MPH after MD??

[Mizoguchi]

I've read some things about students earning their MPH degrees before getting into medical school, but I was wondering about the reverse. I am currently enrolled at an MD medical school without an MPH program, however I've recently been researching various MPH programs that combine international health aspects with the degree. UCLA in particular has MPH programs focused on international medical issues and asian american studies. My plan is to one day work in an international setting (esp. in asia), and this seems like a great program. Is is even realistic for someone with an MD to earn it and then go after their MPH? It seems impossible to me, since once one becomes an MD they start their residencies. It seems impossible to be able to spend two years earning an MPH. I'd really welcome any first-hand advice on this. Thanks.

-Mizoguchi

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[PublicHealth]

If you do a residency in preventive medicine or occupational medicine, you'll pick up an MPH along the way. In fact, it's a requirement in most programs. For other specialties, it may be possible to take courses on a part-time basis during your residency years, and get an MPH before you finish the residency. Another possibility is to do it during fellowship, if applicable. You may also want to consider getting an MPH between med school years. I know of several med students who have done that. I think Johns Hopkins and Harvard have MPH programs that take 9 months to a year to complete.

PH

 

[ckent]

I'd definitely recc the combined residency/MPH way if you are serious about preventative/epi/international medicine, as that way, your residency program will pay for tuition and many (if not all) will continue paying you a resident's salary during your MPH time as well. The other option is taking a year off to pursue an MPH as many students at my school do, for some reason the year between 3rd and 4th yr seems to be most popular with students at my school for getting their MPH and most get it across town (at Hopkins). Personally, I've never thought of an MPH as essential for doing anything as there aren't currently enough occupational physicians or epidemiologists with MPH's and MD's to mandate the MPH, but I suppose that the training is supposedly pretty good. You can get your MPH at any school by the way, as most schools that offer combined MD/MPH programs allow med students from other med school's enroll in the just the MPH part and your med school will allow you to take off time to pursue the MPH if you want to.

 

[Mizoguchi]

Thanks for the info, I've definitely got alot to think about. One concern though, if I decided to do a residency/MPH (I'd rather not disrupt my 4 MD years by doing anything in between) that means that at any school I would be attempting to match at for residency I would have to simultaneouly apply to and be accepted for not only the residency, but the MPH program as well? i.e. if I wanted to get my MPH at UCLA after my 4 MD years I would have to not only match at a residency there, but get accepted into their MPH program at the same time. Seems very difficult to do.

-Mizoguchi