Question about MPH

[Fearingviper2]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to these forums and I was hoping that you guys would be able to help me out with a couple of questions I have about the MPH degree.

I'm currently pursuing my bachelor's degree but Ive recently become very interested in epidemiology. However, I was concerned about a few things so maybe you guys can clear it up.

1) My B.A. will be in psychology; I was looking around at different schools to see what the typical majors are for people entering into MPH(epidemiology) programs. I've seen majors ranging from Biology and chemistry to Sociology and Communications. So I'm wondering if my psychology degree will hinder me at all when I apply for the epidemiology program.

2) Given that I want to pursue this career field in graduate school. I'm undecided as to what minor I should get. My school offers a minor in public health but I know that Epi focuses alot on Biology and Stats. Therefore, I wanted to ask you guys if you recommend a Public Health minor or Biology minor?

3) I live in Florida and I was looking at what jobs I can get with this degree. I really want to be a researching or applied epidemiologist and I was looking around and found this---->http://www.doh.state.fl.us/disease_ctrl/epi/FLEIS/Program_summary.htm. It's the Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service. It seemed really interesting to me and I wanted to know what you guys thought about it.

Thank you all for your time and I will be looking forward to your reply's!

-Steven

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[Music333]

I got a BA in psych, and it didn't hinder me in when applying for epi programs. Most of the epi programs either require or highly recommend a semester a stats and a year of science. I say minor in whatever interests you the most (my minor was soc). Public health schools seem to look at the whole application--extracurriculars/public health interest, personal statement, GPA, GRE, recommendations, etc.

 

[Stories]

I would say that a science major helps your application, but not having one certainly doesn't hurt it. Study what you want in undergrad. Just remember that knowledge that you don't have of biological systems from undergrad you'll need to learn in grad (which is why it's very useful to be a biology major coming in for epi).

 

[kauldron26]

I have a BA in psych as well and im getting my MPH in health management and education

 

[Wiingy]

The Florida EIS looks like an amazing opportunity - I'd like to work for the National EIS after I graduate, I didn't know that states had their own programs. I don't think that a minor in biology or public health would be more useful than taking 1-2 biology courses and a math course - most of the statistics isn't too bad but it's nice to know calculus or differential equations for some aspects of epidemiology (please don't think that it is required or that you will use it often though).

If you really want to pursue a minor, I'd do a biology minor - you will learn all of the public health you need to know during your MPH and biology is more versatile. You never know when that obscure piece of biology knowledge will prove important in study design, and knowing the basics is an excellent foundation. Many people in my Epid department have a pysch degree, it has not hindered them at all.

 

[Fearingviper2]

Bump.

Thank you all for your responses, is there anyone else who could shed some light on this?

Thanks again!