Advice for PhD applications..

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teshi1

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I will be graduating next year with an MPH in Epidemiology and Global health and was thinking of applying to PhD programs in epidemiology in Fall 2011/2012. I have extensive experience in clinical research and I am currently working on an HIV/AIDS prevention project in the GLBT community. My interests lie mainly in infectious disease epidemiology.

I am hoping to graduate with a GPA of at least 3.7 and was thinking of retaking the GREs to be competitive for PhD programs. I was also thinking of working for 1 or 2 years after I graduate in order to gain some more public health experience. Any advice regarding application procedures and funding issues from current PhD students? Any help will be greatly appreciated :)

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Funding is handed out with your acceptance letters, if funding is available. Most students will be able to get funding at some point during their studies, if not necessarily within their first years. Every school handles this differently, whether the funding will come bundled with TA, RA, or GA requirements. You're also welcome to apply to outside funding sources and fellowship and bring those in with you to school.

You should do whatever you think you'd enjoy the most. If that's work, do that. Generally, the more research you do, the better, particularly if it's in the discipline you're interested in going into.

Look a bit into what faculty each school has that you're interested in working with. The most important part of your application is making a solid case for working with the faculty at that school and why you're a good match.

GPA and GRE are less important than good research fit. If you're at a SPH now, don't bother retaking the GRE as it's not going to significantly improve your chances (even if you get a perfect). The GRE is used merely as a cutoff rather than a + or - on your application. Same with GPA.
 
Thanks for the response. Any particular schools that are well known for their infectious disease programs?
 
Thanks for the response. Any particular schools that are well known for their infectious disease programs?

ID is far too broad to give recommendations. I'm not an expert in ID so I probably am the wrong person to ask. You should definitely look at each faculty to see what kinds of ID each school does. Every single school will have faculty in ID.
 
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