Reasons to get an MPH along with DO degree?

[nihitmehta]

How does an MPH help? Other words what kind of opportunities do MPH provide?

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[NontradCA]

You have to get one if you do occupational/preventative medicine and I think it's geared towards a more global/population based practice, generally speaking. There's public health forums where this has been discussed a bunch of times.

 

[cliquesh]

No reason.

 

[pattr]

MPH doesn't really give you much leverage in terms of opportunities ADDITIONAL to those that you have just from being MD/DO.

What it does give you is a certain knowledge base that allows you to work on population-based studies and projects in a community or global health setting. A lot of county health directors and administrators have MPH's. So do people working in government organizations like the CDC or WHO. This is not to say that non-MPH physicians can't have this knowledge base... a lot of them do; they just pick it up in ways other than a formal degree program.

For me as a DO student my MPH was helpful in doing public health research I was interested in and that research made my residency application more competitive.

 

[doctuh_2b]

You have to get one if you do occupational/preventative medicine and I think it's geared towards a more global/population based practice, generally speaking. There's public health forums where this has been discussed a bunch of times.

I'm sure you don't "have to" get one just for occupational /preventative medicine. An MPH helps to understand the field more. Nowadays, insurance reimbursements are driving more providers to practice preventative medicine and therefore these two together may be beneficial.

Obviously there are a lot factors that drive the US health system. But by being a physician with an MPH, you are being a leader and advocating for professionalism. You will better understand the system, not just from a provider point of view, but a systemic one.

There are a lot of options in public health - different concentrations and specializations. It really depends what you want to do with your degree and how you want to go about it. Some choose to improve quality in hospitals based on their mph training, others choose to do research in a global aspect.

just my two cents..

 

[NontradCA]

I'm sure you don't "have to" get one just for occupational /preventative medicine. An MPH helps to understand the field more. Nowadays, insurance reimbursements are driving more providers to practice preventative medicine and therefore these two together may be beneficial.

Obviously there are a lot factors that drive the US health system. But by being a physician with an MPH, you are being a leader and advocating for professionalism. You will better understand the system, not just from a provider point of view, but a systemic one.

There are a lot of options in public health - different concentrations and specializations. It really depends what you want to do with your degree and how you want to go about it. Some choose to improve quality in hospitals based on their mph training, others choose to do research in a global aspect.

just my two cents..

As far as I know all the OEM,PM 2 year residencies require physicians to do the MPH.

 

[doctuh_2b]

As far as I know all the OEM,PM 2 year residencies require physicians to do the MPH.

i may be wrong.. :[ sorry!

upon further investigation:
"Over two years, the resident sees patients in the clinical setting, engages in research, works in a variety of occupational health settings (government agencies, corporations, research organizations, etc.), and takes courses leading to a Masters of Public Health (MPH) or equivalent degree. A one-year program is possible for physicians who have already earned an MPH. "
so you don't NEED an mph to enter, but you end up coming out with an MPH degree.

 

[IslandStyle808]

i may be wrong.. :[ sorry!

upon further investigation:
"Over two years, the resident sees patients in the clinical setting, engages in research, works in a variety of occupational health settings (government agencies, corporations, research organizations, etc.), and takes courses leading to a Masters of Public Health (MPH) or equivalent degree. A one-year program is possible for physicians who have already earned an MPH. "
so you don't NEED an mph to enter, but you end up coming out with an MPH degree.

Yes this is right from what I have read on the degree (since I myself am interested in a pro-preventative care field). It is pretty much required in order to practice in the fields of occupational and preventative medicine. Since it come with the fellowship (unless you already have one), you pretty much will end up with one.

 

[DrBowtie]

If you hate money.