MD/MPH or MD/MBA?

[bbas]

I am currently trying to decide whether I should pursue the MD/MPH or MD/MBA combined degree program. Which program would be best for someone who is interested in health management and administration? I would like to work in a clinical setting treating patients for a while, but eventually I would like to end up in a more administrative role. Any thoughts on this? Thanks

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[Shredder]

md/mba. doesnt matter what youre interested in.

do some google hunting or check out some of the combined degree forums

 

[Learfan]

I am currently trying to decide whether I should pursue the MD/MPH or MD/MBA combined degree program. Which program would be best for someone who is interested in health management and administration? I would like to work in a clinical setting treating patients for a while, but eventually I would like to end up in a more administrative role. Any thoughts on this? Thanks[/QUOTE

You do not require a combined degree to enter administration. The MBA is just a bunch of busy work devoid of real learning. I have one from a top 20 school and graduated with a 3.8. It failed to open any doors. Stick with the MD and cultivate your admin skill with hospital projects when appropriate.

 

[DrBowtie]

I would say the MD/MBA would be the best if you can find one with definite concentration in healthcare admin. Also be sure you are willing to spend the extra year and sacrifice medicine electives.

 

[Phil Anthropist]

There are a few medical schools that offer combined MD-MHA (Master of Health Administration) programs

 

[AStudent]

First choice: MD/JD (doctor/lawyer - you'll be called to testify and get paid handsomely)

Second choice: MD/MBA - great if you want to go into business for yourself

 

[windzilla]

I was/am in the same situation as you, I was told, by everyone in the position i would like to have, that the MD/MPH was the way to go. MBA is suplerfluous to the job. Both, however, are easily attainable after getting your MD, especially the MPH.

My advice, ask someone who does what you would like to do, they are going to know more than what people on this forum do. (no offense to SDN'rs but we are really more intune with applications and MCATs than 20year career choices

 

[de_la_soul]

I am currently trying to decide whether I should pursue the MD/MPH or MD/MBA combined degree program. Which program would be best for someone who is interested in health management and administration? I would like to work in a clinical setting treating patients for a while, but eventually I would like to end up in a more administrative role. Any thoughts on this? Thanks

the MPH is looked upon as what it is -- a public health degree. Even though you can get an MPH with a Healthcare Administration major, it isn't known as a business degree, which is what you are looking to do. I would go for the MBA. remember that most people in the management and administration world are not as familiar with the MPH, but are very familiar with the MBA (my prof. told me that when I decided what degree to get). good luck.

 

[Shredder]

I am currently trying to decide whether I should pursue the MD/MPH or MD/MBA combined degree program. Which program would be best for someone who is interested in health management and administration? I would like to work in a clinical setting treating patients for a while, but eventually I would like to end up in a more administrative role. Any thoughts on this? Thanks[/QUOTE

You do not require a combined degree to enter administration. The MBA is just a bunch of busy work devoid of real learning. I have one from a top 20 school and graduated with a 3.8. It failed to open any doors. Stick with the MD and cultivate your admin skill with hospital projects when appropriate.

hey Learfan, whered you go? ive seen many of your posts about this topic and ive always wondered. i mean which school--chances are good that ill be applying to it in about a week. hmm, what were you expecting upon embarking on the mba path, and what did it not live up to? i feel like an mba is right for me bc i plan on pursuing more of a business path in life. even if it sucks its only a year, and i dont care about debt.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

First choice: MD/JD (doctor/lawyer - you'll be called to testify and get paid handsomely)

I think an MD/JD is a bad move. You're considered an in-betweener for life. You're not considered a great doc by the medical field or a great lawyer by the legal field. Lawyers call expert witnesses to testify--i.e. specialists such as pathologists and the like to comment on clinical cases--not MD/JD's. If you are a witness they don't want your legal opinion.

Unless you want to work in quality assurance or health administration, an MD/JD isn't going to do anything except be more work and more debt for you. Hey, you could become a guy who goes around suing other docs for malpractice and find yourself ostracized by the medical community. Congratulations, you're now the guy every physician hates.

 

[Shredder]

I think an MD/JD is a bad move. You're considered an in-betweener for life. You're not considered a great doc by the medical field or a great lawyer by the legal field. Lawyers call expert witnesses to testify--i.e. specialists such as pathologists and the like to comment on clinical cases--not MD/JD's. If you are a witness they don't want your legal opinion.

Unless you want to work in quality assurance or health administration, an MD/JD isn't going to do anything except be more work and more debt for you. Hey, you could become a guy who goes around suing other docs for malpractice and find yourself ostracized by the medical community. Congratulations, you're now the guy every physician hates.

what if you defend docs for malpractice? just a little devil advocating

 

[TheMightyAngus]

what if you defend docs for malpractice? just a little devil advocating

Malpractice gets handled by insurance companies. I don't see many MD/JD's working for insurance.

 

[Shredder]

angus how are you so omniscient, even with acdc like butthead

 

[zhaf86]

First choice: MD/JD (doctor/lawyer - you'll be called to testify and get paid handsomely)

Second choice: MD/MBA - great if you want to go into business for yourself

http://www.pshrink.com/
website of someone who has both an MD and a JD and has practiced in the capacity of a physician as well as a lawyer. make your own conclusions.

 

[de_la_soul]

http://www.pshrink.com/
website of someone who has both an MD and a JD and has practiced in the capacity of a physician as well as a lawyer. make your own conclusions.

MD and JD can open lots of doors. Just think about what you can do for medicine by writing/influencing policy. If you want to make a big difference in medicine, the JD should help you with analytical skills in affecting policy (ie. how to fix the Medicare/Medicaid problems with respect to rising cost, reimbursement policy, or who gets access, etc.). But if you want to get a MD/JD to be a lawyer AND a doctor, I think it'd just be a headache

 

[DrBowtie]

The guy actually advises against doing both. Truth or keeping the supply down?

 

[TheMightyAngus]

MD and JD can open lots of doors. Just think about what you can do for medicine by writing/influencing policy. If you want to make a big difference in medicine, the JD should help you with analytical skills in affecting policy (ie. how to fix the Medicare/Medicaid problems with respect to rising cost, reimbursement policy, or who gets access, etc.). But if you want to get a MD/JD to be a lawyer AND a doctor, I think it'd just be a headache

If you want to write policy, don't become a doctor. Health policy and medicine are two different fields. Physicians have very little input in health policy, they are a workforce exploited for patient care. The surgeon general is the only doc involved in health policy.

 

[deuist]

The MBA is just a bunch of busy work devoid of real learning.

So true! I've met several MBA's and have never been impressed. All you really need to know to run a business is found in In Search of Excellence and How to Win Friends and Influence People. A psych degree is better for working with others than an MBA is. The diploma is a self-fulfilling piece of paper whereby one company exec who has an MBA makes a fatal statistical mistake of causation: "I have an MBA and am somewhat successful. Therefore, everyone with an MBA must be successful."

By the way, have you ever seen the FedEx commercial where the secretary says to the MBA, "Oh you have an MBA, I'll show you how (the computer) works."

 

[deuist]

First choice: MD/JD (doctor/lawyer - you'll be called to testify and get paid handsomely)

You may want to try talking to Law2Doc. He's a lawyer that wants a career change into medicine.