MBA versus MPH or MPA

[medstu110]

I'm thinking of getting a MBA in health services management, does anyone know if it's easier or harder than a MPH or MPA. I know that you need a really good GPA like >3.8 if you're doing a MPA or MPH to be considered competitive but does that also apply to a MBA. I'm just trying to gauge the difficulty level between the programs.

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[mosoriire]

You know, you could do an MPH/MBA and cover both bases...No seriously...Either way, you should complete Masters studies in whatever you want to...Regardless of what you consider as comptetitive for med schl or not

 

[premed]

Personally, I disagree with mosoriire. If your science GPA is below 3.0, I would go for the M.S. If you want to show your interest in healthcare, I would go with the M.P.H. If you want to do something different, go with the M.B.A. If medical school is your goal, look over your application and decide why you got rejected the first time and decide on what you want to do next accordingly. Mosoriire is right about the M.B.A./M.P.H. Dartmouth has a great 3 year program where you can get both done. Their M.B.A. program is ranked top 5 or so (definitely within top 10) and although their M.P.H. is fairly new, they seem to have a great program.

 

[premed]

BTW, I looked into some M.B.A. programs and I was surprised that that average GPA at Anderson at UCLA was only 3.36. Also, quite a few were science majors. I think >50% were engineering and science.

 

[premed]

One more thing...M.P.H. programs are not that difficult (ie. >3.8 GPA as you previously wrote). I think they are rather easy to get into. I know alot of people who had sub-3.0 and did their M.P.H. at UCLA. People on SDN, such as exmike, did their M.P.H. at berkeley when their GPA's were low as well.

 

[mosoriire]

A lot of students are doing the MPH route to get to medical school....I think it becomes very tranparent. I am completing an MPH in a school that eight years ago, accepted every MPH student that applied to the medical school. Every One (emphasis on 'one' here. There were 12 of us that applied this year...Not a sinlge one of us got called for an interview...Even though we all did very well in the program (we study together). Or maybe I should say I did well, you never know with the other students...Although they are very sharp...Oh, I digress.

Like I said, do whatever you want...What will set you apart is the passion with which you discuss issues related to your graduate study, the work you do as a TA/RA with professors, and any publications that may be impending. Of course, I am saying this because the MPH does not necessarily show how well you will do in medical school. You have to bear that in mind...You will be taking biostats and epi and health policy and programs evaluation courses...Which dont relate to anatomy or histology or pathophysiology or pharmacology...I could go on.....