Anyone here JD/MPH?

[nycpizza]

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I am interested in eventually working with public health and medical law. I plan on attending a 2 year MPH program while studying for the LSAT and applying to law school.

I was wondering what you all know about JD/MPH -- if you know anyone who has done it, or if you yourself are planning that same path. Thanks in advance. 🙂

 

[Chimichunga]

I'm a 0L at Georgetown, and am planning on applying to the John Hopkins MPH.

I looked into joint-degree programs at a few places nationwide, and concluded this was my best bet for international public health law. Do you have any specific questions?

 

[nycpizza]

I'm a 0L at Georgetown, and am planning on applying to the John Hopkins MPH.

I looked into joint-degree programs at a few places nationwide, and concluded this was my best bet for international public health law. Do you have any specific questions?

Thanks for your reply Chimichunga. Does 0L mean you will be starting as 1L this fall? I wanted to know if Law Schools do not favor you choosing the public health field before starting law school; do they often wonder "how do you know this is what you want to do?" -- also, I want to know if public health is relatively a new field in law. Also, if you are attending Georgetown law, major congratulations - that is quite an accomplishment! Also, can I ask you what made you want to do JD/MPH? And also, do you think its better to do a joint program or do them separately? It looks like I would have to do them separately since I need time to study for the LSAT...

Thanks alot.

nycpizza

 

[Chimichunga]

Thanks for your kind words. About your questions:

a. Does 0L mean you will be starting as 1L this fall? Yup.

b. Do they often wonder "how do you know this is what you want to do?"

The law school admissions process is very much a black box to me. That said, I very much doubt that AdComms (admission committees) expect applicants to know exactly what they want to do. Rather, your emphasis should likely be on hardship and why you want to practice/pursue law.

c. also, I want to know if public health is relatively a new field in law.

No idea, but I'd imagine that a little bit of research would yield an answer.

d. can I ask you what made you want to do JD/MPH?

It all started when I read Tracy Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains. Then after a bit of Farmer, Sachs, and some other public health-related reading, I became pretty sure that this is where I want to be. I also know that I love law. So I picked them both.

e. do you think its better to do a joint program or do them separately?

It seems terribly inefficient to pursue them both separately, especially considering most schools now offer joint programs.

**

Take as much time as you need on the LSAT; it'll determine not only where you go to law school, but where you receive your MPH as well (many MPH programs accept LSATs instead of GREs for joint applicants).

Best of luck.

 

[nycpizza]

Hey Chimi, thanks for your reply once again!

I just wanted to ask you - aren't JD/MPH programs 4 years long? If I did MPH and Law school separately, it would take me 5 years - 2 years of mph w/ 3 years of law - that said, i would have to apply during my 2nd year of mph.


I think i may have to do them separately b/c I need time to study for the lsat. How hard is this btw? And is Law School very difficult to get into? I know it is relative, depending on the school, but is the process just as competitive as med schools?

thanks again! 🙂

nycpizza

 

[Chimichunga]

The LSAT is hard, but shouldn't require a year's worth of preparation.

If you're starting your MPH program this year, you may still have the option to pursue a joint program (presuming you study over summer and take the September LSAT administration) - consult with both schools.

If you're not starting this year, there's no reason why you can't do a joint program.

 

[healthjustice]

I am thinking about doing a mph with a focus in health policy and then law school . . . . or even possibly med school. I have a 3.3 and I am a 2nd year undergraduate with a major in political science. What kind of courses do you think I should take to help with the mph/jd/possible md

 

[SpecialBlend]

I read somewhere that Saint Louis University has the #1 Health Law program in the United States; I talked to one guy who was doing a dual MPH/JD at SLU and he said that it's a popular and well-structured option. I don't know how the law school is, but SLU's school of public health is ranked highly (#21 overall, I think.)

 

[snackety]

I'm almost done with an JD/MPH combo and overall it's been a good program. I'd strongly recommend that people choose a combination for the law school rather than choosing for the public health school.

I say this for a few reasons:
1. Law school is wicked expensive and odds are you'll have to take out a ton of loans.
2. Law jobs pay way more than public health jobs.
3. The legal hiring market is crap, so the chances of getting a good law job are significantly boosted by having a good school on your resume.

Even if you think you want to work in public health not law, it seems really foolish to me to close the law door when there's such enormous financial pressure to keep it open.

Just my take on it.