Applying MD/MPH

[FLsurf05]

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Hey, I don't know if this question is answered somewhere else, but I searched and couldn't find it, so. . .

Does applying MD/MPH make it harder to get accepted to a school? Would I be better off applying MD and maybe getting an MPH later. I'd rather do the combined thing, but I don't want to do anything that is going to make the admissions process harder since practicing medicine is my main goal.

 

[jillibean]

Hey, I don't know if this question is answered somewhere else, but I searched and couldn't find it, so. . .

Does applying MD/MPH make it harder to get accepted to a school? Would I be better off applying MD and maybe getting an MPH later. I'd rather do the combined thing, but I don't want to do anything that is going to make the admissions process harder since practicing medicine is my main goal.

I was wondering the same thing. I have heard it doesn't change things one way or the other, but I have also heard that there are very few slots for MD/MPH so who knows?

 

[Learfan]

MPH is a waste of time as a degree. It does not open any career doors that would not be opened by the MD. Save your time and money.

Hey, I don't know if this question is answered somewhere else, but I searched and couldn't find it, so. . .

Does applying MD/MPH make it harder to get accepted to a school? Would I be better off applying MD and maybe getting an MPH later. I'd rather do the combined thing, but I don't want to do anything that is going to make the admissions process harder since practicing medicine is my main goal.

 

[jillibean]

MPH is a waste of time as a degree. It does not open any career doors that would not be opened by the MD. Save your time and money.

If you are interested in population-based research it can be useful.

 

[DrMichelle]

If you are interested in population-based research it can be useful.

I think that an MD/MPH is a VERY useful degree, depending what you want to do. I know that I am planning on pursuing it...either during med school or later on.

As far as I know, the two are very different programs and therefore do not really influence each other. Shouldnt hurt/help you that much...

But thats with my very limited knowledge..

 

[JRJ26]

also remember that some schools have MPH concentrations, such as international health, epidemiology, epidemiological genetics, infectious diseases, environmental health, population health, etc.

 

[gregarious]

Hey, I don't know if this question is answered somewhere else, but I searched and couldn't find it, so. . .

Does applying MD/MPH make it harder to get accepted to a school? Would I be better off applying MD and maybe getting an MPH later. I'd rather do the combined thing, but I don't want to do anything that is going to make the admissions process harder since practicing medicine is my main goal.

This is what I learned during last year's admissions:

Applying MD/MPH isn't going to make much difference in your MD application. For me with lower stats I realized late that I would be lucky to get into a program that offered the joint degree. Once accepted to such a program many more questions arose--4 year vs. 5 yr plans, whether to wait until after med school to pursue the MPH. Questions I didn't consider when picking out my schools based off of which had the joint degree. Bottom line: focus on where you have the best chance of getting in for MD--think about the MPH later.

After all of that I do have to add that my PS and application EC's were based off an interest in pursuing Public Health/Primary Care as a physician--so in the end it may have helped me get an acceptance for a joint MD-MPH. Checking the MPH box on AMCAS didn't hurt me--it just showed I was interested in the school's programs and gave me something to talk about at interviews.

Hope that makes sense!

 

[LizzyM]

This is what I learned during last year's admissions:

Applying MD/MPH isn't going to make much difference in your MD application. For me with lower stats I realized late that I would be lucky to get into a program that offered the joint degree. Once accepted to such a program many more questions arose--4 year vs. 5 yr plans, whether to wait until after med school to pursue the MPH. Questions I didn't consider when picking out my schools based off of which had the joint degree. Bottom line: focus on where you have the best chance of getting in for MD--think about the MPH later.

After all of that I do have to add that my PS and application EC's were based off an interest in pursuing Public Health/Primary Care as a physician--so in the end it may have helped me get an acceptance for a joint MD-MPH. Checking the MPH box on AMCAS didn't hurt me--it just showed I was interested in the school's programs and gave me something to talk about at interviews.

👍

 

[DrMom]

MPH is a waste of time as a degree. It does not open any career doors that would not be opened by the MD. Save your time and money.

If someone is only doing an MPH to boost their application, then I completely agree with you.


That is not the OP's situation. If someone is interested in public health, epidemiological research, international health, administration, health policy etc, then an MPH is a very useful degree.

 

[sheepunite]

MPH is a waste of time as a degree. It does not open any career doors that would not be opened by the MD. Save your time and money.

er . . .
not true, whatsoever.
having your md *does not* qualify you to do demography, epidemiology, population health, etc. or toxicology, biostatistics, etc, ad nauseum.

 

[jeanneson]

Although I techinically applied to joint MD-MPH programs on my AMCAS it seemed to make zero difference for the application process. When I went to interview sometimes the interviewer would comment on it. But for the most part schools told me that admission to the MPH program was pretty much guaranteed for an MD and that most didn't bother making up their minds or applying until their MS2 year.

Also, I talked to some students who advised postponing the MPH until after med school, because it would be fresher in your mind when you actually needed it and also because certain fellowships may pay for it (rather than paying for it yourself while in med school).

 

[DrMichelle]

Although I techinically applied to joint MD-MPH programs on my AMCAS it seemed to make zero difference for the application process. When I went to interview sometimes the interviewer would comment on it. But for the most part schools told me that admission to the MPH program was pretty much guaranteed for an MD and that most didn't bother making up their minds or applying until their MS2 year.

Also, I talked to some students who advised postponing the MPH until after med school, because it would be fresher in your mind when you actually needed it and also because certain fellowships may pay for it (rather than paying for it yourself while in med school).

At some schools it is not necessary to pay extra tuition to do an MPH while an MD...I know that some schools EVMS for one, allow you to do BOTH degrees in 4 years.

 

[TMP-SMX]

At some schools it is not necessary to pay extra tuition to do an MPH while an MD...I know that some schools EVMS for one, allow you to do BOTH degrees in 4 years.

Says on their website, "Eastern Virginia Medical School, in cooperation with Old Dominion University, offers an M.D./MPH dual degree program for students who have been admitted to Eastern Virginia Medical School. The program takes five years to complete. At the end of that time, students will receive both Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health degrees."

Seems like 5 years to me.

 

[LizzyM]

Here's some good info on schools with MD/MPH programs, particularly how long it takes at each school:

http://www.amsa.org/cph/mdmphlist.cfm