Is this considered academically rigorous?

[mariposas905]

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Are graduate courses taken in Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Advanced Scientific Data Analysis seen as rigorous by medical schools? I know that most medical schools think lightly of traditional masters programs, but how about something like an MPH in Epidemiology? This is actually the harder of the MPH concentrations and it's mostly quantitative stuff...

 

[mariposas905]

It will not be that useful if you are trying to make up for a weak UG GPA. Epidemiology or not, it is an MPH. If you are trying to enhance a weak academic record, postbacc or SMP is what you need

Not trying to enhance a weak record (I already have a 3.8 GPA), but I am interested in doing an MPH in Epidemiology eventually. While the MPH itself will not be on my AMCAS application, I have taken these graduate courses and am thinking of taking a few more this term to be transferred into an MPH program before or during med school.

So in this case, how would adcoms view these graduate classes that are on my AMCAS application (Epidemiology, Biostats, etc). If I already have a good uGPA, does getting A's in these classes confirm their perception that I am able to handle a rigorous course load?

 

[hellowalnut]

Not trying to enhance a weak record (I already have a 3.8 GPA), but I am interested in doing an MPH in Epidemiology eventually. While the MPH itself will not be on my AMCAS application, I have taken these graduate courses and am thinking of taking a few more this term to be transferred into an MPH program before or during med school.

So in this case, how would adcoms view these graduate classes that are on my AMCAS application (Epidemiology, Biostats, etc). If I already have a good uGPA, does getting A's in these classes confirm their perception that I am able to handle a rigorous course load?

There are probably thousands of adcoms, each with differing views and opinions. It really makes no sense to ask how they would view something because they don't all view it the same. Why do you even have to worry about this if you have a 3.8?? Lmao

 

[mariposas905]

There are probably thousands of adcoms, each with differing views and opinions. It really makes no sense to ask how they would view something because they don't all view it the same. Why do you even have to worry about this if you have a 3.8?? Lmao

Lol it's been a while since I took classes and I was told that a long gap of no academic coursework is troublesome. My advisor said to take more undergrad science classes, but instead of paying for that, I thought my time and money is better invested in taking classes towards an MPH since I want to do dual degree anyway. That's why I want to get an idea if its rigorous enough or if I should in fact take more undergrad courses

 

[Lawpy]

I have yet to see how adcoms/schools define rigor. How does a school measure rigor? By looking at course numbers/course titles and making an assumption? By searching for the course + university name online and looking at course descriptions at university's course catalog? That seems inefficient when factoring in thousands of applications to review.

I doubt rigor matters at all. Overall/science GPA, grade trends and MCAT scores matter far more.

 

[Goro]

I have yet to see how adcoms/schools define rigor. How does a school measure rigor? By looking at course numbers/course titles and making an assumption? By searching for the course + university name online and looking at course descriptions at university's course catalog? That seems inefficient when factoring in thousands of applications to review.

I doubt rigor matters at all. Overall/science GPA, grade trends and MCAT scores matter far more.

Coursework that mimics medical school, in terms of content and/or intensity and/or volume. When I look at coursework on apps, I don't care about course number, I care about the title, the semester hours, and how well the applicant did in them.

 

[Lawpy]

Coursework that mimics medical school, in terms of content and/or intensity and/or volume. When I look at coursework on apps, I don't care about course number, I care about the title, the semester hours, and how well the applicant did in them.

If someone is a physics major and didn't take biology courses beyond intro bio/biochem, is their coursework not considered rigorous?

 

[Goro]

If someone is a physics major and didn't take biology courses beyond intro bio/biochem, is their coursework not considered rigorous?

Yup! Ditto for Chemistry. Math is harder to gauge, even though I stink at Math.

 

[Lawpy]

Yup! Ditto for Chemistry. Math is harder to gauge, even though I stink at Math.

Wait so chemistry, physics etc. are considered rigorous?

I think the rigor concept is too ambiguous and subjective to be meaningful. It probably varies from adcom to adcom, and it likely doesn't matter for those with good GPA and good MCAT

 

[Goro]

Wait so chemistry, physics etc. are considered rigorous?

I think the rigor concept is too ambiguous and subjective to be meaningful. It probably varies from adcom to adcom, and it likely doesn't matter for those with good GPA and good MCAT

IMHO, yes to the first, and agree 100% with the second. Remember, this is a very human endeavor.

 

[aformerstudent]

To answer your question quite simply, the MPH is a BS degree when pursuing medical school. It ain't rigorous. Why on earth would you do that to go to med school? The people I know that pursued an MPH were the weak students who were trying to pad their already weak application. St. George's made one of my friends take their MPH program to get into their med program. That should explain all you need to know about "rigor."

Ask any med student past or present and they will tell you nothing compares to medical school. If you have the numbers already, just leave it at that.

 

[DBC03]

IMHO, yes to the first, and agree 100% with the second. Remember, this is a very human endeavor.

I'm confused - it sounded like you said physics and chemistry are NOT rigorous in your previous post, but agreed they were here?

I know a few schools I applied to were pretty adamant that they wanted to see someone out of school succeeded in rigorous coursework (like OP mentioned). I'm taking upper level science classes and hoping for the best. After taking classes at a few different schools, I agree it's impossible to interpret the difficulty level of classes based on the description or names.

 

[Goro]

I'm confused - it sounded like you said physics and chemistry are NOT rigorous in your previous post, but agreed they were here?

I know a few schools I applied to were pretty adamant that they wanted to see someone out of school succeeded in rigorous coursework (like OP mentioned). I'm taking upper level science classes and hoping for the best. After taking classes at a few different schools, I agree it's impossible to interpret the difficulty level of classes based on the description or names.

To clarify, I consider Physics, Math and Chemistry all to be rigorous subjects.

 

[DBC03]

To clarify, I consider Physics, Math and Chemistry all to be rigorous subjects.

Thanks!


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