Policyplatapus
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- Oct 4, 2020
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Hi all,
I'm considering applying to MPH programs or PhD programs; both would be in health policy & management. However, I have some inner turmoil regarding which I should pursue. Online, I see many posts arguing that a master's degree is essentially required for public health PhD programs. However, a couple of mentors of mine have suggested that, considering my stats and experiences, I should skip the MPH and aim for the PhD. According to them, the first 2 years of a PhD offer learning that meets (and exceeds) that in an MPH.
For more context, here are my stats:
Undergrad: Top Liberal Arts
Undergrad Major: Public Health, Minor in Philosophy
Undergrad GPA: 3.85
Graduate: N/A
GRE: 165V, 161M, 5.5AW
Experiences:
- 1 summer wet lab chemistry research
- 2.5 years conducting community health research at a university research lab
- 1 year working on editorial board of an undergraduate journal (peer-reviewed) of health, ethics, and policy
- 1 semester working at a well-known health policy research institute
- 1 semester TAing a relevant upper-level public health course
- undergraduate thesis in public health (qualitative primary data collection) -- one of 1st author publications
- 2 years (at time of predicted matriculation) doing policy analysis at DC health policy think tank
- 7 publications: 5 from research lab (1 first author), 1 (first author) from thesis, 1 from undergraduate journal
Recs: 1 from thesis advisor, very strong; 1 from PI of lab/mentor where I worked for 2.5 yrs, very strong, 1 from PI at policy research institute, 1 from health policy think tank supervisor, strong
Public Health Interests: I'm very interested in ensuring accessible, high-quality care. However, my interests have shifted away from inter/intrapersonal determinants of care quality and toward structural/organizational determinants. In my last few years of undergrad I delved deeper into health economics, and have continued some work at the intersection of econ, health policy, and quality.
Considering: Harvard, Yale, Columbia, JHU, UNC are the big ones. MPH or PhD in health policy & management at all.
What do you all think? This sort of transitioned into a chance me (apologies for that) but considering my experiences, do you think an MPH would be worthwhile before eventually getting the PhD? or do I stand a chance at going straight for the PhD? Thanks in advance!
I'm considering applying to MPH programs or PhD programs; both would be in health policy & management. However, I have some inner turmoil regarding which I should pursue. Online, I see many posts arguing that a master's degree is essentially required for public health PhD programs. However, a couple of mentors of mine have suggested that, considering my stats and experiences, I should skip the MPH and aim for the PhD. According to them, the first 2 years of a PhD offer learning that meets (and exceeds) that in an MPH.
For more context, here are my stats:
Undergrad: Top Liberal Arts
Undergrad Major: Public Health, Minor in Philosophy
Undergrad GPA: 3.85
Graduate: N/A
GRE: 165V, 161M, 5.5AW
Experiences:
- 1 summer wet lab chemistry research
- 2.5 years conducting community health research at a university research lab
- 1 year working on editorial board of an undergraduate journal (peer-reviewed) of health, ethics, and policy
- 1 semester working at a well-known health policy research institute
- 1 semester TAing a relevant upper-level public health course
- undergraduate thesis in public health (qualitative primary data collection) -- one of 1st author publications
- 2 years (at time of predicted matriculation) doing policy analysis at DC health policy think tank
- 7 publications: 5 from research lab (1 first author), 1 (first author) from thesis, 1 from undergraduate journal
Recs: 1 from thesis advisor, very strong; 1 from PI of lab/mentor where I worked for 2.5 yrs, very strong, 1 from PI at policy research institute, 1 from health policy think tank supervisor, strong
Public Health Interests: I'm very interested in ensuring accessible, high-quality care. However, my interests have shifted away from inter/intrapersonal determinants of care quality and toward structural/organizational determinants. In my last few years of undergrad I delved deeper into health economics, and have continued some work at the intersection of econ, health policy, and quality.
Considering: Harvard, Yale, Columbia, JHU, UNC are the big ones. MPH or PhD in health policy & management at all.
What do you all think? This sort of transitioned into a chance me (apologies for that) but considering my experiences, do you think an MPH would be worthwhile before eventually getting the PhD? or do I stand a chance at going straight for the PhD? Thanks in advance!
