deferal request denied, now what?

[Rowdy]

I'm over half-way through an MPH at Tulane right now, and was accepted at Drexel med (the only school thats accepted me thus far). I requested deferal to finish my masters, and just found out today that the request was denied. I really dont want to leave my masters unfinished, nor do I want to start it all over again at drexel's MD/MPH program (i'd only be able to transfer a few credits). what do i do?
option 1) tell drexel no thanks, finish masters, apply all over again next year - bit of a craps shoot
option 2) go to drexel and forget about my masters (and the wasted year and $40k)

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[Tired Pigeon]

Depends on what you want to do. Are you planning on a career path in which the MPH would be an important credential?

 

[karmega5]

Seems strange: I thought most schools required you to finish all outstanding degrees before you could matriculate. Me- I'd take the MD acceptance, but I really have not a lot of use for an MPH. Aren't there plenty of people that can do public health with just an MD? I'd imagine that doesn't work the other way, though.

 

[baylormed]

Why did you apply to medical school if you really wanted to finish your master's before you enrolled?

 

[deleted128318]

Either way, isn't it going to be 5 years until you start residency?


Drexel's MD/MPH is 5 years. Finishing your MPH at Tulane and then going to Drexel next year is 5 years (if they had given you the deferral). The MPH program is consolidated when completed in conjunction with med school. If time and the degree is what you are worried about, then don't.

Tulane definitely does have a better Public Health program than Drexel, though.

Why did you apply this year if you knew you weren't finishing your masters in time to matriculate?

 

[Depakote]

The aforementioned issue of application timing aside...

I would take the acceptance. Re-application is tricky, there are no gurantees if you turn this one down and you can get a MPH at Drexel if you really want it.

Take what's been put in front of you.

 

[Bernie3144]

The aforementioned issue of application timing aside...

I would take the acceptance. Re-application is tricky, there are no gurantees if you turn this one down and you can get a MPH at Drexel if you really want it.

Take what's been put in front of you.

It depends on what you're most interested in. If you really want to do public health and wouldn't mind doing it even if you were not a doctor, then finish up your MPH and reapply. If your main desire is to be a doctor, you really need to take the acceptance. There are many people who wish to be in your shoes right now with that Drexel acceptance.

 

[Gut Shot]

option 1) tell drexel no thanks, finish masters, apply all over again next year - bit of a craps shoot

Oh Jesus Christ, not another one of these.

option 2) go to drexel and forget about my masters (and the wasted year and $40k)

The opportunity cost of waiting another year is much higher than 40K. There will be ample opportunity to finish an MPH later. In four or five years you may not even want it anymore. Just go to med school and let it shake out from there.

 

[HreComesTheSun]

Why did you apply to medical school if you really wanted to finish your master's before you enrolled?

yeah?

 

[NN11]

Did you enter an MPH program because you were really interested or because you wanted to kill time (i.e. stay in the academic world and not enter the work force)?

for an entry level position, salary for folks with an MPH starts at ~$50-$65K range.

On the other hand, physicians have a income range of $150-$300K+ . So don't stay in the MPH progam for the income boost alone, because it's not that much.

I really don't think it's worth giving up an MD acceptance, even if you lose $40K. In the long run, 40K is a fraction of what you'll be making in your lifetime.

Consider this: what would you recommend to someone who said that they wanted to defer entering med school for a year so that they can stay at their $40K/year job to earn more money? Again, in the long run $40K is not that much money, unless there is an immediate need for cash.

 

[Jainraisig]

Why dont you take a break from Tulane? If you have finished your core reqs, then you can probably finish out your electives over the next couple of years part time. Talk to your advisor and see what their statute of limitations is, i.e. how long are your current credits good for. They offer summer classes and mini-term classes (like first week in January or during spring break). Im pretty sure that you can continue to be considered a TUSPHTM student for a while for a minimum maintenance fee ($50 as one pays every quarter during the capstone experience). I know that this situation would not be ideal either as it would require a lot of finagling and moving around but look at the course offerings and schedules of both schools and see what is doable.

Also, if you could take a break from Tulane, then you could probably take a break from Drexel. What I mean is, if you continue to be a TU student, matriculate at Drexel this fall, then you could take a break after 1st or second year to go back and finish your masters. This would be like delaying your deferral. Many people take breaks during med school for babies, other projects, research, etc. You can take some time to finish your masters.

Talk to your advisor and someone from Drexel and see what creative options yall can come up with.

 

[deuist]

You could keep you status as a Tulane student, do two years at Drexel, take a year off to finish your MPH, and then go back to Philly to complete medical school. I'll echo what other posters mentioned: why did you apply to medical school knowing that you wouldn't have finished your MPH? And does an MPH really cost $40,000?!

 

[lunaire]

Yeah, try deferring from ur MPH instead.

 

[dr1day]

I'm sorry. I have absolutely no help for you. I was just wondering what program you're in at Tulane. I got my MPH from there in '98 in Maternal and Child Health. I worked at the health department for a few years and I'm starting med school in the fall.

What do you want to do with your MPH?

 

[BlackSails]

Economics!

Ok, the sunk cost of the MPH is $40,000 and 1 year. You do not include these in your calculations.

The benefit of another year of MPH is an MPH.
The cost is $40,000 and a possible loss of med school acceptance.


So: Is Med School + $40,000 worth more or less to you than an MPH?

 

[etf]

i thought an mph was what people did to get into medical school...

 

[gotmeds?]

I'm over half-way through an MPH at Tulane right now, and was accepted at Drexel med (the only school thats accepted me thus far). I requested deferal to finish my masters, and just found out today that the request was denied. I really dont want to leave my masters unfinished, nor do I want to start it all over again at drexel's MD/MPH program (i'd only be able to transfer a few credits). what do i do?
option 1) tell drexel no thanks, finish masters, apply all over again next year - bit of a craps shoot
option 2) go to drexel and forget about my masters (and the wasted year and $40k)

If you only got into one med school this year and you don't go, your chances of getting in next year will probably not be great (the MPH will not significantly boost your chances). Don't think of it as MPH + med school next year vs. med school this year.

Think of it as MPH vs. MD.

Now is that really a hard choice?

 

[psipsina]

If you only got into one med school this year and you don't go, your chances of getting in next year will probably not be great (the MPH will not significantly boost your chances). Don't think of it as MPH + med school next year vs. med school this year.

Think of it as MPH vs. MD.

Now is that really a hard choice?

I agree with this post 100%. In retrospect you probably shouldn't have applied until next year if you really wanted to complete your MPH at Tulane. Turning down an acceptance is a black mark on your application in the eyes of many adcomms and it looks like you just barely made it this round without such a blemish on your application. Many people never get an MD acceptance at all, take it and run if you really want to be a physician. If you would be just as/more happy with just the MPH, then thats great too.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

If you want to be a doc, go to med school. An MPH isn't going to take you very far, unless you're hardcore into public health research. It doesn't earn you more money. Plus, you could always finish the degree later on.

The worst case scenario would be you turn down drexel, finish your MPH, apply again, then get rejected. Then what? Spend another year improving your application and apply again? You must be nuts.

If I were you, I'd drop out of tulane. Do something fun for the next 4-5 months. Then go to drexel.

 

[GuzzyRon]

You could keep you status as a Tulane student, do two years at Drexel, take a year off to finish your MPH, and then go back to Philly to complete medical school. I'll echo what other posters mentioned: why did you apply to medical school knowing that you wouldn't have finished your MPH? And does an MPH really cost $40,000?!

Rowdy, if you want the MD without losing all the effort you have put into the MPH and if it's not a problem with Drexel or Tulane, here is your best option right here.