters. The professor in charge is also hands-on, responsive, and available for questions/concerns - at least, this is my experience of her.

Though this is not unique to UCLA, I think it goes without saying that most international internships will be for students in the community health science/epi/biostats tracks. I am in the policy track, and I am noticing that it is taking more steps to be sure my international internship is consistent not only with my interest as a policy student but also with the requirements of the department. Also, one of the things I really like about the professor is that she emphasizes hands-on work in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs) in order to maximize the global health piece. In other words, sitting in a WHO or World Bank office may be prestigious but perhaps less rewarding or enriching. She welcomes applications to the WHO, World Bank, and the like, but she definitely encourages students to look to LAMICs for internships.

...and lastly, L.A. has better weather than Berkeley. No question.

 

[Pdesai8]

Congratulations! Both are top-notched programs, and I am sure you will do well and thrive in either program.

My choice for UCLA over Berkeley is largely personal. I did my graduate studies at Stanford, so I wanted to leave the Bay Area. I was there for 4 years. Also, I am originally from Los Angeles, I have family here. I have been away for graduate school and residency training for the last 6 years. I wanted to come back to L.A. to be closer to family. This was the overriding decision.

I think I would have been happy with either choice. Given your extensive experience post-college, there might be a reason to suggest Berkeley is a better fit - at least, in this regard. At UCLA there is a good mix of students right out of undergrad (a good handful from UCLA and USC), some with 2-3 years experience after college, and a smaller number with advanced degrees. I would say that most fall under the first two categories I mention. I would also say that most of these are in the management track. (I am in the policy track.)

I like the mix. I think it is a reflection of what will happen in the field. Some will have more experience/more education, others will not. Having been to graduate school before, I definitely think it is a perk. I am sure you will find the same given your extensive experience. I am less stressed about grades, compared to my younger classmates. I feel that I am more clear about what I want to get out of my time at UCLA, whereas my younger classmates are wont to be less clear - of course, part of this is age, because I remember having similar experiences during my first stint at graduate school. I am less neurotic about getting involved in so many things and instead choose to focus on 1 or 2 extracurricular activities that are consistent with my long-term goals/interests.

The global health certificate is a great option here. It must be noted that it is not a separate department (in the way that CHS, HPM, etc., are departments). The following centers do global health work: World Policy Analysis Center, Center for Global and Immigrant Health, Global Media Center for Social Impact, Bixby Center for Population and Reproductive Health, and Center for World Health. Why there are so many separate centers is a reflection of the bureaucracy of a large public university. I am sure they collaborate, but I think there is something to be said about having separate institutions that might have more impact if they pool their resources together.

The international internships are not hard to get. They are available, and many have had prior UCLA students to the extent that UCLA students return every year and are requested by these sites. The Center for Global and Immigrant Health is really the one that runs this aspect. They do a couple of info sessions, during the fall and winter quarters. The professor in charge is also hands-on, responsive, and available for questions/concerns - at least, this is my experience of her.

Though this is not unique to UCLA, I think it goes without saying that most international internships will be for students in the community health science/epi/biostats tracks. I am in the policy track, and I am noticing that it is taking more steps to be sure my international internship is consistent not only with my interest as a policy student but also with the requirements of the department. Also, one of the things I really like about the professor is that she emphasizes hands-on work in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs) in order to maximize the global health piece. In other words, sitting in a WHO or World Bank office may be prestigious but perhaps less rewarding or enriching. She welcomes applications to the WHO, World Bank, and the like, but she definitely encourages students to look to LAMICs for internships.

...and lastly, L.A. has better weather than Berkeley. No question.

Thank you so much for the response, that was very helpful! Do you know anything about the global health dept at Berkeley? They are discontinuing the specialty concentration, which I thought was a little weird.

 

[364462]

Thank you so much for the response, that was very helpful! Do you know anything about the global health dept at Berkeley? They are discontinuing the specialty concentration, which I thought was a little weird.

I am sorry to say that I do not. You probably know more than I do. Whatever information I have I found on the website. One recommendation I have is to search through the HPM course listings to see if the curricula offer international/global health aspects. Here at UCLA some of the content of my courses focus on the American health care system, not surprisingly. The ACA is a huge topic in many of my classes - again, not surprisingly. However, the challenge is how to apply this kind of content to international/global health issues. For me this is where my skill-focused classes are more helpful (e.g., health policy analysis course). And this issue is not unique to UCLA. I am sure it happens in Berkeley. I think the HPM track is limited in this sense, whereas epi/biostats or community health sciences can be more broadly applied in international/global levels. In any case, I would look closer at their course listings.

Good luck!

 

[Pdesai8]

I am sorry to say that I do not. You probably know more than I do. Whatever information I have I found on the website. One recommendation I have is to search through the HPM course listings to see if the curricula offer international/global health aspects. Here at UCLA some of the content of my courses focus on the American health care system, not surprisingly. The ACA is a huge topic in many of my classes - again, not surprisingly. However, the challenge is how to apply this kind of content to international/global health issues. For me this is where my skill-focused classes are more helpful (e.g., health policy analysis course). And this issue is not unique to UCLA. I am sure it happens in Berkeley. I think the HPM track is limited in this sense, whereas epi/biostats or community health sciences can be more broadly applied in international/global levels. In any case, I would look closer at their course listings.

Good luck!

Thanks again I'm most likely going to Berkeley unless I end up getting a sweet scholarship or something from UCLA (they said they are considering me for one...so tbd).

 

[silverwolf]

I am a first-year MPH student at UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) at the Fielding School of Public Health. I am in the Department of Health Policy & Management - and more specifically, in the Health Policy Track.

I found these threads helpful last year when I applied, and I am happy to provide initial impressions and to answer questions regarding the UCLA program. I can speak more generally about the other programs to which I was admitted: UC Berkeley, Boston University, Harvard, Columbia, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. However, I can obviously speak more to the program here at UCLA.

Good luck with your applications.

Hi porkbunsrule,

Thank you for offering to answer questions regarding the UCLA MPH program.

I graduated from UCLA with a Psychobiology B.S. degree (3.51 GPA) in June 2012, and since then I have been working full-time at a UCLA research lab as a lab assistant/technician. I have gained a lot of tissue culture/bench research experience working on many projects ranging from cancer drug therapy to stem cell biology/differentiation. My PI believes I am in a good place to pursue a PhD but at the moment, I am just not ready or sure if that's what I want to do. In the meantime I have been considering my future plans and am really interested in pursuing an MPH degree. I am NOT interested in using the MPH as a stepping stone into professional/graduate school, and would be fully content if I get a stable, decent paying job out of an MPH.

I know my current background makes me a good candidate for focusing on the epidemiology track, as I am interested in the sciences, but I am also strongly considering the Health Policy & Management track of MPH, with what I believe will lead to more of an administrative type job as opposed to a hard science/research type job. I am curious to hear about your current experience with the MPH program at UCLA (Fielding School of PH is my #1 choice for grad school). What are students in your class hoping to do with an MPH? If you have any advice for someone with my background, any information you might have on epidemiology and of course your focus, Health Policy and Management, I would really appreciate it. I am at a crossroads as to what I should do from here and how I can use my experience to pursue my graduate/career goals. I don't have any specific idea of what kind of career I am looking for; I don't mind research but I also would love to be part of a management team "higher up" at a health organization, for example, especially if that track has more promise in terms of job prospects/salary.

Any input is thoroughly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[364462]

Hi porkbunsrule,

Thank you for offering to answer questions regarding the UCLA MPH program.

I graduated from UCLA with a Psychobiology B.S. degree (3.51 GPA) in June 2012, and since then I have been working full-time at a UCLA research lab as a lab assistant/technician. I have gained a lot of tissue culture/bench research experience working on many projects ranging from cancer drug therapy to stem cell biology/differentiation. My PI believes I am in a good place to pursue a PhD but at the moment, I am just not ready or sure if that's what I want to do. In the meantime I have been considering my future plans and am really interested in pursuing an MPH degree. I am NOT interested in using the MPH as a stepping stone into professional/graduate school, and would be fully content if I get a stable, decent paying job out of an MPH.

I know my current background makes me a good candidate for focusing on the epidemiology track, as I am interested in the sciences, but I am also strongly considering the Health Policy & Management track of MPH, with what I believe will lead to more of an administrative type job as opposed to a hard science/research type job. I am curious to hear about your current experience with the MPH program at UCLA (Fielding School of PH is my #1 choice for grad school). What are students in your class hoping to do with an MPH? If you have any advice for someone with my background, any information you might have on epidemiology and of course your focus, Health Policy and Management, I would really appreciate it. I am at a crossroads as to what I should do from here and how I can use my experience to pursue my graduate/career goals. I don't have any specific idea of what kind of career I am looking for; I don't mind research but I also would love to be part of a management team "higher up" at a health organization, for example, especially if that track has more promise in terms of job prospects/salary.

Any input is thoroughly appreciated! Thank you!

Overall, I am having a strong, positive experience at Fielding and would highly recommend it. The Department of HPM is really two programs - health policy and then management. Students are either in one or both, though it is more common to pick one track - if at the very least doing both is actually less appealing (e.g., no electives if you do both tracks). I am in the health policy track, which is the smaller of the two program; there is about 5 less students compared to the management track. If you are interested in health administration, then the management track may be more appropriate. Some of the common interests of my colleagues are in hospital administration/management, health consulting, quality improvement, health access and utilization, and the usual "feel good" goals (i.e., health disparity, poor-resource communities, health equity, etc.). Though there is some overlap in our courses, health policy folks do something else. We look at...well...policy - development, implementation, evaluation of policy. We analyze policy and politics. We look at root causes/root problems of policy issues or dilemmas. For instance, we look closely at the Affordable Care Act - pros, cons, challenges, etc. In this way there is more of a lean towards government and perhaps non-profit work (e.g., county offices, city government, Sacramento type of jobs) - less private sector, more public sector. In other words, I am the guy that tells a politician whether or not a (health) policy issue is worth it or not.

Needless to say, I encourage you to think about your interests, wishes, and goals. I am a clinical psychologist by training, but I am not in the "traditional" path that most psychologists take. I encourage you to think similarly. Yes, you might have great science/research skills, but who knows, you might very well be happy in another (but related - because they are all related) public health sector. Mental health, for instance, is a separate issue from public health. (Gawd knows why.) So, my background has been an asset to me personally and academically here at UCLA. I have every intention to incorporate it into my studies - and have - and have plans to do it moving forward. You should also know that policy analysis requires a lot of analytical/statistical/mathematical thinking. I have had to look at numbers from the Congressional Budget Office and analyze them into 2-page memos - multiple times. Your science/research background will be an asset. Just remember that those skills will be equally important outside of epi, biostat, or other "hard" sciences.

...and nothing I could offer would be different from what you are already thinking. I encourage you to talk to current students face-to-face. Thus far, I have had positive interactions with professors, deans, etc. Email them and ask to speak to a student.

Let me know if I could be more helpful.

 

[364462]

Overall, I am having a strong, positive experience at Fielding and would highly recommend it. The Department of HPM is really two programs - health policy and then management. Students are either in one or both, though it is more common to pick one track - if at the very least doing both is actually less appealing (e.g., no electives if you do both tracks). I am in the health policy track, which is the smaller of the two program; there is about 5 less students compared to the management track. If you are interested in health administration, then the management track may be more appropriate. Some of the common interests of my colleagues are in hospital administration/management, health consulting, quality improvement, health access and utilization, and the usual "feel good" goals (i.e., health disparity, poor-resource communities, health equity, etc.). Though there is some overlap in our courses, health policy folks do something else. We look at...well...policy - development, implementation, evaluation of policy. We analyze policy and politics. We look at root causes/root problems of policy issues or dilemmas. For instance, we look closely at the Affordable Care Act - pros, cons, challenges, etc. In this way there is more of a lean towards government and perhaps non-profit work (e.g., county offices, city government, Sacramento type of jobs) - less private sector, more public sector. In other words, I am the guy that tells a politician whether or not a (health) policy issue is worth it or not.

Needless to say, I encourage you to think about your interests, wishes, and goals. I am a clinical psychologist by training, but I am not in the "traditional" path that most psychologists take. I encourage you to think similarly. Yes, you might have great science/research skills, but who knows, you might very well be happy in another (but related - because they are all related) public health sector. Mental health, for instance, is a separate issue from public health. (Gawd knows why.) So, my background has been an asset to me personally and academically here at UCLA. I have every intention to incorporate it into my studies - and have - and have plans to do it moving forward. You should also know that policy analysis requires a lot of analytical/statistical/mathematical thinking. I have had to look at numbers from the Congressional Budget Office and analyze them into 2-page memos - multiple times. Your science/research background will be an asset. Just remember that those skills will be equally important outside of epi, biostat, or other "hard" sciences.

...and nothing I could offer would be different from what you are already thinking. I encourage you to talk to current students face-to-face. Thus far, I have had positive interactions with professors, deans, etc. Email them and ask to speak to a student. The other option is the MSPH program or the PhD in the Department of HPM. Needless to say, they are more research-y.

Let me know if I could be more helpful.

 

[silverwolf]

Overall, I am having a strong, positive experience at Fielding and would highly recommend it. The Department of HPM is really two programs - health policy and then management. Students are either in one or both, though it is more common to pick one track - if at the very least doing both is actually less appealing (e.g., no electives if you do both tracks). I am in the health policy track, which is the smaller of the two program; there is about 5 less students compared to the management track. If you are interested in health administration, then the management track may be more appropriate. Some of the common interests of my colleagues are in hospital administration/management, health consulting, quality improvement, health access and utilization, and the usual "feel good" goals (i.e., health disparity, poor-resource communities, health equity, etc.). Though there is some overlap in our courses, health policy folks do something else. We look at...well...policy - development, implementation, evaluation of policy. We analyze policy and politics. We look at root causes/root problems of policy issues or dilemmas. For instance, we look closely at the Affordable Care Act - pros, cons, challenges, etc. In this way there is more of a lean towards government and perhaps non-profit work (e.g., county offices, city government, Sacramento type of jobs) - less private sector, more public sector. In other words, I am the guy that tells a politician whether or not a (health) policy issue is worth it or not.

Needless to say, I encourage you to think about your interests, wishes, and goals. I am a clinical psychologist by training, but I am not in the "traditional" path that most psychologists take. I encourage you to think similarly. Yes, you might have great science/research skills, but who knows, you might very well be happy in another (but related - because they are all related) public health sector. Mental health, for instance, is a separate issue from public health. (Gawd knows why.) So, my background has been an asset to me personally and academically here at UCLA. I have every intention to incorporate it into my studies - and have - and have plans to do it moving forward. You should also know that policy analysis requires a lot of analytical/statistical/mathematical thinking. I have had to look at numbers from the Congressional Budget Office and analyze them into 2-page memos - multiple times. Your science/research background will be an asset. Just remember that those skills will be equally important outside of epi, biostat, or other "hard" sciences.

...and nothing I could offer would be different from what you are already thinking. I encourage you to talk to current students face-to-face. Thus far, I have had positive interactions with professors, deans, etc. Email them and ask to speak to a student.

Let me know if I could be more helpful.

Hi porkbunsrule,

Thank you so much for your detailed response! I really appreciate it. I was planning on talking to current students to see what they have to say, but didn't know where to start. I will definitely look into emailing deans/professors and start from there. Thanks again for sharing your experience!

 

[silverwolf]

Overall, I am having a strong, positive experience at Fielding and would highly recommend it. The Department of HPM is really two programs - health policy and then management. Students are either in one or both, though it is more common to pick one track - if at the very least doing both is actually less appealing (e.g., no electives if you do both tracks). I am in the health policy track, which is the smaller of the two program; there is about 5 less students compared to the management track. If you are interested in health administration, then the management track may be more appropriate. Some of the common interests of my colleagues are in hospital administration/management, health consulting, quality improvement, health access and utilization, and the usual "feel good" goals (i.e., health disparity, poor-resource communities, health equity, etc.). Though there is some overlap in our courses, health policy folks do something else. We look at...well...policy - development, implementation, evaluation of policy. We analyze policy and politics. We look at root causes/root problems of policy issues or dilemmas. For instance, we look closely at the Affordable Care Act - pros, cons, challenges, etc. In this way there is more of a lean towards government and perhaps non-profit work (e.g., county offices, city government, Sacramento type of jobs) - less private sector, more public sector. In other words, I am the guy that tells a politician whether or not a (health) policy issue is worth it or not.

Needless to say, I encourage you to think about your interests, wishes, and goals. I am a clinical psychologist by training, but I am not in the "traditional" path that most psychologists take. I encourage you to think similarly. Yes, you might have great science/research skills, but who knows, you might very well be happy in another (but related - because they are all related) public health sector. Mental health, for instance, is a separate issue from public health. (Gawd knows why.) So, my background has been an asset to me personally and academically here at UCLA. I have every intention to incorporate it into my studies - and have - and have plans to do it moving forward. You should also know that policy analysis requires a lot of analytical/statistical/mathematical thinking. I have had to look at numbers from the Congressional Budget Office and analyze them into 2-page memos - multiple times. Your science/research background will be an asset. Just remember that those skills will be equally important outside of epi, biostat, or other "hard" sciences.

...and nothing I could offer would be different from what you are already thinking. I encourage you to talk to current students face-to-face. Thus far, I have had positive interactions with professors, deans, etc. Email them and ask to speak to a student.

Let me know if I could be more helpful.

Hi porkbunsrule,

I took your advice and emailed a PhD student at FSPH who also completed her MPH at UCLA, and I'm planning on emailing more students/faculty members. I also attended the student-alumni event last week where FSPH alumni from various departments spoke about their current jobs and the paths they took after graduating. It was really helpful and it seems like many different types of careers are possible even within one department of PH.

My question to you is, what do you plan on doing with your MPH in health policy? I know you are a clinical psychologist as well and that might cause your career trajectory to be different from other grads (who only have an MPH, let's say), but in your experience, what types of jobs or companies - in LA specifically - recruit from UCLA FSPH? Also, do you recommend any particular faculty member in the HPM department of whom I can email with some questions?

Thanks for any input!! (Feel free to PM me if you think it's more appropriate!)

 

[daisy_triangle]

Hi porkbunsrule, thanks for doing this thread! Question you may not be able to answer, but can you speak at all to differences in FSPH experience or opportunities for MS students vs. MPH? I am interested in epidemiology at UCLA, would like to do MS for research focus and am curious about the differences that students might find between two degree programs at UCLA. And as it turns out, don't seem to be many MS posts in these forums...

 

[364462]

Hi porkbunsrule, thanks for doing this thread! Question you may not be able to answer, but can you speak at all to differences in FSPH experience or opportunities for MS students vs. MPH? I am interested in epidemiology at UCLA, would like to do MS for research focus and am curious about the differences that students might find between two degree programs at UCLA. And as it turns out, don't seem to be many MS posts in these forums...

As you might imagine, the overall difference is in the focus of each program, with the MS typically more research/quantitatively focused and the MPH typically more applied focused. If you are interested in quantitative experiences, UCLA is not short of it. There are plenty of courses that offer quantitative training. UCLA is also a research university, so I am sure you will find it easy to secure a part-time research practicum/externship on the side during graduate studies. I cannot speak specifically to the epi department, but at least in the HPM department, there is some overlap between the MS and MPH. I have had a couple of courses with MS folks, and it has also been my impression that many, if not most, of them are interested in continuing onto the PhD program. Needless to say, there are more MPH students than there are MS students. If you have more specific questions, I would be happy to answer them.

 

[364462]

Hi porkbunsrule,

I took your advice and emailed a PhD student at FSPH who also completed her MPH at UCLA, and I'm planning on emailing more students/faculty members. I also attended the student-alumni event last week where FSPH alumni from various departments spoke about their current jobs and the paths they took after graduating. It was really helpful and it seems like many different types of careers are possible even within one department of PH.

My question to you is, what do you plan on doing with your MPH in health policy? I know you are a clinical psychologist as well and that might cause your career trajectory to be different from other grads (who only have an MPH, let's say), but in your experience, what types of jobs or companies - in LA specifically - recruit from UCLA FSPH? Also, do you recommend any particular faculty member in the HPM department of whom I can email with some questions?

Thanks for any input!! (Feel free to PM me if you think it's more appropriate!)

Hey! I am sorry that I missed this. I got your message; however, if it is alright with you, I would address it here. I thought that perhaps others might find it helpful. It sounds like you are taking an active role, asking questions, and initiating contacts. This will benefit you in graduate school, for sure. Below is a list of attendees who participated in our most recent professional development event (student-preceptor networking). It was an opportunity for students to hear more about (mostly) local programs, organizations, etc., with whom we may do our summer internship. As you can see, it is extensive.

• Alfonso Vega, AVP, Clinic Administration LA County, AltaMed Health Services
• Katie Gurvitz, Lead Performance Improvement Facilitator, Cedars-Sinai Health System
• Katie Quinn, Lead Performance Improvement Operations Consultant, Cedars-Sinai Health System
• Karla van der Geest, Performance Improvement Facilitator, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Thomas Gordon, CEO, Cedars-Sinai Medical Network
• Tamara Park, Project Manager, Executive Operations, Cedars-Sinai Medical Network
• Jenny Kattlove, Director, Strategic Health Initiatives, The Children's Partnership
• Evan King, Executive VP, Consulting, COPE Health Solutions
• Jim Lott, Executive VP, External Relations & Talent Development, COPE Health Solutions
• Ashley Cohen, Senior Policy Consultant, Harbage Consulting
• Kiwon Yoo, Policy Director, Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP)
• David Yun, Development Director, Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP)
• Christine Evans, Assistant Medical Group Administrator, Kaiser Permanente-Riverside Medical Center
• Dianne Belli, Chief Administrative Officer, Keiro Senior HealthCare
• Mark Strunin, Director, L.A. Care Health Plan
• Medell Briggs, Medical Director of Quality, Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital
• Lisa Moore, Manager, Project Services, Rady Children's Hospital -San Diego
• Peter Asmuth, Senior Manager, SCMPG Consulting & Implementation
• Larry Sharfstein, Senior Manager, SCMPG Consulting & Implementation
• Michele LaPointe, Graduate Student Researcher, UCLA Ashe Center
• Jenny Binstock, Center Coordinator, UCLA Blum Center on Poverty and Health in Latin America
• Sarah Lloyd-Kolkin, Director of Strategic Operations, UCLA Health
• Carol Keller, Chief, Systems Redesign, VA Greater Los Angeles
• Anita Zamora, Chief Operations Officer, Venice Family Clinic
• Ozzie Martinez, Assistant Medical Group Administrator, Kaiser Permanente South Bay
• Courtney Borden, Senior Consultant, Cedars Sinai Business Development
• Anthony Mazzeo, Assistant Department Administrator, Kaiser Permanente
• Beena Patel, H-PACT Program Director, Office of Healthcare Transformation & Innovation, VA Greater LA Healthcare System
• Carrie DeKorte, Associate Director for Administration/Operations, VA Greater LA Healthcare System
• Robert Platou, Administrative Fellow, VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network
• Joanne Chiu, Project Manager, Children's Hospital LA, Strategic Business Innovation
• Chantel Ponder, Health Education Associate, Children's Hospital LA
• Helen Arbogast, Manager, Injury Prevention, Children's Hospital LA
• Emma Daugherty, Senior Outreach Coordinator, Harbage Consulting

If you notice, many are oriented towards management. This is some of the complaints about folks in the health policy track - that the department (at least with regards to identifying potential practicum sites) is more likely to identify placements for management focused students. However, there are certainly opportunities for health policy folks to enter the field. But we are learning that we must do so with perhaps more push. The list above broadly reflect the types of sites that offer jobs to FSPH graduates. I know a handful of 2nd-year students who continue to work in their sites after having completed the summer internship. This is common.

Are you aware of the numerous centers within the HPM department and within FSPH? Here is a partial list: Center for Health Policy Research, Center for Health Equity, Center for Health Advancement, Center for Population Health, Center for Health Children, Families and Communities. I would peruse the FSPH website. These centers have lists of faculty with whom you can make contact; they also typically list their research/applied interests (e.g., disparity, racial/ethnic minorities, etc.).

As for my own career interests, I am more interested in public interest work (e.g., LA County Dept of Health Services, Dept of Public Health, Dept of Mental Health, etc.) I am interested specifically in mental health services development and policy. I am applying to international internships for the summer, which in part is why I did not attend the preceptor-student networking event last week. While I am open to completing a local internship, I am more interested in doing global health work. (I was also out of town during the event. ) Global mental health is really exciting right now in the international field, particularly in the human rights context. (I am also taking a course in the law school regarding health and human rights.) Subsequently, I definitely see myself applying for positing for Human Rights Watch, Disabilities International, and the like.

 

[silverwolf]

Hey! I am sorry that I missed this. I got your message; however, if it is alright with you, I would address it here. I thought that perhaps others might find it helpful. It sounds like you are taking an active role, asking questions, and initiating contacts. This will benefit you in graduate school, for sure. Below is a list of attendees who participated in our most recent professional development event (student-preceptor networking). It was an opportunity for students to hear more about (mostly) local programs, organizations, etc., with whom we may do our summer internship. As you can see, it is extensive.

• Alfonso Vega, AVP, Clinic Administration LA County, AltaMed Health Services
• Katie Gurvitz, Lead Performance Improvement Facilitator, Cedars-Sinai Health System
• Katie Quinn, Lead Performance Improvement Operations Consultant, Cedars-Sinai Health System
• Karla van der Geest, Performance Improvement Facilitator, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Thomas Gordon, CEO, Cedars-Sinai Medical Network
• Tamara Park, Project Manager, Executive Operations, Cedars-Sinai Medical Network
• Jenny Kattlove, Director, Strategic Health Initiatives, The Children's Partnership
• Evan King, Executive VP, Consulting, COPE Health Solutions
• Jim Lott, Executive VP, External Relations & Talent Development, COPE Health Solutions
• Ashley Cohen, Senior Policy Consultant, Harbage Consulting
• Kiwon Yoo, Policy Director, Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP)
• David Yun, Development Director, Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP)
• Christine Evans, Assistant Medical Group Administrator, Kaiser Permanente-Riverside Medical Center
• Dianne Belli, Chief Administrative Officer, Keiro Senior HealthCare
• Mark Strunin, Director, L.A. Care Health Plan
• Medell Briggs, Medical Director of Quality, Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital
• Lisa Moore, Manager, Project Services, Rady Children's Hospital -San Diego
• Peter Asmuth, Senior Manager, SCMPG Consulting & Implementation
• Larry Sharfstein, Senior Manager, SCMPG Consulting & Implementation
• Michele LaPointe, Graduate Student Researcher, UCLA Ashe Center
• Jenny Binstock, Center Coordinator, UCLA Blum Center on Poverty and Health in Latin America
• Sarah Lloyd-Kolkin, Director of Strategic Operations, UCLA Health
• Carol Keller, Chief, Systems Redesign, VA Greater Los Angeles
• Anita Zamora, Chief Operations Officer, Venice Family Clinic
• Ozzie Martinez, Assistant Medical Group Administrator, Kaiser Permanente South Bay
• Courtney Borden, Senior Consultant, Cedars Sinai Business Development
• Anthony Mazzeo, Assistant Department Administrator, Kaiser Permanente
• Beena Patel, H-PACT Program Director, Office of Healthcare Transformation & Innovation, VA Greater LA Healthcare System
• Carrie DeKorte, Associate Director for Administration/Operations, VA Greater LA Healthcare System
• Robert Platou, Administrative Fellow, VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network
• Joanne Chiu, Project Manager, Children's Hospital LA, Strategic Business Innovation
• Chantel Ponder, Health Education Associate, Children's Hospital LA
• Helen Arbogast, Manager, Injury Prevention, Children's Hospital LA
• Emma Daugherty, Senior Outreach Coordinator, Harbage Consulting

If you notice, many are oriented towards management. This is some of the complaints about folks in the health policy track - that the department (at least with regards to identifying potential practicum sites) is more likely to identify placements for management focused students. However, there are certainly opportunities for health policy folks to enter the field. But we are learning that we must do so with perhaps more push. The list above broadly reflect the types of sites that offer jobs to FSPH graduates. I know a handful of 2nd-year students who continue to work in their sites after having completed the summer internship. This is common.

Are you aware of the numerous centers within the HPM department and within FSPH? Here is a partial list: Center for Health Policy Research, Center for Health Equity, Center for Health Advancement, Center for Population Health, Center for Health Children, Families and Communities. I would peruse the FSPH website. These centers have lists of faculty with whom you can make contact; they also typically list their research/applied interests (e.g., disparity, racial/ethnic minorities, etc.).

As for my own career interests, I am more interested in public interest work (e.g., LA County Dept of Health Services, Dept of Public Health, Dept of Mental Health, etc.) I am interested specifically in mental health services development and policy. I am applying to international internships for the summer, which in part is why I did not attend the preceptor-student networking event last week. While I am open to completing a local internship, I am more interested in doing global health work. (I was also out of town during the event. ) Global mental health is really exciting right now in the international field, particularly in the human rights context. (I am also taking a course in the law school regarding health and human rights.) Subsequently, I definitely see myself applying for positing for Human Rights Watch, Disabilities International, and the like.

porkbunsrule, thank you SO much for your extensive reply. I will definitely look into both the people and the centers/companies you listed. I appreciate your thorough advice!

 

[Followyourdreams]

Porkbunsrule,
I could really use your advice...I'm applying for the MPH 2015 cycle and my first choice is UCLA MPH Management. I took my GRE today and the score wasn't that great... 153 V and 146 Q. My undergrad (major is public policy) gpa is about 3.73 and could go up after these next two quarters. Here's a really broad list of some of my experiences:
- month long medical internship in China, conducted auscultations on about 1500 students with a team of 5 people.
-year long intern at a hospital, worked on floors ranging from orthopedic to administration.
-legislative internship at western municipal water district (3 months)
-student ambassador for the school of public policy (1 year)
-possible tutoring position for public policy through my school.

My letters of rec are coming from a stats teacher (got an A), Dean of the school of public policy, and the doctor I worked with in China

What do you think? I'm fairly positive I will have to take the Gre again... I really don't want to though

Thanks!!