MD/MPH Orthopods?

[TheMightyAngus]

I will be starting med school in the fall and I have an interest in orthpaedic surgery. Currently, I have the opportunity to enroll in a combined MD/MPH program in biostats/epi that will enable me to finish both degrees in four years. I am interested in becoming an academician, but was wondering if I should invest the time into an MPH, considering it invariably will involve more classes, time commitments, and projects. Would I be better off conducting basic science or clinical research on the side and focusing more on grades, boards, and doing well in my rotations? Basically, is an MPH worth the effort for a future orthopod?

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[LuckyMD2b]

For what it's worth, coming from someone who will be applying in the Match next year, you shouldn't do an MD/MPH program thinking it will make you a better Ortho applicant. I don't think it will make or break you, from what I've heard speaking with residents and faculty, programs care more about:
1. Away rotations at their program
2. Clinical Grades
3. Board Scores (USMLE step1)
4. Recommendations
5. Research
6. PreClinical grades

Not necessarily in that order.

You should get the MPH if it is truly interesting to you. Biostats/epi training will be a huge benefit if you go into academic medicine, whether it is in ortho or something else.
GLuck