Michigan's MHSA vs. BU's MPH

[lorzelski]

I've been accepted to both and trying to figure out where to go next here. these seem my most viable options concerning merit scholarships and so on. I really like Michigan's MHSA program, and their massive alumni network. I just am unsure how different an MHSA is from an HMP MPH. Is there a difference in finding jobs and or access to internships? I find BU's practicum very useful and a great idea and I would love to see myself in boston. what do you guys think?

Accepted: U of M, GW, Columbia, Boston
Waiting: Yale

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[waystinthyme]

i would go with michigan for the reputation and alumni network; however, if you want to live and work in boston post-graduation, then BU may be the better choice.

there's no difference between the degrees, other than the name.

-waystinthyme

 

[lorzelski]

i would go with michigan for the reputation and alumni network; however, if you want to live and work in boston post-graduation, then BU may be the better choice.

there's no difference between the degrees, other than the name.

-waystinthyme

yes the alumni network is incredible but I'm an undergrad at michigan, so i think i'd still have some kind of access to it. and i'd like to be anywhere on the east coast post-graduation. i just think that because i know so little about boston i can't make that decision yet. i really should visit but I'm just looking for as much information as possible

does anyone know about the career development resources available in boston?

 

[DeeLovely79]

One thing to consider is that an MHSA/MHA is an administrative degree and prepares you exclusively for the practical tasks of managing healthcare organizations. An MPH in Policy and Management will discuss the administrative perspectives of health care managment but the degree is largely focused on training you to create and evaluate healthcare policy and management theory/practices. An MHA could be considered the practical application of the MPH in HMP.

 

[ms newyear]

if you KNOW you want to go into healthcare administration i would say go with michigan. bu's hpm is not accredited for CAHME. i have some doubts about the importance of CAHME, but if you know you want to go into hospital management you might as well go for it.

come to Boston after! the opportunities are plentiful.

 

[lorzelski]

i guess i don't quite know the different options healthcare administrators have vs. an mph graduate. i'll admit i applied to schools/programs a little haphazardly and was lucky to get in where i did.

any advice?

 

[RAMPA]

if you KNOW you want to go into healthcare administration i would say go with michigan. bu's hpm is not accredited for CAHME. i have some doubts about the importance of CAHME, but if you know you want to go into hospital management you might as well go for it.

come to Boston after! the opportunities are plentiful.

true. BU does have a MBA in Health Sector Management that is CAHME accredited, so that would be the equivalent of Michigan's MHSA program.

I'd take Michigan's MHSA over BU's MPH in HP&M just due to the strength of the MHSA alumni network.

 

[lorzelski]

i'd still have access to michigan's extensive alumni network being an undergrad here though?

 

[ms newyear]

i'd still have access to michigan's extensive alumni network being an undergrad here though?

You seem to be looking for an excuse to choose BU over UofM

People looking to go into hospital administration typically (??) take up a fellowship after their mph/mha and SOME fellowship programs only accept students from CAHME accredited programs. Many, however, are just looking for CEPH accreditation. What I meant was you might as well widen the pool of choices if you have the chance to do so.

I believe since you were at UofM undergrad you would still have access to your alumni network and I'm sure Michigan's SPH would help you out whichever school you choose.

If you are unsure of what you want to do with your MPH, Boston has many practical opportunities so that you can try different things. Many of my HPM colleagues will have completed at least two different internships by graduation.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[MsMPH12]

As far as the curriculum, Michigan's MHSA and MPH program only differ by two classes. You can switch with ease depending on which degree you want to graduate with. I'm in the same boat because I did my undergrad at U of M as well, been accepted to a lot of great schools for HPM, and am having a tough time deciding whether to go to U of M.

 

[lorzelski]

yeah, I'm definitely looking for an excuse to go to boston. but i know that a visit to BU is really the only way i would know for sure. but it helps getting outside information

 

[enox0485]

I am currently finishing up my MBA this spring and have gotten into some MPH-HPM programs this fall (management track) and personally my motivation towards going the MPH route is two fold. Due to the MBA there's a lot of overlap between an MBA and MHA so it seems like it would be a waste of time for me to take the courses over again. With that said, that isn't the primary reason I opted out of the MHA. The MHA as would be expected, is exclusively gauged towards hospitals. So if you're not sure the hospital route is for you then you should in my opinion, pursue a more generalist degree. In my case, I want the option to do hospital administration but not necessarily be restricted to that domain. Perhaps I have a little bit of professional ADD, but I don't see myself doing ANY JOB exclusively for 35 years, regardless of how wonderful it is (variety is the spice of life, right?) A MPH-HPM concentration opens a lot of opportunities if you're interested in healthcare consulting, biotech/pharmaceuticals, hospitals admin, and managed care, among other opportunities. The only concern that I have with the MPH-HPM as a stand alone degree is if it provides a sufficient amount of business courses to prepare you to be an administrator or healthcare manager. I would assume if you have an undergraduate degree in business then the MPH-HPM would probably be okay, however an MHA is usually a little bit more in depth when it comes to management training being 60 credits plus whereas an MPH-HPM is usually 42-48 credits. This is why several programs have created the joint MBA/MPH degree (Berkeley, Hopkins, Emory) to cater towards these aforementioned positions which fall under multiple domains and require a high business acumen. So I guess from my viewpoint whether BU's MPH or U of M's MHSA is the better fit depends on your academic background and career goals. If you don't have a business background, I would personally suggest the MHSA at Michigan as I believe it would be more comprehensive. However, if you have work experience in healthcare domains and a business background the MPH-HPM might be a great route for you as well.

 

[lorzelski]

i think my apprehension towards being sequestered to hospital administration is steering me away from the MHSA, and honestly the coursework difference at michigan between them is only two classes. and those two classes i could take as electives if i would so choose at boston. MPH gives me more options i think?

 

[RAMPA]

i think my apprehension towards being sequestered to hospital administration is steering me away from the MHSA, and honestly the coursework difference at michigan between them is only two classes. and those two classes i could take as electives if i would so choose at boston. MPH gives me more options i think?

a MHSA does not sequester you to just hospital administration nor does a MPH (in HP&M-MGT track) give you necessarily more options. I debated this last year as I was accepted to MHA, MS, MPA, and MPH programs in healthcare management. Ultimately they all prepare you for management roles in the health sector.

Think about it, if the only difference between the MHSA and MPH at Michigan are 2 courses will having one degree over the other really make much of a difference?

 

[enox0485]

I agree with Rampa with regards that an MHSA does not necessarily sequester you to hospitals and an MPH does not necessarily give you more options. However as a whole I contend that an MHA is more of a specialist degree and an MPH more generalist in some regards (MHA's have more of a defined structure with often have internships/fellowships built in as part of the program, whereas MPH is often more open ended). But I wasn't trying to come off as looking down on the MHA or up on the MPH (in my case I feel with the MBA that the MPH gave ME more options than the MHA given MY background and work experience). What I was trying to convey is that structurally Michigan's MHSA program (and MPH for that matter) is quite different than BU's program and offers different core competencies as a stand alone degree as far as business courses go. For the record I believe both are excellent programs, it really just depends on your career goals and whether you think taking 60 credit hours versus 48 would make a difference. Michigan's alumni network is definitely gauged towards hospitals, but as was already mentioned the difference is only two electives so you could start the program, get a feel for it, and switch if you wanted. That's what I love about healthcare management, you have a lot of places to go.
http://sph.bu.edu/index.php?option=...temid=50577&sectionid=5&categoryid=121#162084

 

[meezmee]

Hi,
I have been accepted into BU's MBA in Healthcare/MPH Dual degree program with a full scholarship. I have also been accepted into UMich's MHSA with a 50% scholarship. Which one is a more viable option?
Thanks