MPH vs MBA, which would help me more?

[foodisgood]

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I'm a freshman in an undergraduate school, in a program. So yes, I have a reserved seat for me in a med school, and because I came in with so many credits I could probably graduate in 2.5 years or less. My seat reserved is for 2015, so I have to find something else to do with my time.

I'm not exactly sure what I want to do when I'm older. I definitely cannot see myself just practicing medicine (I get bored easily, and cant do the same thing all day every day), so I might end up starting a nonprof abroad, or my own clinic here, or maybe even work to better healthcare overall. I can see myself doing nonprof type stuff (such as DWB). Main thing with my plan is that I want to learn the material. I guess I probably should be thinking about what would look good on my residency stuff, but skills gained is the first priority (though if it would give me a leg up in my career maybe that would be nice)

Here are my options:

1. A business minor + bio major in 3 years, get an MPH year 4 (I would have to apply to MPH programs and convince my med school of it - no guarantee that the med school would agree), then go to med school.

2. Bio major + business minor in 3.5 years, Senior year spring sem + summer after spent on my MBA. (MBA is from a no-name school; accredited by aacsb but its not a strong name).

3. A business minor + bio major + Philosophy minor in 3 years, get an MPH year 4 (same issues as before, plus i probably wont be able to get a 4.0 if I do this; I'd be doing 17-20 credits every semester)

 

[chiapet874]

I'm a freshman in an undergraduate school, in a program. So yes, I have a reserved seat for me in a med school, and because I came in with so many credits I could probably graduate in 2.5 years or less. My seat reserved is for 2015, so I have to find something else to do with my time.

I'm not exactly sure what I want to do when I'm older. I definitely cannot see myself just practicing medicine (I get bored easily, and cant do the same thing all day every day), so I might end up starting a nonprof abroad, or my own clinic here, or maybe even work to better healthcare overall. I can see myself doing nonprof type stuff (such as DWB). Main thing with my plan is that I want to learn the material. I guess I probably should be thinking about what would look good on my residency stuff, but skills gained is the first priority (though if it would give me a leg up in my career maybe that would be nice)

Here are my options:

1. A business minor + bio major in 3 years, get an MPH year 4 (I would have to apply to MPH programs and convince my med school of it - no guarantee that the med school would agree), then go to med school.

2. Bio major + business minor in 3.5 years, Senior year spring sem + summer after spent on my MBA. (MBA is from a no-name school; accredited by aacsb but its not a strong name).

3. A business minor + bio major + Philosophy minor in 3 years, get an MPH year 4 (same issues as before, plus i probably wont be able to get a 4.0 if I do this; I'd be doing 17-20 credits every semester)

I recommend not saying you wouldn't be interested in just "practicing medicine". Based off of your post, I get the strong feeling that you really don't know what life in the medical field is like.

As for the curriculum option: I would go with 2; you wanted to learn the material- 2 would be best.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

If your interests lie in the business side, go with #2. If in the public health sector, go with #1.

If it were me, I'd try to find more time to relax before medical school. I'd probably go with a bio and business double major if it meant that I could have summers off 😎.

 

[Juicec]

"probably wouldn't be able to get a 4.0" lol -- You've got a rude awakening ahead my friend. I'm glad you did well in high school but biochemistry isn't AP credit for college algebra.

People who choose medicine do it taking it on as a career path but also a life style choice. Suggesting you "might get bored" tells me it aint gunna happen -- You've got 10 years before you even practice medicine, let alone have the chance to get bored from it. You need an attitude adjustment to be successful with either degree path.

 

[raltima07]

"probably wouldn't be able to get a 4.0" lol -- You've got a rude awakening ahead my friend. I'm glad you did well in high school but biochemistry isn't AP credit for college algebra.

People who choose medicine do it taking it on as a career path but also a life style choice. Suggesting you "might get bored" tells me it aint gunna happen -- You've got 10 years before you even practice medicine, let alone have the chance to get bored from it. You need an attitude adjustment to be successful with either degree path.

👍

 

[DoctwoB]

Go with option 4. Graduate in 2.5 or 3 years with whatever major you want while also fulfilling your pre-reqs, and then get a job for a year that gives you real business experience (or research experience) while not wasting tuition money on additional letters after your name that won't add much if anything to your residency app.

No good MBA program will be (a) 1 year and (b) take you right out of college with no work experience.

Even then, MBAs are only really helpful in medicine if you plan on going in the administration route. Even if you want to run a private practice, getting some real world business experience would probably be a much more valuable experience then an MBA.

 

[LizzyM]

Should you have a hammer or a screwdriver?

They are different and each is useful. One is seldom a substitute for the other.

I think that you should have some real experience in the field before you decide which tool you want to acquire. You will also find that there are variations and which variation (regarding electives etc) is best for you will be more evident when you have a better idea of the job you want to do.

Furthermore, if this is a tool that you'll be using throughout your lifetime and one that you want to be useful, get the best you can. You can grab something that is convenient but not ideal and you'll be disappointed later when it takes up space on your toolbelt but isn't very useful.

So many pre-meds can't go abroad during college and fit in all their pre-reqs. You don't have that problem and a year abroad might be a much better use of your time at this point than classroom education unmoored from any life experience. Unless you have lived and worked abroad, how can you know that you want to do DWB. Better to get some experience in another culture before taking that leap. What you study need not be related to biology or business... take an opportunity to learn something totally different: a language, art, music, dance, literature, ethics.

 

[latrala2300]

with that attitude, neither. don't pursue such a pain-staking degree because you think it'll "help" you. people have done business medicine without a mba, and been public health physicians without formal mph training. do something after shadowing someone, or at least speaking with a person, who has the combined degrees and see what they recommend. read up on it. don't base you decision on strangers from the internet!

 

[JESSFALLING]

Like LizzyM said, such programs give you tools which are meant to be used. I think that after four years of MS and 3+ years of residency you will find that your tools are either rusty, forgotten, or outdated. It would be much better to acquire practical experience, evaluate your commitment to medicine, and then, if you do end up with an MD, pursue the "tools" you need when you are ready to put the knowledge into practice.

For now, I highly recommend travel and reading. You can likely find many good book suggestions here via search. Read up on health economics, public health, rural medicine, etc..., and you'll likely find this experience (when combined with travel) to be much more enriching than the (too) early pursuit of a graduate degree that you won't use for nearly a decade. Good luck.

 

[alexandertg6]

I hope this doesn't sound arrogant... but I would be inclined to say that an MBA from a no-name school is going to do you little good. Almost everything you "learn" is pretty much intuitive or not really useful for the medical profession. MBA programs are all about the name and the connections... and bigger names have better connections.

This is from an n=1 personal experience as an MBA student of sorts, so don't take this as word of god truth. Good luck OP.

 

[foodisgood]

Sorry if my attitude sounded offensive; i'm a bit tired.

Yes, I do know what its like to work in a clinic. And its based on this that made me think that I should get an MBA. Its kind of like the same way I like studying philosophy as a study break from biology. Variety is good.

As I mentioned in my first post, I have to stay at school for 4 years. That means no taking a year off and working or traveling. I could do study abroad, but in all honesty study abroad has never really interested me all that much. Business double major wouldnt work either because the business courses conflict with science labs.

"probably wouldn't be able to get a 4.0" lol -- You've got a rude awakening ahead my friend. I'm glad you did well in high school but biochemistry isn't AP credit for college algebra.

The 4.0 thing, it is doable at my school. Very doable. The schools ridiculously easy, and even though I might not end up with a 4.0 exactly (ochem is hard everywhere), my GPA here is definitely going to be much higher than my highschool GPA.

do something after shadowing someone, or at least speaking with a person, who has the combined degrees and see what they recommend. read up on it. don't base you decision on strangers from the internet!

Of course im not going to blindly base my decision on strangers from the internet! I am asking people, but this decision unfortunately will affect which classes I'm taking next semester, which ill have to register for soon. I will talk to other people, but because most people who I would talk to about this are kind of busy people (and not in my area), it might be a while.

 

[foodisgood]

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[km17]

Yes, I do know what its like to work in a clinic. And its based on this that made me think that I should get an MBA. Its kind of like the same way I like studying philosophy as a study break from biology. Variety is good.

Can you elaborate more on why knowing what its like to work in a clinic makes you want an MBA?

An MBA won't be nearly as meaningful to you without full time working experience to apply to what you're learning. There is a reason top b-schools require multiple years of real world experience for acceptance.

I do think you have the right idea in terms of pursuing variety in your educational experience, but you don't need to tack on a degree to accomplish that.