General questions about MPH

[wickl087]

So I know that I want to get into health care and for the longest time I think I was being lazy about my career search and assuming I had to go to medical school to do what I wanted. I did a little more searching and came across the public health school at my university. For the past couple of weeks I have been realizing that this is something I really want to get into. However, I have also been looking into physician assistant programs because I still want to get into direct patient care. I just don't think I would be able to handle all of the stress that goes along with prepping for medical school and actually being in it.

So to get to some questions:

Have any of you considered combining MPH with a physician assistant degree?

Would you suggest I did the MPH or physician assistant program first? - Right now I'm kind of thinking to go with the MPH (specifically masters international so I can get into global/international health) just so I can get a background in health care.

Also, as I said I'm fairly new to the MPH career path - I was pre-pharmacy then pre-med and I had those education paths down pretty well, as in I knew about testing, prereqs, schools.. all of that. So I was wondering if any of you wouldn't mind me sending you an e-mail for some advice about specializations, the application process, testing.. etc.

Thanks!

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[medat101]

Good Luck!

 

[wickl087]

I have looked into some PA programs and surprisingly there are a lot that don't even require the GRE.
I'm a sophomore right now so I haven't taken the MCAT - I actually plan on taking the GRE because I know I don't want to go to med school.
Thanks for the advice! I'll look into Emory's programs. Also, it's good to know that the PA/MPH track will work great together for international health!

 

[kubajf]

from talking to the director of the MPH/MD combined degree program at emory as a sophmore a few years ago I got some good advise that changed the way that I look at things:

He first asked me what I wanted to do with my life.

My answer was that I want to treat poor kids in africa.

He asked me why I want an MPH in addition to an MD.

I said I want to treat poor kids in africa.

He said that I should just get an MD. (or Physician Assistant in your case) and work for Doctors without Borders.

He made the point that having an MD or Phy Assistant is sufficient to treat patients. You can work for Doctors Without Borders without an MPH just as a doctor or physician assistant or nurse or lab tech. The point is that if you want to write grants or do research in addition to treating patients you should get an MPH.

Anyway... It's food for thought.

 

[Vayu]

The point is that if you want to write grants or do research in addition to treating patients you should get an MPH.

With no disrespect to you or your mentor, he does not sound like he has a good understanding of the utility of an MPH degree or what the role of Public Health is in helping populations.

Your MD will help you treat patients as individuals, your training in Public Health will help you apply that training to make an impact on populations.