MD/MPH combined programs

[KatieJune]

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Hi, I'm wondering if anyone is applying/considering applying to combined MD/MPH programs. The med school I'm going to has this option and I can still apply for the MPH portion. The MPH does not take any longer (except for classes the summer before and the summer after the 1st year) and you have to use electives the 4th year.

I am very interested in public health and want to be involved in my community. I'm also very interested in third world medicine and tropical medicine. However, i don't want to be in an administrative role - I want to be treating patients.

Does anyone know if this is a good idea or not? Anyone else considering this option? Thanks

 

[MeMyselfI]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone is applying/considering applying to combined MD/MPH programs. The med school I'm going to has this option and I can still apply for the MPH portion. The MPH does not take any longer (except for classes the summer before and the summer after the 1st year) and you have to use electives the 4th year.

I am very interested in public health and want to be involved in my community. I'm also very interested in third world medicine and tropical medicine. However, i don't want to be in an administrative role - I want to be treating patients.

Does anyone know if this is a good idea or not? Anyone else considering this option? Thanks

I think that it's a great idea, since I plan to do a combined MD/MPH degree myself. If you don't mind my asking, what school will you be attending?

 

[KatieJune]

I think that it's a great idea, since I plan to do a combined MD/MPH degree myself. If you don't mind my asking, what school will you be attending?

I'll be attending University of Arkansas (UAMS). Can you tell me why you are doing it? What advantages does it have if I don't want to be a researcher (at least consistently) or administrator. I'm fascinated with public health, but I want to make sure it'll be worthwhile for my future.

 

[bidster]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone is applying/considering applying to combined MD/MPH programs. The med school I'm going to has this option and I can still apply for the MPH portion. The MPH does not take any longer (except for classes the summer before and the summer after the 1st year) and you have to use electives the 4th year.

I am very interested in public health and want to be involved in my community. I'm also very interested in third world medicine and tropical medicine. However, i don't want to be in an administrative role - I want to be treating patients.

Does anyone know if this is a good idea or not? Anyone else considering this option? Thanks

I've been aiming to do an MD-MPH for a while and have become really interested in health policy. From talking to students, having the MPH doesn't mean you have to be in an administrative role and shun the clinical side of your MD. It just expands your options with where you take your involvement in medicine and you decide what options you like. Having the theoretical background in public health can NOT hurt you when you're treating patients!

I learned about another way to pursue the MD-MPH....I had always thought either you did the MPH before the MD, or you had to do it all at once (in four or five years, depending on the school). But I found out from a med student at Emory that it is a possibility to pursue it during residency, and that some residency programs will even help pay tuition. I don't know how much I would want to be in classes *and* in a residency, but it's an interesting option...

 

[Squashua]

I applied for the MD/MPH program at Tulane with the intent to concentrate in health systems management.

I also do not envision myself as an administrator, but more of a physician with an extended knowledge base. The healthcare system is run by individuals who are not physicians, and very few physicians have a thorough understanding of the system that they are a part of. So I'm hoping to use my MPH to gain a better understanding of it all with plans to be able to converse with the administration and those in power.

While interviewing at Tulane, the Dean of Admissions told us that the combined degree graduates have an advantage when it comes time for residency matches. This coming from the Dean, reaffirmed the decision to pursue the combined degree.


Good luck to you!

 

[clayito]

Cool...I'm thinking almost exactly along the same lines. Programs that offer the MD/MPH in a 4-year format are great, and my top choice (Duke) has such a format. Duke's flexible 3rd year can be used as the MPH year at UNC-Chapel Hill. What school(s) are you considering for the MD/MPH and in what area of the world would you like to serve in the future?

 

[Sarikate]

I'm definitely considering this option. Three of the schools I had interviews with - Jefferson, Hopkins, and UW - have great MPH programs (Jefferson sends you to Hopkins for a year to get the MPH) and I'm really looking forward to that (let's hope I get accepted to one of them). I'm also hoping to go the tropical medicine route, at least for a portion of my medical career...

 

[KatieJune]

hey thanks for all the replies. I'm really interested in working in Mexico or central america for bouts of time during my career (I have family in Mexico). I'm interested in it from a third world disease/tropical medicine standpoint and how to treat/help small indigenous communities.

Also, I live in a rural county now and the health care is terrible - its very sad. I want to work with these kinds of populations, but health care policy itself is not interesting to me at all.

Does anyone know how this could help with residency matches? Also I'm attending UAMS for med school and their MPH program doesn't have much focus on international/tropical medicine...how hard would it be to add this later? I think I would focus on the maternal health track of the MPH program if I do it....what kinds of jobs would this qualify me for?
Thanks for reading!!!!

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

Does anyone know much about Duke's MD/MPH program? I'm interested in four-year programs, but I don't like the idea that I'd have to forgoe all optional clerkships - from what I hear, they may be important in helping you decide what specialty to choose. With that in mind, does anyone know the details of Duke's program?

 

[clayito]

Does anyone know much about Duke's MD/MPH program? I'm interested in four-year programs, but I don't like the idea that I'd have to forgoe all optional clerkships - from what I hear, they may be important in helping you decide what specialty to choose. With that in mind, does anyone know the details of Duke's program?

Duke's MD/MPH is completed in 4 years: year 1 (basic sciences) and year 2 (clinical rotations) at Duke, year 3 at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health or other MPH program of your choosing, and year 4 at Duke (clinical electives and capstone course).

Year 2 includes mandatory rotations as well as 2 two-week and 1 four-week elective rotations. As a result, students do not have to wait until year 4 to take electives. Hope this answers your question(s).

 

[LadyBulldog]

I'm interested in an MD/MPH too, mostly in international health. My pre-med advisor did suggest going to a site (i think APHA or some acronym) and making sure the schools were acreddited, cause only they get internships at places like CDC for their students--anyone know anything about that?

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

Hope this answers your question(s).

Yes it does, thank you for responding. Are you currently in the program? If you are, and you are so inclined, could you please let me know what your thoughts on the program are? Are you happy that you are going the MD/MPH route at Duke, or do you feel you are missing out on other opportunities? Thanks in advance.

 

[ednamode]

I'm interested in an MD/MPH too, mostly in international health. My pre-med advisor did suggest going to a site (i think APHA or some acronym) and making sure the schools were acreddited, cause only they get internships at places like CDC for their students--anyone know anything about that?

Here's the link to what you are talking about...
http://www.asph.org/document.cfm?page=200

I, too, have heard that it's important.

 

[tinkerbelle]

I think pursuing an MD/MPH program is an awesome idea KatieJune. There are so many things you can do with a public health degree... you don't have to be stuck in an administrative role. I went to the Hopkins School of Public Health, and i loved it. I didn't want to leave.

 

[macaddict78]

There are also MPH programs in conjuction with residency programs, so medical school isn't the only time you have an opportunity to get that extra degree.

 

[akanene]

hey wanted to bring this thread back, because im really interested in doing a MPH degree, but ive heard that if you try to do it with a combined MD degree you would not be doing it justice... does anyone have thoughts on this?!? at this point i wouldnt be able to do it before med school (unless i dont get in), so what are the options for doing it after or is this not a good way to go?

 

[lulubean]

i am just finishing up my MPH (i did the 2 year program prior to starting med school) and can tell you that doing the program in 1 year DEFINITELY does not do it justice. Public health is such a multidisciplinary field that to get a solid grasp on the subject requires a lot more time than 1 year allows. After 2 years, I feel like I still have so much more to learn.
Just my $0.02.

 

[sk1684]

To all...
There is actually an entire forum dedicated to combined MD/MPH..look under combined programs on SDN Forums. It would be better if you posted there since other MPH students, current or future will be able to provide their feedback as well.

 

[MadameLULU]

i am just finishing up my MPH (i did the 2 year program prior to starting med school) and can tell you that doing the program in 1 year DEFINITELY does not do it justice. Public health is such a multidisciplinary field that to get a solid grasp on the subject requires a lot more time than 1 year allows. After 2 years, I feel like I still have so much more to learn.
Just my $0.02.

Completely agree. 👎 to one year programs!