Hi everyone!
I need some advice. I'm currently a 22- year-old M1 at UIC-Chicago who has a likely acceptance to UIC's joint-degree MD/MPH (in Health Policy and Administration) program. I'm feeling conflicted on whether or not I should go through with this program. I would take some classes this coming summer, and then I would take a year off between M3 and M4 to finish the MPH degree. Overall it'd cost around $20K, but money is not a HUGE concern.
My thoughts- is it worth getting an MPH in Health Policy and Administration? Or should I be getting an MBA instead? I am hoping to go into psychiatry or neurology in the future and would love working in mental health care public policy or administration, which is why I was considering this degree. Should I be waiting to see if I could get the degree for free during residency or fellowship? This sounds appealing, but I'm concerned that by that point, I'll be trying to settle down with life and not be as willing to take the effort to get the degree. An MBA could be useful, but it would require taking addition standardized exams and the like.
Please help!