A Few Questions From an Undergrad

[kimi126]

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I am an undergrad student at a liberal arts college and want to get my MPH afterwards. International health is what I want to concentrate in and I do not plan on getting an MD. I want to be a health educator but feel that I will want to get into administrative work when I am older. I have volunteered at a foundation that funds medical care, education, and development projects in Haiti. On July 10, I will be leaving to study abroad in South Africa and with the help of the university, I have set up an opportunity to volunteer at an Aids Prevention and Care Clinic. I have a 3.2 GPA and will be going into my fourth semester of college. However, I have yet decided on a major! I could either switch to a state college that offers a BS in PH or stay where I am and major in a social science. This is a list of the majors I am interested in: Latin American Studies/Spanish, Psychology, and Sociology. These can also be minors along with Business Administration, International Studies, Pre-Law, and Anthropology.

1. Probably any of these majors would be beneficial but what do you think would be the best for me?
2. Do you think I should work a year or two before going for my MPH?
3. What do you feel about the Peace Corps MI/Fellows programs?
4. How are Loma Linda's, Tulane's, and UCONN's MPH programs?
5. Any other recommendations or advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[thedelicatessen]

That's great that you're interested in public health. You don't have to have a public health BS to get an MPH, so if you are happy at your current school, I don't see why you would need to transfer. It doesn't really matter what you major in as long as you are interested in it.

As to when to pursue the MPH, any time is a good time, but you can certainly work during this grad program as it is tailored to people who already have healthcare-related jobs. Your international experiences sound really interesting; good luck!