Combining Clinical Perspective with Public Health

[numbersloth]

I'm really interested in both public health (particularly epidemiology and health policy) and being a clinician. I'm a Psych Major/Stats minor at a liberal arts college with a solid GPA, neuropsychology research experience, and volunteer experience at a public health non-profit. I'm really passionate about combining the clinical perspective with evidence-based policy--I'm especially interested in problems such as the opioid crisis where clinicians, public health experts, lawyers, social workers, and the criminal justice converge to find what works best, starting from "addiction is a disease" all the way up to the idea of drug courts and changing how society thinks about addiction and drugs. (just one example). How would I be best served? Do Clinical Psych PhDs often get MPHs? Am I better off just getting a PhD in Health Policy? Should I go for an MD-MPH?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[LG0331]

I actually am very close with someone who plays an integral role in the drug court where I live & have personally volunteered there in certain instances. There is usually ~80 drug court participants at any given time so it's my understanding that where I live has one of the larger drug courts. From what I've seen, if your interest lies with working with the participants, while being on the drug court "team" (working with the judge, recovery support specialists etc to facilitate treatment plans, outcomes, violations), then I would go for the MSW/MPH.

That is the only piece I'm able to speak to so hope that helps! I know a ton about sobriety/drug court if you ever have any other questions.