Epi or Int'l before applying to med school;program rankings

[cchace]

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I am finishing my senior year at BU and am applying to masters programs in Public Health. I plan to apply for medical school after I finish my masters and I am particularly interested in medical work in developing countries. I was told that a concentration in epidemiology would be most helpful for getting into med school as well as getting jobs with good pay immediately after my masters. But international public health seems like it might be a good fit as well. Does anyone have any knowledge of the pros and cons for each concentration with specific regard to med school? Also, how important are the rankings of the programs? I'm looking at Columbia, Yale, BU, JHU, UCBerkley, UCLA, Tulane. I haven't seen ranks for UMiami, does anyone know anything about their program? I know that you can dual concentrate at BU, are there any other programs where you can do that?

Sorry for the onslaught of questions. Any insight would be very appreciated!

 

[dlung]

I don't for certain b/c I haven't been involved in the admissions process for years, but I can extrapolate from the residency application process. It shouldn't matter what major you choose as long as you can thoughtfully answer the questions, 1) why did you do the MPH? 2) how will you use it during med school?, and 3) what are you going to use it for after med school? This should be a topic on your essay and eventually you'll certainly be asked this repeatedly during interviews. The admissions committee won't hold you to any answers, but certainly wants something more than "I wanted to pad my application" (which they already know if they're not naive). 😀

Are Epi and Int'l appropriate majors for a future physician? yes. But, there are a number of other applicable majors (mine was Env & Occ Health. Admin is another good one) you shouldn't rule out any particular major if it's interesting to you.

As for your other question, I think someone posted a link to the USNews rankings somewhere around here.

 

[FoughtFyr]

I don't for certain b/c I haven't been involved in the admissions process for years, but I can extrapolate from the residency application process. It shouldn't matter what major you choose as long as you can thoughtfully answer the questions, 1) why did you do the MPH? 2) how will you use it during med school?, and 3) what are you going to use it for after med school? This should be a topic on your essay and eventually you'll certainly be asked this repeatedly during interviews. The admissions committee won't hold you to any answers, but certainly wants something more than "I wanted to pad my application" (which they already know if they're not naive). 😀

Are Epi and Int'l appropriate majors for a future physician? yes. But, there are a number of other applicable majors (mine was Env & Occ Health. Admin is another good one) you shouldn't rule out any particular major if it's interesting to you.

As for your other question, I think someone posted a link to the USNews rankings somewhere around here.

I ditto dlung with regard to emphasis. I would also caution you to find a SPH that has cross appointed faculty with a medical school. Having an advisor who is a medical school faculty member can help.

Hey DLung - Where did you do EOHS? I did mine at University of Illinois at Chicago. Sure made for a fun 4th year toxicology rotation in medical school.

- H

 

[cchace]

dlung,

Did you get your mph before, after or during med school?

Just curious.

I don't for certain b/c I haven't been involved in the admissions process for years, but I can extrapolate from the residency application process. It shouldn't matter what major you choose as long as you can thoughtfully answer the questions, 1) why did you do the MPH? 2) how will you use it during med school?, and 3) what are you going to use it for after med school? This should be a topic on your essay and eventually you'll certainly be asked this repeatedly during interviews. The admissions committee won't hold you to any answers, but certainly wants something more than "I wanted to pad my application" (which they already know if they're not naive). 😀

Are Epi and Int'l appropriate majors for a future physician? yes. But, there are a number of other applicable majors (mine was Env & Occ Health. Admin is another good one) you shouldn't rule out any particular major if it's interesting to you.

As for your other question, I think someone posted a link to the USNews rankings somewhere around here.

 

[cchace]

Looking for a sph that has cross appointed faculty with a med school is a great suggestion. I'm looking into that now....do you know of any schools that do this? Did UIllinois cross appoint faculty?

I ditto dlung with regard to emphasis. I would also caution you to find a SPH that has cross appointed faculty with a medical school. Having an advisor who is a medical school faculty member can help.

Hey DLung - Where did you do EOHS? I did mine at University of Illinois at Chicago. Sure made for a fun 4th year toxicology rotation in medical school.

- H

 

[dlung]

I ditto dlung with regard to emphasis. I would also caution you to find a SPH that has cross appointed faculty with a medical school. Having an advisor who is a medical school faculty member can help.

Hey DLung - Where did you do EOHS? I did mine at University of Illinois at Chicago. Sure made for a fun 4th year toxicology rotation in medical school.

The Medical College of Ohio. 50 cents if you know where that's located... or wait... only 25 since you went to school in the Midwest.

I'm doing my 4th year tox rotation in San Diego next month. 😀

That idea of finding cross-appointed faculty is a really good one -- kinda hard work to look up all that stuff, though...

And, I did most of my MPH work b/w 2nd and 3rd year of med school... hmmmm... I feel like I've posted something like this before... you know, with all my posts scattered around, you can probably reconstruct my entire academic history, what movies make me cry, and a list of hair styles I've cycled through since middle school... 😀

 

[scooter31]

I'm at Tufts, and we have cross appointed faculty here-- mostly in Family/Community Medicine (duh). We arent part of the ASPH though-- dont know if this makes any difference in anyone's decisions, but there you have it.

I know we're the red headed stepchild of public health education, but take a look at Biostats-- researchers are always crying for decent biostatisticians, and it can only help you in the long run if you desire a career in academic medicine (correct me if I'm wrong, sages of the MPH forum)... MATH IS FUN!!! 👍

 

[FoughtFyr]

Looking for a sph that has cross appointed faculty with a med school is a great suggestion. I'm looking into that now....do you know of any schools that do this? Did UIllinois cross appoint faculty?

Yes, there are a great deal of cross appointed faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago in almost every department of the SPH. Most SPHs at institutions with Medical Colleges have them. Look for MDs listed in the SPH faculty, then "look them up" in the Medical School directory. They are usually cross appointed. I guess the basic advice is - if your goal with your MPH is to eventually become a MD/MPH then go to an SPH where there is a medical school as well.

- H

 

[Brain]

Looking for a sph that has cross appointed faculty with a med school is a great suggestion. I'm looking into that now....do you know of any schools that do this? Did UIllinois cross appoint faculty?

Emory does, but their SPH is not very good. I have yet to encounter another student in any of the concentrations of public health that is happy with their decision to go to Emory.