MPH to MD? How to go about it??? Please help!

[calbear2002]

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Hello SDNers,

I have not finished my pre-requ's for medical school yet but have taken many classes--I still have to take the four main classes Bio I & II and Physics I & II. I recently got into an MPH program and am in a situation where I have to decide between two paths:

1) Put off the MPH for a year while I work on my pre-requ's at a nearby college. Then, after completing the pre-requ's and taking my MCAT, begin the MPH program fall 2004 (basically, defer the MPH for a year). Apply to med school after my first year of MPH.

2) Start the MPH program in the fall 2003 and work on pre-requ's along with my graduate course work. The MPH will take me two years so I can do one class each semester? Apply after completing the MPH. Then work during the lag year while I wait for med schools' response. (Do you think this will be possible? Please share if you have experience)


Any advice would help so much as I am in the process of deciding what I want to do.....I know I want to go to med school, but I also really want to get an MPH for future endeavors in public health. Thanks so much!!!

 

[e-spin]

So I take it you are graduating this spring?? Or have already graduated, but with a nonscience major?? I guess more info on your situation would help.
At any rate, I was there...started an MPH program, liked the subject matter but hated the school...so I bailed and am currently getting my MS Micro and appying to be a fall 2003 matric (hopefully). There were a lot of pre-meds in my incoming MPH class almost all but one or twp bailed as well.
To the questions at hand:
Path 1) Is what I would do personally given only these two options. Need to concentrate on these prereqs and MCAT, right?
Path 2) Seems to take a little longer and very dependent on how labor intensive your MPH curriculum is.
May I suggest:
Path 3) Do a one-yr post bacc designed for those who dont have the science reqs...can be a little pricey, but you'd have to pay for the MPH right?? Then apply to MD/MPH program. Just a thought!!
Good luck!

 

[JlazyMD]

Why do you need a lag year? What I would do, take physics and bio I over this summer, then take the rest during your 1st school year in the MPH program. Study and take the MCAT the next summer while applying to schools. Schools will look at your app favorable if they see you can do well with a heavy load.

This of course is assuming you can handle said load...

In any case, I wouldn't only take the bio and physics courses without doing anything else, it would look to easy.

Good Luck!

 

[abw]

Hey!
I say either do what the previous poster said and take both/one during the summer/one during the school year, or do your #2 plan. If your m.p.h. program is spread over 2 years, you shouldn't have a problem handling it + one science course. The m.p.h. is strictly analytical - how to apply knowledge whereas science is more of a memorization class. I actually wish I could afford to take science along with my courses - i'm going through science withdrawl (except for my environmental class) and am nervous about my study skills for when I start med school.

 

[jayzway]

I would recommend doing option #1. I took a year off after college to finish pre-reqs and then started a masters program. I applied after my first year in the MPH. This was good because they were able to see my class grades and some MPH grades. I have been accepted to two schools so far. I found that it was a good topic in my interviews. Which MPH program are you going to do?

 

[calbear2002]

Hi!

Thanks so far for some good points of consideration. I guess a little more background on me, I am NOT a science major. I've already graduated and this is my first year out of school, working full-time. I've taken some pre-med prerequites such as Gchem, Ochem, Math, English, but I have yet to finish Bio and Physics. I know I should probably take extra classes in the sciences too.

I've applied to only a few MPH programs to begin Fall 2003: Boston U., Yale, Columbia.....But if I decide to go on with the post-bacc stuff, I'd see if I can defer for a year.

I'm not sure how much work load the classes will be, but I guess if it's not too much, I can take one science class along with my graduate classes. Anyone ever done that before?

 

[lola]

you might be able to take the bio classes as part of your program. i took 2 physiology classes as part of my ms in epi as well as 1 reproductive biology class. they did not have labs, though, which you will probably need. whether or not the classes have labs probably depends on the school you go to. in addition, we were able to take classes at other univiersities and/or other graduate degree programs (e.g. med school, school of govt, etc...). you probably couldn't take physics as part of your degree and get credits for it, but it probably wouldn't be too hard to pull of the bio classes. it is probably doable to take physics along with the rest of your requirements. from my experience, the courseload in mph programs is not that rigorous and you will not get bad grades unless you really don't know what is goin on. of course, i'm sure it depends on the school/program you go to. i hear the program at yale is particularly easy as you have no grades.

 

[PublicHealth]

I'm currently an MPH student and plan to finish the degree this summer. I'm applying to medical school (MD and DO) this summer, and plan to take post-baccalaureate courses in advanced biomedical sciences while my applications are being processed. Coming out of undergrad, I wanted to continue conducting research and wanted to pursue advanced training in psychiatric epidemiology. An MPH has allowed me to better appreciate the complexities of healthcare in America, and has allowed me to develop a population-based perspective on health. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the context of medicine and the epidemiologic, behavioral, social, and environmental reasons underlying health.

If you REALLY enjoy public health, then do an MPH before applying to medical school. Students in combined MD/MPH programs often feel rushed through their curriculum, as they attend public health classes on top of medical school classes. Another option is to take a year off and do an MPH after your second year of medical school. Either way, I'm sure you'll be happy you took a degree in this area.

PH

 

[Adcadet]

I agree with what seems to be the consensus - if your GPA is somewhat OK, do a year of MPH work with the pre-req classes and apply between your first and second years of your MPH program. That's what I did, and it's worked out well (though I only took two pre-med type classes...they were upper-level bio). If your GPA needs more work, then apply the summer after you finish your MPH so that more of your coursework will show on your transcript - the downside is that you'll have a lag year. Of course, you also need to factor in your MCAT (will it be too old? Should you retake it?)

 

[calbear2002]

Hmmm...seems like no one is really advocating deferring MPH admission for one year to do post bacc. Most peope think that I should take the prerequisites along with the graduate courses. Any reasons for one and not the other?

by the way, my gpa is ok--not stellar

 

[e-spin]

Well, there are a few other things to consider, namely your current science GPA. IF your science GPA is good...like 3.5-ish maybe 3.4-ish?? then I'd say do the one science prereq a semester while doing your MPH. HOWEVER, if your science GPA is questionable I think adcoms will want you to prove you can handle a more rigrous science curriculum and IMO one class/sem isnt going to cut it. When I was in the MPH program my science GPA was about 3.2 (I know, not so great). Anyway, during the MPH talked to the then dean of admissions at that school and he told be straight up if going to med school was my objective that was NOT the place for me to be right now. So, I bailed and went to a MS micro prog, currently with a 4.0. Right now I only have 5 waitlists to show for my decision so take this advice how you will....and mind you I was a science major, so I dont know exactly how this will apply to your case. But just something to consider, I guess.
Anyway, as far as feeling rushed in a joint degree prog I think that at Drexel and at Jefferson MD/MPHs dedicate two years to the MPH...in between classroom and clinical yrs. So I think they still get the full MPH experience. Tough decision though...but Good Luck!!