DrPH during Preventive Med residency?

[FreeRadical]

I'm entering an MPH program this fall with plans for medical school afterward. After med school, I'd like to do a preventive medicine residency program (which usually includes getting an MPH) but get a DrPH instead. Has anyone heard if that's possible / has been done before?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[jkmph]

I'm entering an MPH program this fall with plans for medical school afterward. After med school, I'd like to do a preventive medicine residency program (which usually includes getting an MPH) but get a DrPH instead. Has anyone heard if that's possible / has been done before?

I'd say call some schools with a DrPH program and ask them.

 

[Stories]

I'm entering an MPH program this fall with plans for medical school afterward. After med school, I'd like to do a preventive medicine residency program (which usually includes getting an MPH) but get a DrPH instead. Has anyone heard if that's possible / has been done before?

No. DrPH would require way too much work to do it in conjunction with a residency (unless you don't like sleep!). I suppose you could do it part-time if the school lets you, but very few schools allow doctoral students to enroll part-time. But then you're probably looking at 8+ years to do the degree.

Besides, what's the point of doing a DrPH on top of a MPH on top of a MD? What's your ultimate goal? If you want to practice medicine: MD. If you want to do preventative medicine: MD/MPH. If you want to be a professor of medicine or public health: MD or MD/MPH. If you want to lead a public health agency: MD/MPH. A DrPH wouldn't significantly add anything to your resume except pad the "Education" section. Think long and hard about it.

 

[FreeRadical]

From my experiences in Guatemala and Haiti, I've found that (sometimes illiterate) people will try to make due with the limited medical knowledge they have. I want to find ways to connect governments of developing countries with the community health workers already practicing there, so they can have standardization for a basic, functional knowledge of modern medicine. Getting the MD is for having some knowledge to share in the first place, and the MPH --> DrPH has the triple function of working with the government, a thorough knowledge of my context, and advocacy in the developed world.