MPH first, Med school deferment

[KB87]

I am starting a 2 year MPH program in Epidemiology this fall but I also wanted to apply to med school this year so I don't have to do it next year while I am in the middle of the MPH degree. How do you guys think med schools will look upon this because if I get accepted I would have to defer for a year in order to finish the final year of the MPH??

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Apply to medical school next year. Unless your mcat expires this year there's no reason to apply this year if your seriously interested in a M.P.H.

 

[loveoforganic]

The dean of admissions I met with encouraged me to apply and defer (to teach). I asked what to do with interviews and my intention to defer, and he said just to not mention it.

Take that for what it's worth.

 

[LizzyM]

If I had an applicant in year 1 of a 2 year grad program, I wouldn't even waste an interview slot. We are interviewing to fill the next class.... interviewing someone who wants to be admitted for the class the year after that is just taking a slot from someone who wants to matriculate in the coming year. Just sayin'.

 

[medat101]

I am starting a 2 year MPH program in Epidemiology this fall but I also wanted to apply to med school this year so I don't have to do it next year while I am in the middle of the MPH degree. How do you guys think med schools will look upon this because if I get accepted I would have to defer for a year in order to finish the final year of the MPH??

Thanks!

Applying in the 1st year of a 2 year graduate program shows you are: (1) not serious about your graduate program that you would leave in the middle of it, OR (2) not serious about enrolling in medical school immediately.
Either way, it reflects badly on you as an applicant and your chances go WAYYY down.
I applied while enrolled and in the middle of a 2-year graduate degree program and I had NOOOO problem doing it. Since I applied really early in the summer, I already had secured 2 acceptances by October 15, so really I was done with applying before my 2nd year even began. In the spring, while writing my thesis, I didn't even have to worry anymore about med school because I decided where I would attend back in January and then I just had to focus on finishing up the graduate degree. Applying in the 2nd year is TOTALLY doable unless you have terrible time management, apply super late, or hate to miss class.

 

[Sammich117]

If I had an applicant in year 1 of a 2 year grad program, I wouldn't even waste an interview slot. We are interviewing to fill the next class.... interviewing someone who wants to be admitted for the class the year after that is just taking a slot from someone who wants to matriculate in the coming year. Just sayin'.

This is how it would seem to me as well. I always thought of deferment as an option for if something popped up last minute. Not something that was planned for. Otherwise, you're just using the wrong application cycle.