MPH vs. Research

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dcham

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Hey guys, I'm a second year interested in ID and public health. I'm planning on taking a year off next year and I have the option of going to Hopkins for an MPH (with tuition payed for) or doing a year of research at the CDC in public health. I'm pretty torn between the two, and was wondering if you guys had any feedback as to which might be better for residency apps, fellowships, and job positions in the future?

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Hey guys, I'm a second year interested in ID and public health. I'm planning on taking a year off next year and I have the option of going to Hopkins for an MPH (with tuition payed for) or doing a year of research at the CDC in public health. I'm pretty torn between the two, and was wondering if you guys had any feedback as to which might be better for residency apps, fellowships, and job positions in the future?

What's the impediment of spending one more extra year to do both? If the MPH is free and with the research is salaried we are only talking time -- probably worth it if it sets you up nicely.
 
I hadn't thought about taking 2 years off, but lets just say for the sake of argument that I can only take 1.
 
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Ok so I looked into it more and they won't let me defer and keep my scholarship, so lets assume I can only do one or the other. Which would be more beneficial?
 
I don't know which would be more beneficial for residency placement, but I'd say go with the research b/c a lot of residency programs will pay for your MPH, so you could do it during residency for free too.
 
My answer depends on what your role/commitment would be with the CDC.

I wouldn't work too hard on building a c.v. for ID if you are sold on it. It's a non-competative path from med school through fellowship, and I doubt that you'd have trouble meeting your goals if opportunities like those mentioned have already presented themselves to you. I haven't seen much evidence that an MPH is that useful for matching purposes (but you're golden if you want to become Surgeon General someday ;)).
 
Not to further confuse your decision, but I'm sure that you could find a research project at Hopkins. I know it isn't the CDC, which is awesome, but Hopkins isn't too shabby (esp with a free MPH). Hopkins' ID dept is world-renowned, and their School of Public Health is way up there.
 
Just keep in mind that the CDC is a public service organization that doesn't have near the research mission that JHU has. I'm not saying that this applies to the OP, but a lot of pre-meds are misinformed about the role of the CDC. That's why I said earlier that I'd have to know the nature of the research opportunity with the CDC before I could comment.
 
Hey guys, I'm a second year interested in ID and public health. I'm planning on taking a year off next year and I have the option of going to Hopkins for an MPH (with tuition payed for) or doing a year of research at the CDC in public health. I'm pretty torn between the two, and was wondering if you guys had any feedback as to which might be better for residency apps, fellowships, and job positions in the future?

I would do the MPH and then go to the CDC after residency/fellowship. With your clinical training behind you and with the MPH, you would be more valuable to the CDC (worth more money). There will be plenty of reseach around when you are done so grab that free degree while you have the chance.
 
MPH hands down. Though I must admit, I'm completely biased, being a post-M2 mph-er myself.
 
I participated in the CDC experience and, too, questionned whether or not to obtain my MPH. The CDC Experience is an excellent fellowship opportunity but it's still relatively new. You have to define your goals prior to starting. If you want lots of research and opportunities to publish you must make that clear to your research mentor. It's hands-on experience that a lot of MPH students would love to have. And for me, I enjoyed my time and pretty much learned that I still need to obtain an MPH.

If you get the MPH now, then your next best opportunity to work at the CDC is through the EIS program which is a 3 yr program (you would do this after residency and fellowship). I don't know if you want to put off job opportunities for that long, however.

It's a hard decision and no real right answer. The CDC experience will give you hands on experience toward the inner workings of the CDC and may prove valuable to job opportunities in the future. You can always get your MPH, but there are few windows into the CDC. Just think about it.

Also, I know of one CDC experience fellow who participated in the program and then took another year off to obtain his MPH from Harvard prior to beginning his M4 year. So it is possible to take 2 yrs if you are so inclined.
 
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