Master of Public Health

One of the biggest complaints med student have of their education is their lack of knowledge on biostatistics and research methods.

I'll have my MPH before starting my DO degree. I can not stress how much I've gotten out of it. Not only do I get the biostatistics, Epi, health policy/management, but I also get the program planning in health promotion, software programming skills, medical anthropology skills, and behavioral theory that will make me a more problem-solving, critically thinking doc. We are in an age of health care revolution, if we as docs don't know how to manipulate the system to create a better health care system, then our patients will suffer for it.

I know some DO schools have dual degree programs. There are some that are new and small. I am getting my MPH at a non-DO institution that is well established and huge, so I had the flexibility to take the classes I absolutely felt I needed. Smaller programs will have less classes. Since the breadth of PH is so huge, you may want to consider what types of classes they offer.

 

I also have my MPH prior to starting med school and it has proved to be helpful in some aspects. Honestly though, I am not sure how helpful it will be to take MPH and med school classes at the same time. My MPH was a two year program and those dual programs in med school will probably not be as detailed. Some schools offer an MPH program for health professionals (e.g. policy makers, physicians, etc) and this might be the better way to go after you get through med school.

I agree with the last posting though, if you can and are interested, definitely do it. It will help you be a better doctor.

Good luck!