stepping stone

[ConfusedTear]

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I have strongly considered getting a MPH. However how important do you think the name of the program is if you plan on attending medical school. The program I have fallen in love with is waaaaay too expensive..private. There is an accredited program here in Arkansas but not very many connections or oppurtunties for abroad learning. But it is an affordable MPH accredited program. Would you go to the higher name brand school or the inexpensive state school if this will not be your terminal degree.

 

[espre]

Hi. Why not go to med school first? Medical training will be 7-11 years (4 of school plus residency/fellowship), and you may find that you don't want to spend the extra time doing an MPH. Also, if you're in a med school at a university that has an MPH program, then you may be able to do a combined MD/MPH, in which the MPH would likely take only 1 year. If you do the MPH anytime after med school, then you could also apply for 1 year programs. If you're going straight from college to an MPH program, then the MPH will probably take 2 years. Another reason to do it after your MD, is that if you get your MPH now, and then go through all of your medical training, then the MPH will probably have less significance than if you had just done it. Applying for public health positions when you had completed your MPH 10 years before, may not be the best situation.

 

[espre]

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[Stories]

Hi. Why not go to med school first? Medical training will be 7-11 years (4 of school plus residency/fellowship), and you may find that you don't want to spend the extra time doing an MPH. Also, if you're in a med school at a university that has an MPH program, then you may be able to do a combined MD/MPH, in which the MPH would likely take only 1 year. If you do the MPH anytime after med school, then you could also apply for 1 year programs. If you're going straight from college to an MPH program, then the MPH will probably take 2 years. Another reason to do it after your MD, is that if you get your MPH now, and then go through all of your medical training, then the MPH will probably have less significance than if you had just done it. Applying for public health positions when you had completed your MPH 10 years before, may not be the best situation.

Fantastic advice here.

If you know you want to be in medical school before even doing your MPH, you're better off going straight to med school without the intermediate public health schooling.

 

[ConfusedTear]

Fantastic advice here.

If you know you want to be in medical school before even doing your MPH, you're better off going straight to med school without the intermediate public health schooling.

The mph was to enhance undergrad. So the mph would be to become a better applicant for med school

 

[SJD24]

All good advice so far as usual. My two cents: If you are really interested in public health, get an MPH (2-year) and go to the best PH school you can (why not, you only live once). By best, this may include your way too expensive private school and doing it before med school. I contemplated the same question b/c I want to eventually go to medical school too. I suggest making a list of your goals and determine if the state PH school will help you meet them. If so, go for it. If not, go somewhere else. Now, will a bigger name MPH program help get you into medical school? Who knows...there is tons of debate over this subject for undergrad schools, etc. Will going to Harvard/Hopkins/Yale for MPH catch the eye of med school admins? I am sure it counts for something, but who knows. I suppose it is how you perform at the school that is more important than where you go...but to do really well at a great school...that has to pull some weight. Remember: Graduate grades are definitely inflated (IE: It is not unreasonable to get straight A's for the whole program). So yeah, it will boost your GPA (maybe not science GPA depending on classes you take) and may set you apart from applicants straight from undergrad. Again, thats my two cents and is mostly pure speculation at best from what I have read on SDN, etc.

I know its tough decision. Go with your gut and never give up. I had an okay undergrad and went on to do an M.S. in physiology and rocked it. I did some public health work abroad and that set my heart on MPH. I'm going to Yale next year and then seeing where that takes me. Ultimately, MPH/ and then MD is my goal. Its all about the journey b/c everyone's paths to reach a common goal are different.

Here is a link to a great thread a few months back with input about a very similar question to your original post.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=700037&highlight=mph+md

 

[Stories]

The mph was to enhance undergrad. So the mph would be to become a better applicant for med school

A MPH doesn't significantly enhance your chances at medical school. A MPH can help a well-rounded individual (someone who already has excellent MCAT, GRE, research experience (for some reason, research counts for a lot), clinical experience). However, the MPH won't improve a non-accept student's chance into accept territory (meaning, if the undergrad record is weak, MPH doesn't significantly bolster chances).

 

[ConfusedTear]

A MPH doesn't significantly enhance your chances at medical school. A MPH can help a well-rounded individual (someone who already has excellent MCAT, GRE, research experience (for some reason, research counts for a lot), clinical experience). However, the MPH won't improve a non-accept student's chance into accept territory (meaning, if the undergrad record is weak, MPH doesn't significantly bolster chances).

Thanks for the quick responses from all. SDJ24 thanks. My undergrad cum is probably around the 3.1-3.2 arena. So do you all suggest a different option. I was very intrigued by Tulane...but there was a hefty price tag, are they super competitive. I have been told that a lot of MPH schools are not super competitive to get into...will most programs accept a sub par low 3.0 gpa...

 

[JMM051]

Thanks for the quick responses from all. SDJ24 thanks. My undergrad cum is probably around the 3.1-3.2 arena. So do you all suggest a different option. I was very intrigued by Tulane...but there was a hefty price tag, are they super competitive. I have been told that a lot of MPH schools are not super competitive to get into...will most programs accept a sub par low 3.0 gpa...

Someone's been lying to you.


First off, this year was SUPER competitive from the top to the bottom. The stats that ASPH puts out are from '08 and in serious need of an update.

It is possible to get in to programs with sub 3.0 BUT with great experience, GRE, rec's, statement, etc. Many MPH programs have an avg. GPA of 3.5.

Schools that have acceptances rates of 65%+ have definitely decreased in the last two years (Tulane included...it was 79% in '08, not so now)


If you are only pursuing an MPH to boost your med school chances I would suggest a post-bac instead. If you are truly interested I would go for the school that interests you most.

 

[Confuzzled2]

Someone's been lying to you.


First off, this year was SUPER competitive from the top to the bottom. The stats that ASPH puts out are from '08 and in serious need of an update.

It is possible to get in to programs with sub 3.0 BUT with great experience, GRE, rec's, statement, etc. Many MPH programs have an avg. GPA of 3.5.

Schools that have acceptances rates of 65%+ have definitely decreased in the last two years (Tulane included...it was 79% in '08, not so now)


If you are only pursuing an MPH to boost your med school chances I would suggest a post-bac instead. If you are truly interested I would go for the school that interests you most.

Sorry, had to jump in here...don't let this years competitiveness discourage you from applying. I applied with a sub 3.0 gpa and got into one of the top programs out there. You just have to find a way to differentiate yourself and stick to your guns.

That being said..i completely agree with going to post-bac route if your end-game is med school.

why pay 50-100k for a stepping stone degree just so you can be allowed to pay another 200k for your true goal?

 

[ConfusedTear]

Sorry, had to jump in here...don't let this years competitiveness discourage you from applying. I applied with a sub 3.0 gpa and got into one of the top programs out there. You just have to find a way to differentiate yourself and stick to your guns.

That being said..i completely agree with going to post-bac route if your end-game is med school.

why pay 50-100k for a stepping stone degree just so you can be allowed to pay another 200k for your true goal?

I am interested in obtaining a MPH, I figured it would be more beneficial to earn a degree rather than just take a yr worth of classes that really won't do too much to my gpa. But aren't the post bacc programs just as expensive and even more competitive than mph programs to get into?

 

[AnumSanum]

I've heard of a lot of pre-meds talking about MPH as a stepping stone. It kinda annoys me because I really want to get a MPH to work in the field. At one point I was pre-med but I realized that part of healthcare wasn't for me but of course everyone assumes I'm just using a MPH to get into Med school. But now that I've made the switch, I sometimes get worried about job security in public health (I think that's mostly my dad's doing since he really wants me to stay on the med school track) so I might go get a medical degree one day (regardless of job security though, I was thinking I would go back to school if after working in the public health field, I felt it'll be more useful in a global health perspective then just a MPH).

 

[espre]

...But now that I've made the switch, I sometimes get worried about job security in public health (I think that's mostly my dad's doing since he really wants me to stay on the med school track) so I might go get a medical degree one day (regardless of job security though, I was thinking I would go back to school if after working in the public health field, I felt it'll be more useful in a global health perspective then just a MPH).

Job security and parental pressure are the wrong reasons to endure at least 7 years of hyper-intense medical training. Pursue an MD only if you are completely passionate about it, otherwise you will be very unhappy when it's 4 am, you have 5 admissions pending from the ER, you're more exhausted than you can believe, and you still have 14 hours left to work.

 

[Stories]

I am interested in obtaining a MPH, I figured it would be more beneficial to earn a degree rather than just take a yr worth of classes that really won't do too much to my gpa. But aren't the post bacc programs just as expensive and even more competitive than mph programs to get into?

By far the most important aspect of your class GPA is your science GPA (biology, chemistry, physics). If these are less than 3.5, you have somewhat of an upward battle. Check the other pre-med forums here on SDN for more info on tips regarding that topic.