Should I do a combined MD/MPH program?

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I have been admitted to the MD program at a university, but they also have a combined MD/MPH 5 year program that I can apply to. Roughly 3-4 of the MPH classes overlap with the MD classes, and the thesis project required for the MPH can be also used for the MD program. Also, I would be taking a year off (between MS1 and MS2) to complete the MPH requirements. The pro to this is that the MPH is free if I do this program

Is it worth doing a combined MD/MPH program? I am really concerned about the amount of time that the MPH will take away from studying for my MD classes. I don’t want to end up being really stressed out and I know that med students are usually pretty stressed out over the courseload for their classes. Should I just wait and do an MPH after I’m done with med school? I’ve also heard that you can do an MPH during residency…is this true?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.

 

[NickNaylor]

Um... do it if you're interested in public health?

 

[TexasPhysician]

The combined MD/MPH is only useful if you want to work on health policy extensively as a career. The time spent in the MPH during medical school is much better spent elsewhere if your goal is just to add stuff to your residency CV.

Some residency programs do allow you to get an MPH during training. Contact individual programs if this interests you.

Again, if you love health policy then it shouldn't be too stressful no matter when you do it.....after all it is enjoyable to you right? I think you just have to love policy to do this. Using the MPH will actually decrease your salary, possibly add time to your training, and offers little benefit to residency programs.

Only get the MPH, if you can't live without it.

 

[balloons]

The combined MD/MPH is only useful if you want to work on health policy extensively as a career. The time spent in the MPH during medical school is much better spent elsewhere if your goal is just to add stuff to your residency CV.

Some residency programs do allow you to get an MPH during training. Contact individual programs if this interests you.

Again, if you love health policy then it shouldn't be too stressful no matter when you do it.....after all it is enjoyable to you right? I think you just have to love policy to do this. Using the MPH will actually decrease your salary, possibly add time to your training, and offers little benefit to residency programs.

Only get the MPH, if you can't live without it.

I know that there are different areas that you can get your MPH in. Do you think it will help me if I want to work in low income communities? Also, will it help my chances of getting into a good residency even a little?

 

[TexasPhysician]

I know that there are different areas that you can get your MPH in. Do you think it will help me if I want to work in low income communities? Also, will it help my chances of getting into a good residency even a little?

First, I'm not sure what you mean by "help me if I want to work in low income communities." Help you do.......what exactly?

Here is the deal with the MPH: You are going to spend a ton of time getting this degree. You might dedicate a year to this alone and if not, still tons of hours during med school. Will the degree help you get into residency a little.......maybe. However while you spend extra time studying for this MPH, others will be doing research, publishing papers, doing foreign medical mission work, going to special programs, volunteering, etc. The MPH might actually hurt you if you can't find enough time for other things.

I'd really think about what residency you are planning on going into. If you want to do ENT, then I'd argue the MPH is a waste of time and would hurt your chances. If you want to do family medicine, then an MPH could be useful to you, and it might make you look better to residency programs.

 

[heronumber1one1]

The pro to this is that the MPH is free if I do this program

Nothing is free...consider the opportunity cost (1 year of salary as a physician) of spending an extra year doing the MPH...if you ultimately want to practice medicine, the MPH will have no effect on your career prospects...

 

[pride4jc727]

I just want to ask whether schools will allow applicants to apply to a combined MD/MPH program as a part of applying to medical school or does acceptance to the MPH program occur only after one does get accepted to the MD program?

 

[herkyMD]

I just want to ask whether schools will allow applicants to apply to a combined MD/MPH program as a part of applying to medical school or does acceptance to the MPH program occur only after one does get accepted to the MD program?

I'm doing the MD/MPH program starting next year. I'm deferring a year of med school to do my MPH and then I'm doing the med school thing like every other person who gets accepted this coming cycle. The way it worked for me was first you got accepted to the MD program and then, if you were interested, you could apply to the MPH program. This also seemed to be the general consensus from most other places I looked into that had MD/MPH programs.

 

[phospho]

TexasPhysician makes a good point.

Also, from my personal experience, I haven't seen any job employed by an MD/MPH graduate that an MD couldn't have gotten. Yes, an MD/MPH might make getting the job a little bit easier, but that's a whole year you could have spent doing other things that could (arguably) benefit you more on the long run.

That's why I chose to get an MD only (among many other reasons like wanting to graduate with my class, not wanting to be in the middle of third year wishing I was applying to residencies with them, etc...)