Eventual MPH and Personal Statement

[banana_phone]

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Hey everyone,

I am a 26 y/o non-trad applying this cycle. I have a big interest in public health and will likely eventually pursue an MPH. However, I don't want to limit myself with the medical schools I apply to, so I am not applying MD/MPH and instead want to pursue an MPH after medical school. My advisor told me to include my plans for an MPH in my personal statement, but I'm not sure about this. I don't want to make schools with an MD/MPH track question my sentiment...I'm an OR resident, and OHSU has the dual track. I would hate to give them any reason to doubt me as an applicant.

So, should I include the MPH stuff, or remove it? It's already been written in what is very close to a final draft of my PS.

Thanks for any and all opinions/advice 🙂

 

[takeurmeds02]

I would say subtly include it in your PS. You don't need to specifically say that you want to pursue an MPH but if you hint around it and tie it nicely into, "Why medicine?", you leave yourself open to applying to both tracks when you're actually sent the secondaries.

Some schools that feature MD-only and also a combined degree, will let you apply and be considered for both tracks separately. Like U.Miami for instance.

Alternatively, if you don't apply to MD/MPH outright because schools make you initially choose one or the other, your personal statement still leaves foundation should you choose to apply to the MPH portion at that institution after you've been accepted MD. This is with the goal of doing them concurrently.

Worst case scenario, you get accepted MD-only and must complete your MPH later.

 

[abert129]

Hey everyone,

I am a 26 y/o non-trad applying this cycle. I have a big interest in public health and will likely eventually pursue an MPH. However, I don't want to limit myself with the medical schools I apply to, so I am not applying MD/MPH and instead want to pursue an MPH after medical school. My advisor told me to include my plans for an MPH in my personal statement, but I'm not sure about this. I don't want to make schools with an MD/MPH track question my sentiment...I'm an OR resident, and OHSU has the dual track. I would hate to give them any reason to doubt me as an applicant.

So, should I include the MPH stuff, or remove it? It's already been written in what is very close to a final draft of my PS.

Thanks for any and all opinions/advice 🙂

I would definitely include it in your personal statement. I feel that personal statements which reflect the actual interests and passions of students are much better than generic personal statements. No medical school is going to reject you because you want to learn more about public health.

 

[exmike]

Write about it. There are many reasons to do an MPH after med school is over, including the ability to do your MPH without the distraction/time commitment of medical school, the desire to have a full medical school experience - thus giving different vantage point when pursuing your MPH.. etc.. You obviously have a reason to want to do it afterwards, so be confident in that decision of yours.

 

[hopefulERdoc251]

Another spin is talk about Public Health in your personal statement and relate that back as to why you want to do medicine. Maybe find a way to tie in how in the future an MPH can supplement your MD/DO and equip you with the tools to provide the best care

 

[banana_phone]

Thanks everybody! Sounds like you all think I won't be shooting myself in the foot by mentioning it and then applying MD-only, as I want to do the MPH later and can explain why. Excellent.

Can the wise @Goro or @gyngyn chime in here to validate these opinions?

 

[exmike]

btw I'm an attending that was non-trad, with a md/mph fwiw re: my opinion

 

[banana_phone]

@exmike awesome! thank you! I'm struggling with how much to emphasize it. I had mentioned it in the conclusion briefly in my vision for my role as a physician, but I think it may fit better in its own paragraph before the conclusion. The PS is so hard to write -- I'm on draft 9.

 

[Goro]

Agree 100%.

I would say subtly include it in your PS. You don't need to specifically say that you want to pursue an MPH but if you hint around it and tie it nicely into, "Why medicine?", you leave yourself open to applying to both tracks when you're actually sent the secondaries.

Some schools that feature MD-only and also a combined degree, will let you apply and be considered for both tracks separately. Like U.Miami for instance.

Alternatively, if you don't apply to MD/MPH outright because schools make you initially choose one or the other, your personal statement still leaves foundation should you choose to apply to the MPH portion at that institution after you've been accepted MD. This is with the goal of doing them concurrently.

Worst case scenario, you get accepted MD-only and must complete your MPH later.

 

[banana_phone]

Agree 100%.

Ok - I removed the "I plan to obtain an MPH in addition to my medical degree" language and instead discuss my goals for addressing health disparities and the root causes of illnesses and helping to shape policy. Is that a good approach?

 

[Goro]

Sounds fine. Be prepared to discuss HOW you're going to do this in interviews.

Ok - I removed the "I plan to obtain an MPH in addition to my medical degree" language and instead discuss my goals for addressing health disparities and the root causes of illnesses and helping to shape policy. Is that a good approach?