MPH during Rotations and beyond

[CMD03]

Hello all-

I'm curious to learn about if, and how, anyone on this board has pursued an interest in Public Health during their third and fourth years of med school and beyond. I'm about to enter a combined MD/MPH program and have decided to do so based primarily on an academic interest in Public Health and haven't decided how I plan to pursue the MPH component after school. However, I'm also curious to learn if there is anyone out there who is on the same pathway and where that path leads to during residency and beyond. Does this combined degree have any impact as far as improving one's candidacy for a residency position in certain fields with the hopes of pursuing public health research during residency? Or do most students just put the MPH portion of their education on the back burner during residency training?

Any thoughts on the matter?

CMD03

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[atsai3]

As an alternative, some people pursue a residency in Preventive Medicine -- typically these programs have you first complete an internship in Medicine and then two years of Preventive Medicine residency, and the MPH may or may not be bundled with the residency program.

If you do the pre-residency MPH, you will have plenty of time during fourth year (but probably not 3rd year) to complete your MPH. Depending on what type of residency you choose, you should be able to put your MPH to use. (For one thing, you will have a much better handle on biostatistics, so your paper presentations will be that much better.) Some programs, i.e., Medicine programs with an "International Health track", will have research months or will fund you to do an elective abroad.

-a.

 

[Stinky T]

FYI - There are also a few combined residency programs in IM/PM where you can earn your MPH and become BE for IM and PM. Yale has a four year program and your MPH is paid for by your residency program.