A few questions about MPH programs

[subtle1epiphany]

I just finished applying for the medical school entering class of 2004, and have been rejected from all 24 school to which I applied (I still haven't heard from Howard). However, I've become interested in Public Health through my campus job (undergrad) in the Health Services Clinic. I have a few questions regarding admissions and class in an MPH program.

I'm going to apply to NYMC's SPH due to the fact that it's so late in the process and since that is the area where I want to stay.


I have a few questions though...

1) They don't seem to require any standardized test scores, is this normal? And if I've taken the pre-med route and come out with ~ 3.3-3.4 gpa do you think that I would be accepted, or should I definitely have a backup plan?

2) Also, I notice that they are only provisionally accredited, I assume that this is because they are a newer SPH, but will this have any bearing on the worth of my master's degree?

3) Epidemiology seems to be a good general choice when it comes to MPH's, but I'm not quite sure what the classes would focus on in this field...or specifically what a person with such a degree would do in their daily job. I've read many things explaining what an epidemiologist is, but it seems pretty close to biostatistics. Am I misunderstanding the distinctions?

4) Health Informatics seems very interesting to me, however, how much relevance does it hold to a practicing physician? Something like community health (prevention and education) or epidemiology/biostats seems like it would be more "useful" to a practicing MD than understanding the network and database architecture of the hospital, etc.

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[Heal&Teach]

Hi Brad,

I'll try to address some of your questions as best as possible. Hope this helps.

H&T

1) They don't seem to require any standardized test scores, is this normal? And if I've taken the pre-med route and come out with ~ 3.3-3.4 gpa do you think that I would be accepted, or should I definitely have a backup plan?

Most MPH programs require some sort of standardized test score, including the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, DAT, VAT/VCAT, etc. It is a little strange that the program does not require it, which may somehow be linked to it's provisional accrediation (I'll address that below) or the fact that many of the students are medical students, so they use their MCAT scores . Your GPA should be fine for these programs. If you feel that your GPA has set your application back, then obtaining a Master's Degree in Public Health may be a good way to raise your GPA. Having a backup plan is good any way you look at it, and because I'm not familiar with this program, I couldn't really tell you whether you'd have a chance at getting in or not. But generally, I think you're probably at about the average for many public health programs.

2) Also, I notice that they are only provisionally accredited, I assume that this is because they are a newer SPH, but will this have any bearing on the worth of my master's degree?

Since I have never heard of NYMC's MPH program, I was not surprised when I read some of the basic qualifications for provisional accreditation. In order for the accreditation process to begin, provisional accreditation is a process that any new program typically must go through before gaining full accreditation. It indicates that a program will go through a few cycles where the program is reviewed and tracked for performance/adequacy, and then full accreditation will be granted once all conditions are fulfilled. It does not indicate that a program has lost accreditation or has been placed on probation. Depending on what your aims are, I think that any public health program may be sufficient to fill you needs. If you are doing this program and applying to school immediately afterward, then this program should be fine. However, since it is relatively new program (actually, how new is it?), it may be difficult to tell what kinds of job opportunities are available if few poeple have graduated from it. If the program is not too new, contact the student services department and find out what kinds of jobs NYMC students have pursued after leaving their program.

3) Epidemiology seems to be a good general choice when it comes to MPH's, but I'm not quite sure what the classes would focus on in this field...or specifically what a person with such a degree would do in their daily job. I've read many things explaining what an epidemiologist is, but it seems pretty close to biostatistics. Am I misunderstanding the distinctions?

Epidemiology involves a good deal of statistical analysis, but biostats is all statistical analysis (i.e., lots of number crunching). Epidemiology, as the science of public health, involves the methods used to detect the distribution and determinants of disease (hence the alias "disease detectives"). Of course, biostatistical methods are used to determine risk, among many other things. Epidemiology degrees typically require some basic sciences (e.g., Immunology, Toxicology, Pathology), which may be beneficial in contributing toward your science GPA. An epidemiology degree is a flexible and useful one, and you can possibly find epidemiolgists almost anywhere. Typically, people may hire them on for their abilities to sit in front of a computer and tolerate fabulous statistical software such as SAS and EpiInfo. Others may have more of a balance and also do training and/or education. It just depends on who's hiring and what companies/agencies looking for at the time the job is posted. Read more on the sites included in the "Public Health Sticky" in this forum.

Disclaimer: This is the biased opinion of a person in health education. Someone with an epidemiology degree will probably be able to give you a sexier overview.

4) Health Informatics seems very interesting to me, however, how much relevance does it hold to a practicing physician? Something like community health (prevention and education) or epidemiology/biostats seems like it would be more "useful" to a practicing MD than understanding the network and database architecture of the hospital, etc.

Doing what's "relevant" over what you really want to do shouldn't be an option. If you're particularly interested in something, and you find a program that's dedicated to helping you find opportunities, then why not pursue it? I'm sure that the majority of physicians have Epidemiology degrees just for the fact that it has more basic science undertones. You have the opportunity to get into a new and growing field, or you can do what you will find more useful in your ownn career (i.e., have you thought about what you want to do with this MPH? Once you have any idea, it'll probably give you more insight into the area in which you should concentrate). Informatics is becoming increasingly popular, especially with technology growing by leaps and bounds on a daily basis. There are many agencies that are shifting their foci to include informatics on a large scale, including the CDC which is creating a new initiatives in this area. I would encourage you to contact professionals in the field of Informatics and find out if what they do makes it an attractive option for you. Read more about public health informatics at http://www.phii.org/.

 

[rampage_atl]

Dear Brad,

4) Health Informatics seems very interesting to me, however, how much relevance does it hold to a practicing physician? Something like community health (prevention and education) or epidemiology/biostats seems like it would be more "useful" to a practicing MD than understanding the network and database architecture of the hospital, etc.

Health informatics is much more that understanding information technology, it has more to do with making such that relevant information is readily available to healthcare providers.

Now that might not sound like much but it does requires knowledge of healthcare organizational structures, clinical practices, information analysis and management, knowledge management, clinical knowledge architectures and much more.

Now because of the complex nature of the healthcare industry, the field is ususally best fitted for people that have that background. Watch for the term "physician informaticians", especially now that the US government has made it clear that it would enlist the help of physicians in its drive to get more healthcare organizations (not just resticted to hospitals) to adopt information technology to reduce medical errors.

To learn more about the field, you could visist this website http://www.biohealthmatics.com