MPH while finishing med school prereqs?

[sarahg]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Short question -- Is it possible that a school would let me take some of its undergrad science courses while I'm doing an MPH, and that I'd have the time to do so? Anyone know of schools that would allow this?

I know I'd like to go to med school eventually, and start within the next 5 years. I am graduating next January and after that will have 6 courses of prereqs to complete (chemistry, ochem, and physics). I also want to do a lot of traveling and living abroad before I enroll in med school. My first thought was to work full-time while doing the prereqs at night over the course of a couple of years and try to save up money while doing this, then travel on the money I've saved. This depends on me being able to get a job in a city with a good, cheap university extension program, though.

I had another idea -- to do at least some of my prereqs while doing an MPH in international health, and then try to find work abroad. I do have an interest in public health, I thought about getting an MPH before deciding that I'd ultimately like more patient/public interaction and an MD would suit me more. Ideally I'd be able to work in Central/South America for awhile at a job that allows me to save some so that I can eventually quit that job and travel elsewhere for a few months (I won't have any debt from undergrad but would have debt from the MPH). Is this plan feasible at all? I know I can't take all 3 prereqs alongside an MPH curriculum but I figure if I'm able to take one group of classes before I start, then two classes during the year I do my MPH, I'll be able to do work I enjoy more than any job I'd get with my bachelor's degree, get a degree in something that's interesting to me, AND still be able to travel.

I've also considered the Tulane Master's International program as a way to do this, but I'm afraid of the fact that the Peace Corps can station you basically wherever they want. I'd consider it if it was my only real option for going abroad long-term but I'd prefer to be able to have more control where I live and make enough money to save a little.

 

[Stories]

You could technically be enrolled in a MPH program and then concurrently be enrolled as a non-degree student in another school to do the sciences classes. Can't imagine that'd be much fun or productive for you as a MPH student, though. The big thing with any international health/global health program is that money is tight if you're not working in the US or another industrialized nation.

If you're really interested in traveling for the sake of traveling, don't do a MPH. The MPH has very specific goals. If your ultimate goal is a MD, I'd suggest you focus on that right now rather than bombarding yourself with the MPH at the same time. You can always do the MPH later. The MPH would become a secondary degree, regardless of when you do your MD.

Here's my worry, though: chemistry and organic have to be taken as a sequence and can't be taken concurrently. You have to give 2 years of classes for that sequence. Physics can be taken with any of these classes. However, if you plan on doing well on the MCAT, you'll need to take plenty of biology, as well. I'm guessing by the complete absence of any chemistry or physics, you weren't a science undergrad major. 99% of med schools require biology 1 + 2 as a bare minimum and cell biology and anatomy and physiology are highly recommend (particularly for MCATs), while biochemistry is also a suggested course.

 

[sarahg]

I'm taking molecular and cell biology and anatomy next semester, so I'll have the biology required. I also live near a community college where you can take Gen Chem in one summer, so I can presumably get through all of them in one year of part-time classes (except the summer chem which is pretty much full time).

Could you give an estimate of salary for international health jobs in non-industrialized countries? I know the salaries will be pretty low, but so will the cost of living. I'll graduate with a BS in psychology so the salary for jobs I qualify for in the US that are un-demanding enough to do while finishing prereqs will probably cap out around $50k at the most, $30k-ish if I work at a job in my field rather than an office administration or HR job, and I live in CA so the cost of living is high. I'm not interested in starting med school ASAP, I want to work and travel a little first like I said, so while I'll need to devote a year at least to taking the prereqs, I need something else to pursue in the meantime.

 

[Stories]

I'm taking molecular and cell biology and anatomy next semester, so I'll have the biology required. I also live near a community college where you can take Gen Chem in one summer, so I can presumably get through all of them in one year of part-time classes (except the summer chem which is pretty much full time).

Could you give an estimate of salary for international health jobs in non-industrialized countries? I know the salaries will be pretty low, but so will the cost of living. I'll graduate with a BS in psychology so the salary for jobs I qualify for in the US that are un-demanding enough to do while finishing prereqs will probably cap out around $50k at the most, $30k-ish if I work at a job in my field rather than an office administration or HR job, and I live in CA so the cost of living is high. I'm not interested in starting med school ASAP, I want to work and travel a little first like I said, so while I'll need to devote a year at least to taking the prereqs, I need something else to pursue in the meantime.

A friend worked for free for a year before she got a job making any money. The second job she got she was making $10k a year. This was after she had worked with this organization for 3 months for free.

Good luck finding a job right now. I know many folks (me included) who took retail jobs after 6+ months of unfruitful searches with graduate level degrees.