What advantage of having an MD/MPH dual degree?

I'm wondering what possible advantages there are for having a dual degree MD/MPH as opposed to just an MD. I want to know if it's worth much to give one year of my life and added loans to get an MPH. I'm interested in Health Management concentration.

Your realistic response will be much appreciated.

Thank you

I spent 2 years on my MPH and think it's probably the best thing I ever did educationally. My MPH was in Epi and I've been doing epi work since, so I feel less qualified to comment on health management than many people here.

I also did a full 2-year MPH and considered the best thing I ever did. I also did epi, so again, I don't have the best health management perspective, but if you know you're interested in health management, I can't think of a better thing to do than an MPH. Where else are you going to get that perspective? When I did my med school interviews, it was while I was doing my health management blocks, and I was lucky enough to interview with the CFO of the university hospital system -- we talked management nearly the whole time, and he was very impressed with my knowledge. The biggest complaint everyone has about medicine is its management crisis, so if you know you want to go into it, I think an MPH will really help. Even if you don't go into health management fulltime, having the MPH background will make you a better physician, helping your patients navigate the system, or adivising your colleagues/practice on best practices. Go for it.

hwong14 said:

I also did a full 2-year MPH and considered the best thing I ever did.

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Hwong14 - seems we have a similar background. Do you have an opinion on the "full" 2-year vs. 1-year MPH programs that you'd be willing to share? Perhaps this deserves a new thread, but I thought I'd ask here.