Going to medical school after MPH?

[KingofMaskedSinger]

Hi all,
I am currently a junior pursuing a degree in GPH/Sociology and plan on getting my MPH after graduation and working for a couple years. I have recently become interested in going to medical school, but I haven't taken any of the pre-reqs required for admission and I don't have the room to to add any to my senior year schedule. I still want to get my MPH degree, but I was wondering what steps I would have to take to get ready for medical school and if anyone here has decided to go to medical school after getting their MPH? I've seen a lot of threads on here about people wanting to do dual MD/MPH programs or wondering if an MPH degree will help them with the admissions process, but those don't really have answers to what I am looking for. Thanks!!

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[deleted728364]

What was your undergrad GPA? Take the prereqs and try to do as well as possible. Then take the mcat and try to do as well as possible.

Long story short, your stats will determine *if* you can get in. Shoot for 3.7+/508+. Extracurriculars are icing on the cake and are the thing (along with the narrative you convey) that get you the admission.

You can use the MPH as an angle for why you want to do medicine. And adcoms will expect that you have some broader knowledge of healthcare, and will likey expect that to inform your desicion to go to med school. Though your story is your story, so that’s not a hard rule.


If you’re genuine about the MPH—>medicine, and get the stats, and jump through all the other volunteering etc hoops, you’ll get in.

 

[LizzyM]

If you really want to go to medical school, I'd recommend taking the time and money you would have spent on a MPH degree and spend it on a formal post-bac program that prepares an applicant to change careers and get the pre-reqs for medical school. The formal programs are huge weed-outs with everyone in, and few come out intact, but if you make it, you'll have proven yourself. At the same time, these programs tend to have good pipelines to hospital volunteering and bench research opportunities too, and they tend to have really, really good letters of recommendation that really sell you as a candidate.

If you want to combine medicine with public health, you'll find many med schools offer that opportunity, at a lower cost and in less time than if you do it before med school. There is also the opportunity to do it after medical school as part of a fellowship or residency program.

 

[KingofMaskedSinger]

What was your undergrad GPA? Take the prereqs and try to do as well as possible. Then take the mcat and try to do as well as possible.

Long story short, your stats will determine *if* you can get in. Shoot for 3.7+/508+. Extracurriculars are icing on the cake and are the thing (along with the narrative you convey) that get you the admission.

You can use the MPH as an angle for why you want to do medicine. And adcoms will expect that you have some broader knowledge of healthcare, and will likey expect that to inform your desicion to go to med school. Though your story is your story, so that’s not a hard rule.


If you’re genuine about the MPH—>medicine, and get the stats, and jump through all the other volunteering etc hoops, you’ll get in.

Currently it's 3.35 cumulative, but I've had an upward trend every semester and a 3.75+ these past two semesters.

 

[LizzyM]

Currently it's 3.35 cumulative, but I've had an upward trend every semester and a 3.75+ these past two semesters.

If you've taken very few science courses, you have much room to build up your GPA. However, be sure you are strong in quantitative reasoning and have a decent grasp of mathematics as you'll face that in physics class.

 

[KingofMaskedSinger]

If you've taken very few science courses, you have much room to build up your GPA. However, be sure you are strong in quantitative reasoning and have a decent grasp of mathematics as you'll face that in physics class.

Thank you for this information, it’s very helpful. And so far the only science/math course I’ve taken is a biostatistics class that I’m currently enrolled in. I’m sure that it doesn’t measure up to the level of difficulty of chemistry or biology courses needed for the premed track.


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[deleted728364]

My mistake! Misread your post. Thought you said you were in an MPH program already and had a change of heart to medicine.


Yeah, it would make more sense to just aim for med school and perhaps focus on public health with some courses and extracurricular involvement if it still interests you. And if you still feel committed to it by the time you apply, you can apply to MD/MPH programs.


I know some programs are “easier” to get into than med school if you fit their mission. Also I’m sure DO/MPH programs are also out there. If you do well (510+) on the mcat, you should be fine for DO with a 3.4 and good EC’s

 

[KingofMaskedSinger]

My mistake! Misread your post. Thought you said you were in an MPH program already and had a change of heart to medicine.


Yeah, it would make more sense to just aim for med school and perhaps focus on public health with some courses and extracurricular involvement if it still interests you. And if you still feel committed to it by the time you apply, you can apply to MD/MPH programs.


I know some programs are “easier” to get into than med school if you fit their mission. Also I’m sure DO/MPH programs are also out there. If you do well (510+) on the mcat, you should be fine for DO with a 3.4 and good EC’s

Thank you for this information, I hadn't even considered MD/MPH or DO/MPH programs. I think I will focus on completing a postbacc after graduation instead on an MPH and then do a combined degree later on if I am still interested.