MPH before MD

[AwaPremed]

Hey people - I'm really interested in doing an MPH. Just wondering how many people here are doing an MPH before doing an MD. AND if you are doing an MPH at a certain school, does that make it easier to get into the medical school? For example if you get into th John Hopkins public health school do you have a good chance of getting into the medical school? Anybody have any experience with this? sORRY IF this has been asked before.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[FoughtFyr]

Hey people - I'm really interested in doing an MPH. Just wondering how many people here are doing an MPH before doing an MD. AND if you are doing an MPH at a certain school, does that make it easier to get into the medical school? For example if you get into th John Hopkins public health school do you have a good chance of getting into the medical school? Anybody have any experience with this? sORRY IF this has been asked before.

I did my MPH at UIC, then went on to my MD there. I think it helped two ways. First, it did help me to raise my GPA. Second, my LORs were from faculty who were cross appointees between the medical school and the SPH. I think having these letters helped alot. SO - in short, I think an MPH before an MD can help, just be sure to fing the faculty of the SPH who are also medical school faculty and get letters from them.

- H

 

[dlung]

I have a friend who just completed his MPH at Hopkins and is applying to med school right now -- he's actually having a hard time... no interviews yet.

 

[lulubean]

I did my MPH at UIC, then went on to my MD there. I think it helped two ways. First, it did help me to raise my GPA. Second, my LORs were from faculty who were cross appointees between the medical school and the SPH. I think having these letters helped alot. SO - in short, I think an MPH before an MD can help, just be sure to fing the faculty of the SPH who are also medical school faculty and get letters from them.

- H

Ditto for me. I am doing my MPH at Columbia, and have found that it is really helping me out with the med school process. my interviewers are very interested in my PH background and I think I am getting interviews at schools I wouldn't have without it. Also, like FoughtFyr said, the letters of rec are much more personal and help a lot.
In addition, I feel like I am going to get much more out of med school with the background an MPH had given me.

 

[uptoolate]

The MPH will probably help in the grand scheme of things, but getting an MPH at Hopkins won't give you an advantage towards getting into Hopkins Med. There's just too many MPH's graduating each year interested in their med program.

 

[DrMom]

The MPH will probably help in the grand scheme of things, but getting an MPH at Hopkins won't give you an advantage towards getting into Hopkins Med. There's just too many MPH's graduating each year interested in their med program.

I agree completely.

I did my MPH first, partly because it helped me be able to teach at a local university and partly because I felt it would help make me a more competitive applicant. I ended up, by choice, at the "rival" medical school to the one I did the MPH at. The MPH was seen as a plus when I applied, but I'd also had a job using the degree at a local nonprofit health organization which helped, too.

 

[Brain]

I'm working on my MPH now and am applying to medical school. I got interviewed everywhere I applied. Whether or not this degree helps you get in or not may depend on your particular application. If you have a not so great undergrad GPA and need the MPH to boost your numbers, it may not be so helpful. However, if your numbers are great and it's clear you are getting this degree because public health is what you want to do and you want some additional life experiences before committing 4 years of your life to medical school, then I think it definately helps.

One annoying thing I encountered during my interviews: a lot of the other interviewees just assume you are a screw up because you're applying to med school from grad school. This is not at all my case and it really pissed me off!

 

[AspiringDoctor9]

Hihi,

I totally agree with the other posters - getting an MPH won't makeup for a mediocre udnergraduate record, nor will it magically let you get into a med school your overall application doesn't justify otherwise. However, it will help in my opinion, if you're at least already moderately competitive for medical school. With some experience and an MPH, more medical schools will look at you.