Epi from Socail/Behavioral Sciences?

[224463]

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I graduated with my MPH in Health and Social Behavior in 2011 and am applying to PhD programs now (3rd time 🙁) and am finding that a lot of the professors who do research I am interested in are in Epi departments.
I'm wondering if its possible for me to get into an Epi PhD program without an Epi MPH, as its my 3rd time applying I really want to set myself up for success.

I graduated from a top ten SPH with a 3.8 and got a V163(91% Q155(64%) AW4.5 (73%) and since then have been working as a Research Analyst

I don't have any pubs (some abstracts and presentations) which was seen as a weakness from schools I didn't get into.
I've been working on improving my personal statement and really clarifying my research interest. While there are great people doing interesting work in other social/behavioral programs I think my research interests are a better fit with some epi departments so I don't think I'll have to stretch as much in my essays. But I obviously don't come in with the same Epi coursework/background as someone with an MPH-epi degree.

Does anyone have any thoughts on if this is possible or know anyone who had more of a social/behavioral degree and then got into an Epi PhD program?
Any insight would be much appreciated!

 

[Stories]

If you tailor your research statement to fit that of your past experience and your current work and the work you'd like to do in the future, you should be able to find a program that is a good fit. Regardless of whether you have a epi degree or not, as long as you can demonstrate that you have the skills necessary, you should be okay. Were your grades in your epi courses high? The faculty at these schools might be wary of lower grades in your epi and biostats courses? An epi PhD is almost exclusively epi methods and biostatistics courses.

Also, try reaching out to faculty and see what they suggest for your chances. Also, don't be afraid to apply to schools with lower rankings. Research fit is the most important thing and you want to go somewhere where you'd be happy with the work you're doing.

 

[224463]

Thanks, that is helpful. I did fine in my epi/bio stat classes during my MPH and took more than just the basics, and at some schools I can apply to both social and epi programs. I'm just worried about being at a major disadvantage coming in so I'll contact the depts and hope for the best.