Does having an MPH help?

[doc3341]

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Does having an MPH do anything for you when applying to anesthesia residency programs? My school has a program for med students, and I was just wondering if it would be worth my time?

Thanks for the input.

 

[ear-ache]

Does having an MPH do anything for you when applying to anesthesia residency programs? My school has a program for med students, and I was just wondering if it would be worth my time?

Thanks for the input.

I've noticed that a lot of FP docs at my institution also have a MPH. It makes a lot of sense for FP or other primary care docs. As far as anesthesia....

 

[DrDre']

If you want/need to improve your chances in anesthesia, do a year or pharm or anesthesia research with the anesthesia dept and get to know people. MPH is only good for administrators and 1o care academics, in my mind.

 

[doc3341]

Thanks

 

[UTSouthwestern]

I have one. Don't think it made/makes a bit of difference.

 

[doc3341]

I have one. Don't think it made/makes a bit of difference.

Just out of curiosity, what specialty are you pursuing?

 

[aredoubleyou]

The reason to get an additional degree in med school should not be to increase your chance on getting into residency cause the work, $/, & time that you put in is no way proportional to the little to no advantage it gives you. If you are really interested in clinical research or public health, then an mph might make sense, but it is no way necessary to enter either. I know some of the 'top-tier' med schools seem to encourage students pursuing additional degrees, but thats not for the purpose of matching into residency.

 

[Trisomy13]

I have an MPH and while I don't see how it will help me get into any specific residency (other than the brand name weight that it carries), it does help in some ways that I don't think of too often. I spent a lot of time during those two years analyzing research papers and designing studies of my own, so picking apart a paper for journal club is quick and easy. Same goes for the improved background in biostatistics, data analysis, etc. Not something I will use everyday in the OR, but a skill I am happy to have nonetheless. In a more indirect manner, the MPH also helped land a job at a major pharmaceutical company during my academic hiatus, so I have some insight into the drug development business. Again, not something that pertains directly to your future career, but makes for good discussion during an interview if you are selling yourself as well-rounded. On the other hand MPH = more loans... oh, the loans, the loans. :-(

 

[UTSouthwestern]

Just out of curiosity, what specialty are you pursuing?

I'm in private practice in Dallas doing hearts, heads, and kids.

On the biostatistics note, at least I didn't miss any of the biostats questions on the boards (3) so there was some benefit.

 

[doc3341]

The reason to get an additional degree in med school should not be to increase your chance on getting into residency cause the work, $/, & time that you put in is no way proportional to the little to no advantage it gives you. If you are really interested in clinical research or public health, then an mph might make sense, but it is no way necessary to enter either. I know some of the 'top-tier' med schools seem to encourage students pursuing additional degrees, but thats not for the purpose of matching into residency.

My predicament is that my school pays for it for you...yea ill have to put some time into it, but I think the fact that its free makes it something I should be considering. What do you think?

 

[aredoubleyou]

My predicament is that my school pays for it for you...yea ill have to put some time into it, but I think the fact that its free makes it something I should be considering. What do you think?

Even if its free it still doesnt matter cause the point is I susspect it will do very little for you when matching. It will not hurt, so if you have an actuall interest in it, then that makes it a more attractive option. But simply for the purposes of matching - your still loosing out. I dont claim to have vulcan logic, but the way I see things is this:
1) If your not gunna match without an MPH, its VERY unlikely that you will match with an MPH.
2) Chances are that your really stressed out about this whole process just like the rest of us and will match just fine (your lack of the typicall report of boards scores makes me think your a 1st or 2nd year at this point) -so the best thing you can do to increase your chances of matching is study hard, get an average or better score on boards, and dont piss anyone off on your rotations, get good letters from the 1 or 2 of the big names at your anesth department, and you should match somewhere or other.
3) The one year (or two!) that you are getting your 'free' MPH degree you is a year or two that youre not getting paid the 2-300K salary 4 years latter -and your enormous med school debt is being compounded.

 

[CambieMD]

An MPH is useless unless you plan to go into primary cae. I think that an MBA would be useful because you could get into administration or have a strong role in managing your practice down the road.

CambieMD

 

[DrMom]

posted in mutliple forums, so closing this one.

feel free to contribute to the open one in the gen'l residency forum.