graduation versus NIH funded MPH

[kbommar]

so i got accepted into the new Roadmap Training Program in Clinical Research. it’s an NIH funded initiative to advance training in clinical investigation. basically, you do a year of clinical research and in the process, also earn an MPH degree.

i'll be finishing my third year of med school in about a week. the MPH program starts in september, so i’d have from now until then to do what i want (i.e. take step 2 and relax).

i decided to make a list of pros and cons much like i did when deciding between IP (lecture based) and ISP (independent study). in the end, i chose IP even though the list clearly made ISP out to be a better choice. will i go with the list this time or just do the opposite again?

MPH pros
2 months for step 2
research, chance for publication
another degree (Kalki Bommaraju MD MPH)
tuition paid for by an NIH grant
stipend for the year
weekends free for a year
time to read for fun
time to do my volunteering requirement
time to write a personal statement that won’t suck
won’t need a month for step 2 during med 4
letter of rec from research
time to get more focused
can do away rotations where my friends are during 4th year

MPH cons
won’t graduate with most of my friends
another year in cbus
4th year schedule might not be as nice
friends will all be interns when i’m a med 4
chance of not getting a great match even with a high step 2 and MPH
might forget 3rd year material by the time 4th year starts

going straight to 4th year pros
wll graduate with friends
will still be really young for an intern
start making money sooner
might still match somewhere nice

going straight to 4th year cons
possibility of matching at a crappy place
step 2 score might no be as high

i’m 23 years old. i only did 3 years of undergrad. i don’t think i’d mind going back to the classroom for a year. i’ve never done any research and have no idea how to do research. this would give me the oppurtunity to learn and do these things.

on the other hand, not graduating with the people i’ve grown up with seems really ****ty to me. but am i being stupid to consider this a real reason not to get an MPH? kabinki says at some point you have to put your career ahead of your social life. she’s probably right. ever since i came to osu, i’ve put my social life ahead of everything else.

people say only do an MPH if you’re going to use it. what does that mean? if you learn something, you use that knowledge everyday. i don’t really know what i want to do with my career. i could possibly be in academics. i could possibly be in private practice. i really don’t know at this stage. how could i?

one good thing is that even if i do the MPH, i’ll still be in cbus next year with my friends. and when they leave, i’ll be starting the (supposedly) cush 4th year of med school, not the (definitely) hellish 3rd year. i’ll be around to hang out before everyone leaves.

advice?

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[remedios]

to a large extent, this really depends on how much you know what you want to do with your life:

If you already know you want to stay in private practive, and want to get there as quickly as possible and have a good lifestyle, the MPH won't be very useful.

If you want to stay in academic medicine, and wants to match at a strong academic program, especially given you havn't had a lot of research experiences previously, the NIH program will definitely be a value experience as well as a strong point on your resume.

Since you took the trouble to apply, I think you probably were leaning towards the latter a little bit? In the end you have to find what your heart tells you