Infectious disease - help me PLEASE!

[positivity]

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It rhymes, I know😀
I am, or at least I was interested in doing infectious disease but now am having second thoughts. Think someone out there can address some of my questions please?
1)How would being a medical grad help me in this?
2) Is it very lab work based?
3) Any close association with hospital work?
4)If I'm interested in returning to Africa and working for organisations involved in prevention, treatment, control etc of HIV/AIDS - is this going to help me at all?
5) If I wanted to do a residency in internal med after doing this will it help me or just go against me that I spent 2 years out of clinical work?
6) If I got an MPH in Infectious disease and did internal med, at the end would I be anything useful? as in the 2 degrees together - do they complement each other?
too many questions, i know! but still! help please! 😱 tearing out hair here!

 

[namazu]

1)How would being a medical grad help me in this?

For starters, you'll be familiar with the diseases, how they are transmitted, and how they are treated. (Also, admissions committees will smile favorably upon you background.)

2) Is it very lab work based?

This varies by the program. A program in the microbiology of infectious disease will be lab-based. A program in disease prevention and control offered through an international health department isn't likely to be. An infectious disease epi program may have both - some people who look at social networks, some people who genotype strains. It all depends what the foci of interest are in the department offering the program.

3) Any close association with hospital work?

Again, it depends on the department. Some programs allow you to focus on nosocomial infections, others don't emphasize this. If you are interested in this, check out programs geared towards this - often offered by medical schools' MPH programs, but sometimes also in schools of public health.

4)If I'm interested in returning to Africa and working for organisations involved in prevention, treatment, control etc of HIV/AIDS - is this going to help me at all?

You bet it can! Especially if you choose a program that will allow you to tailor your coursework to your interests. Something that would allow you to incorporate learning about international health, trials of vaccines or other preventative measures (microbicides, social programs, etc.), social and economic factors contributing to the spread/control of disease, opportunistic infections, etc.

5) If I wanted to do a residency in internal med after doing this will it help me or just go against me that I spent 2 years out of clinical work?

No idea, but there are definitely people who successfully combine internal medicine and public health. You might also look into programs that will allow you to get an MPH during your residency or fellowship; sometimes they will subsidize it.

6) If I got an MPH in Infectious disease and did internal med, at the end would I be anything useful? as in the 2 degrees together - do they complement each other?

Yep! MD/MPH is a great combination. But if you didn't already see that, it suggests you should do some more research into the programs available to make sure you find a place that will serve your needs and interests.

Good luck!

 

[positivity]

Thanks! You are an absloute treasure trove of information! I think I didn't quite put my last question right. I meant after doing an MPH, if I did int med residency would that be particularly advantageous. Silly question actually, never mind!

Initially I thought that Health Policy and management might be better concentration for me especially since I'm so interested in HIV/AIDS and I'd like to be involved at a level where I can make changes on a large scale. Do you think that concentrating on infectious disease I'll still be well-equipped for this? Does having a focus of concentration in one area mean that other aspects are somewhat neglected? Should I be looking for a program where I can get both - is that even possible?

Thanks again Namazu for your help!

 

[kcernak]

Initially I thought that Health Policy and management might be better concentration for me especially since I'm so interested in HIV/AIDS and I'd like to be involved at a level where I can make changes on a large scale. Do you think that concentrating on infectious disease I'll still be well-equipped for this? Does having a focus of concentration in one area mean that other aspects are somewhat neglected? Should I be looking for a program where I can get both - is that even possible?

Thanks again Namazu for your help!

Check out Emory and see what you can manage with a joint concentration in HPM and Global Health (which has an infectious disease concentration). regardless, you'd be able to take your electives in one (or the other) so it might work out for you. currently an MPH student at emory,and i love it! (though i'm in the global environmental health program) but if you have any questions, let me know!