MD vs. MD/MPH

[Cyradis]

Hey people,

I'm looking into doing an MD/MPH instead of just MD and was wondering what your thoughts are on having an MPH. I.e. would it open any doors that MD wouldn't? Useful? Interesting? This would be at the UVA (in case anyone's heard anything specifically about UVA MPH).

I guess some background on my interests might help: I'm very interested in health policy (esp. at the state/federal level) and how it affects public/community health, but I don't know if that's the same thing as public health per se. However, as an MD I'd be leaning towards specialties like surgery (so I'm not really planning to do something like preventative medicine).

Obviously these are tentative plans since right now: but eventually I'd hope to spit my time as a clinician and doing something in health policy, maybe at the government level (or not, I don't really know what all the options are tbh).

Thoughts and comments?

Thanks!

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[dd128]

I've heard the MPH is sort of worthless if done in conjunction with med school classes (you blow it off). More than likely now though I think they're done as an extra year after med school. I can all but guarantee you'd probably want to kill yourself if you have to spend an extra year in school while all your friends go off to residency. One of my friends dropped it first year.

You don't really need it other than the fact of having extra letters after your name

 

[justinbaily]

What if you did it the year before you began medical school and you were able to devote all of your attention to it?

 

[Cyradis]

What if you did it the year before you began medical school and you were able to devote all of your attention to it?

Lol I know you got the e-mail too =P

 

[TexasPhysician]

If you are REALLY interested in health policy and want to devote much of your career to public health, an MPH is worth it.

If you aren't sure, don't do it.

An MPH will not make you more money or give you much of an advantage into residency positions (you'd be better off spending a year doing research). There are MD/MPH programs that do it in 4 years and even then I advise against it unless it is a life passion.

My advise is solely based on making you more money or more competitive. If you don't care about either, disregard my post.

 

[thesauce]

I've heard the MPH is sort of worthless if done in conjunction with med school classes (you blow it off). More than likely now though I think they're done as an extra year after med school. I can all but guarantee you'd probably want to kill yourself if you have to spend an extra year in school while all your friends go off to residency. One of my friends dropped it first year.

You don't really need it other than the fact of having extra letters after your name

This isn't a race. I did a research year and it was probably the best year of my life. I wouldn't trade it to graduate a year earlier, even if I matched at the same place (which I wouldn't have).

 

[justinbaily]

Okay.

Cyradis, sorry to hijack your thread but clearly we're both thinking about the same thing. I don't think that I'm going to take them up on their offer, but I would like to explore the possibilities.

Would the extra year of research be equally as effective at increasing competitiveness for residency if it were done the year before medical school? In other words, during a gap-year? Would a person be able to do meaningful research before they had actually learned anything related to medicine?

 

[thesauce]

Okay.

Cyradis, sorry to hijack your thread but clearly we're both thinking about the same thing. I don't think that I'm going to take them up on their offer, but I would like to explore the possibilities.

Would the extra year of research be equally as effective at increasing competitiveness for residency if it were done the year before medical school? In other words, during a gap-year? Would a person be able to do meaningful research before they had actually learned anything related to medicine?

Unfortunately no. Research in medical school is orders of magnitude more important to residency programs than pre-med research. The caveat would be if you published in Cell, NEJM, Nature, etc as a pre-med (which is rare).

 

[Cyradis]

Okay.

Cyradis, sorry to hijack your thread but clearly we're both thinking about the same thing. I don't think that I'm going to take them up on their offer, but I would like to explore the possibilities.

Would the extra year of research be equally as effective at increasing competitiveness for residency if it were done the year before medical school? In other words, during a gap-year? Would a person be able to do meaningful research before they had actually learned anything related to medicine?

Haha no problem. I decided I'd take them up on the MPH offer since I was originally thinking of doing MD/MPH anyways (although I thought I'd have 2-3 more years to decide for sure! =P). If you're interested e-mail her now, there's only 3 spots left.

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

Besides Health Policy (which some MPH programs may cover), a general MPH or a MPH in Epi or Stats will give you solid research and analytic skills. What is the focus of the MPH program you would be going into?

A MPH is good preparation if you want to do clinical research or go into academic medicine.

I would also think about the cost. Will you have your MPH year paid for? That is some thing to think about especially in light of the fact that some (or many??) residencies (including some surgical ones) will fund your MPH during residency.

 

[Narmerguy]

This isn't a race. I did a research year and it was probably the best year of my life. I wouldn't trade it to graduate a year earlier, even if I matched at the same place (which I wouldn't have).

Did you have to pay an additional year of tuition or etc? How was this financed?

 

[thesauce]

Did you have to pay an additional year of tuition or etc? How was this financed?

Uncle Howie paid for it: http://www.hhmi.org/cloister/

 

[Narmerguy]

Uncle Howie paid for it: http://www.hhmi.org/cloister/

Sounds awesome. Do students typically get to work in a field of their choosing?

 

[thesauce]

Sounds awesome. Do students typically get to work in a field of their choosing?

Always

 

[RB93]

.

 

[mvenus929]

Haha no problem. I decided I'd take them up on the MPH offer since I was originally thinking of doing MD/MPH anyways (although I thought I'd have 2-3 more years to decide for sure! =P). If you're interested e-mail her now, there's only 3 spots left.

So people are actually taking them up on the offer now, huh? Best of luck to you

 

[alibai3ah]

Let me preface this by saying, I am going to be starting a 4 year MD/MPH this fall.

I disagree with the post above that says an MPH is close to being worthless. More and more, I hear residency/program directors talking about the value of pubilc health and why it is important. It allows you to gain a more community/population (macroscopic)- based perspective which will help you in all specialities. It obviously does not substitute research, but I wouldn't call it worthless either.

Now if health policy is your interest, then an MPH is very good to have (much better than not having one). But many MD/MPH programs are general (not focused) since they only have one year (if that) allotted to them. Chances are you will be doing a generalist track and even if you are allowed to focus on something (like at GWU) it will be very general. However, schools in the DC area will be good for what your are looking for.

In terms of finances, an MPH with an MD degree is MUCH cheaper than doing the two year separate thing. Additionally you don't have to spend two years doing it as well. So if you know you are going to do it, I'd advise you to do it while you are in medical school.

 

[Cyradis]

Thanks for the opinions =). Appreciate it.

This MPH program seems to have 2 tracks - generalist and then one for health policy, law, and ethics. Given my interest, I'm doing the policy/law/ethics track.

I suppose it remains to be seen how focused it is on policy/law/ethics - but I'm really hoping it won't be too generally focused on introductory stuff since I did introductory epi, biostatistics, critically appraising literature/meta analyses/reviews, and health policy in undergraduate.

Hobbes I'm curious if you could tell me a little more about this thing of residencies paying for your MPH for you...?

But yeah, my MPH will be paid for (because of the circumstances at UVA with too many students). Will sort of suck though I guess since I'll be moving to a new city with no one I know around and the MPH class is probably too small to meet a lot of people - oh well though. It's only a year and from what everyone's saying, it seems like it fits my career goals/interests.