MD-MPH programs

[elle]

Hi everyone,
I have a question that hopefully won't sound too uninformed... do MD-MPH programs tend to have higher admissions requirements (MCAT, grades) than MD programs alone? I am interested in applying mostly to the combined programs, but I don't know my MCAT scores and I am definitely not expecting anything stellar. I know the average grades and MCAT scores of the school's I am interested in, but I haven't been able to find that data for the MD-MPH programs. Once I actually know my scores, I can try to talk to schools I am interested in...but until then, does anyone know any trends in general? Thank you!

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[deleted4401]

Good to see someone else interested in MD/MPH!!

I am doing it at Tulane, and here is how it works there...

1) Get accepted to Tulane Med. This is the really hard part. To do this, study hard, do well on your MCAT, and get into the community and do something.

2) Once you are in at Tulane, you basically just "sign up" for MPH. You send the public health school your MCATs, transcripts, recommendations, and a one page app with an essay. Almost nobody gets rejected. I've never heard anybody get rejected, actually, but I'm sure someone can prove me wrong.

3) The combined program either overlaps into the four year med curriculum, or there is an additional year. At my school, there is no additional time, but you have to take summer courses after first year, and spend your elective time doing MPH courses (during your first and second year).

4) It costs extra money. To the tune of $10,000 at my school. Thing is, they let you take all the classes for free, but if you don't pay the $10,000, you don't get the letters M-P-H after your name. Most schools offer scholarships for this. I, tragically, did not receive one.

* Addendum: The MPH in a combined program is generally 'watered-down'. Instead of the 45 or so credit hours that you usually need, you can complete it with 28-30. I don't konw if that matters or not.

Good luck,
Simul

 

[elle]

Hi Simul! Thank you for your reply....but it's caused me to have another queston. When AMCAS allows you to pick schools, you can choose an MD program or a combined program right on the application page, so you have chosen what program to apply to right from the beginning... In general (or in the case of Tulane, which will probably be my long shot school) if you choose to apply to a combined program and they are not interested, does your application then get passed to the MD application committee? Since I don't yet know where I'll be applying, I'm just trying to get a general sense of how this process works.

Thanks for any information

 

[isa]

I'm also interested in MD/MPH programs and would like to know if it looks too undecisive if I also apply to schools that don't have the combined program. Also, my pre-med advisor told me to not explicitly state my desire for an MD/MPH in my personal statement since not all AMCAS schools have it. Is she right?

 

[ckent]

Your pre-med advisor is right. Remember you can talk about your desire to work with the community without talking about your desire to have an MPH as MPHs are not required to work in public health.