MD & DO Doing an online MPH while in medical school

[bengirlxD]

So this is a hypothetical question. I was thinking of doing an MPH while attending medical school. Not a formal dual degree program but just earning the MPH on the side part time. Is this feasible or should I just focus on medical school? My reasons for doing an MPH is because I have keen interest in public health in underserved communities and it is also financial. I have a scholarship that I earned as an undergrad that would fully fund an MPH degree in addition to providing a living stipend. I was thinking maybe I can kill two birds with one stone with this approach but of course I want to be realistic. Opinions?

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[libertyyne]

So this is a hypothetical question. I was thinking of doing an MPH while attending medical school. Not a formal dual degree program but just earning the MPH on the side part time. Is this feasible or should I just focus on medical school? My reasons for doing an MPH is because I have keen interest in public health in underserved communities and it is also financial. I have a scholarship that I earned as an undergrad that would fully fund an MPH degree in addition to providing a living stipend. I was thinking maybe I can kill two birds with one stone with this approach but of course I want to be realistic. Opinions?

You should be focusing on medical school to do the best you can in medical school. Unless you are gunning for fp in a rural setting.

 

[Redpancreas]

Seems like he is based on his MdApps. You can never be sure though. That amount of research and that school list doesn't scream primary care to me.

 

[bengirlxD]

Wise words. I also have a loving relationship that I don't take for granted. I would hate to prioritize a second degree while in medical school at the expense of my medical education and personal relationships. Those are worth far more than having to take out a few more loans.

 

[IslandStyle808]

You won't have an idea of what you want to do with your career until after you are finished with residency. I wouldn't think of an MPH going well with a field like neurosurgery. If this is your future, then the MPH will not serve you that well. So I would also suggest holding off on it.

The residencies/fellowships with an MPH integrated into them are usually done in lieu with another speciality such as FM/IM. So it doesn't seem like that would be a bad choice per say. However, again until you know your practice structure, you won't know if you need an MPH or not. So it is probably best advised to do it a few years into practice. The soonest I would say is after your FM/IM/etc. residency and then you do a preventative care residency where the MPH is integrated with the program.

 

[Redpancreas]

Wise words. I also have a loving relationship that I don't take for granted. I would hate to prioritize a second degree while in medical school at the expense of my medical education and personal relationships. Those are worth far more than having to take out a few more loans.

A more interesting question is based off your MDApps, you have 2060 hrs. of extra-curricular activity? I guess it's only 6% of the hours you lived during undergrad...NBD.

 

[bengirlxD]

A more interesting question is based off your MDApps, you have 2060 hrs. of extra-curricular activity? I guess it's only 6% of the hours you lived during undergrad...NBD.

Haha I dedicated a lot of time to my EC's. Surprisingly I was still able to goof off about 1-3 hours a day. To be honest it is all about time management.

 

[takeurmeds02]

Don't let them tell you it's not possible to do well in your MD curriculum while also getting an MPH.

With that said, make sure it's something that you really want to integrate into your practice. It's definitely a good amount of additional work that some days, I don't have the patience for lol. But I also don't regret my decision.

I do agree with a point that was made above though. While you certainly don't have to be family med to be interested in MPH, it's really hard to integrate into the fields that give you next to no time for anything else.

Consider your options, you know yourself better than we do obviously. Get it now or can definitely wait until later.

 

[bannie22]

There are many MDMPH programs so I dont see why not. Ive always wondered about these online courses, do people ever get someone to do the work for them?

 

[fourandtwo]

Hm... personally I feel my MPH degree was life changing for me. But I also grew up with conservative, republican parents.

 

[flapjack3d]

A quality MPH is no joke. Though nowhere near as difficult as med school, it will still take up a significant amount of time. I couldn't imagine doing both at the same time.

 

[Saxappeal1]

Sounds like a good idea in theory. On the one hand, if the program you get into has an MD MPH program, then sure go for it if you think you can handle it. But keep this in mind- there's a reason that medical schools don't recommend having a job while in medical school. Getting a legitimate MPH takes a lot of time, and I can imagine it being like having a job. Medical school is tough enough, and as a pre-med you may be filled with all of the ambition in the world, but you need to be realistic. If you have a life outside of medical school, medical school is going to be a full roster. If you don't, you could feasibly do it. I mean, you could either way, but you need to think about practicality.