those who got a MPH and reapplied - did it help?

[rednailpolish]

i'm choosing between a MHS and a MPH before i apply to med schools to show i can handle tough science classes. i'm not applying until next year, but i'm more in love with the idea of having a MPH to work with than a MHS.

for those of you who applied then pursued a MPH before reapplying, did getting a MPH help your application? did schools care?

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[TwinsFan]

i'm choosing between a MHS and a MPH before i apply to med schools to show i can handle tough science classes. i'm not applying until next year, but i'm more in love with the idea of having a MPH to work with than a MHS.

for those of you who applied then pursued a MPH before reapplying, did getting a MPH help your application? did schools care?

Neither of those options show adcoms you can handle tough science classes. Do an SMP or a postbacc if this is what you seek.

 

[Goro]

STRONGLY concur!

Neither of those options show adcoms you can handle tough science classes. Do an SMP or a postbacc if this is what you seek.

 

[rednailpolish]

Neither of those options show adcoms you can handle tough science classes. Do an SMP or a postbacc if this is what you seek.

the MHS is made entirely of biology classes. a post-bacc would do nothing for me, as i have about 170 credits so when it gets divided out, the change in grades is tiny. i prefer the MHS to a SMP because i have the chance to apply to be in the ScM, which would at least set me up for a PhD or other doctoral degree in the event that i don't get into med school

 

[Toss]

the MHS is made entirely of biology classes. a post-bacc would do nothing for me, as i have about 170 credits so when it gets divided out, the change in grades is tiny. i prefer the MHS to a SMP because i have the chance to apply to be in the ScM, which would at least set me up for a PhD or other doctoral degree in the event that i don't get into med school

Your mind seems to be made up even though an adcom has responded.

Go and do the MHS then.

These two links may help though:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=346106
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=640302

 

[rednailpolish]

Your mind seems to be made up even though an adcom has responded.

Go and do the MHS then.

well, that's what's weird. LizzyM said the MHS will help show i can do science classes to adcoms, as did a family friend who does admissions at a NYC med school. so i'm kind of lost

 

[xffan624]

i'm choosing between a MHS and a MPH before i apply to med schools to show i can handle tough science classes. i'm not applying until next year, but i'm more in love with the idea of having a MPH to work with than a MHS.

for those of you who applied then pursued a MPH before reapplying, did getting a MPH help your application? did schools care?

I did a hybrid MPH after my UG (in which I had emerged with a less than desirable GPA) that had about half epidemiology/ half microbiology courses in it, but as I concluded the degree and my classmates were preparing to apply to medical schools. I realized I was burned out and couldn't do medical school at that point. I was tired of being poor and a student. I did have a job right out of grad school that I was fortunate to get in the lab I had done my practicum and final project with. It was an Army lab, but still a contractor position that didn't pay much and would barely cover my expenses after the student loans came a knocking. I used my degree and contacts from the Army lab to get a direct commission in the Army and applied my degree there for five years.

I think it worked out for me, but I came in to the degree thinking that this may help me get into medical school, but if I decide I don't want try for it again, at least I will have a degree that will get me in a field I am interested in. This is pretty much what I did for 3+ years in the Army till the medical school bug hit me again and I realized it was time to try again.

Unless you have a plan or desire to work in the public health field, I would not pursue one. If you do, then maybe try for a hard science MPH that will still give you some hard science classes to point to should you want to pursue medical school.

 

[HamsterHuey]

I would disagree. I think an MPH is a great way to go. MPH's differ from school to school, with some requiring strong research skills. Those usually have an epidemiology/biostatistics focus.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Getting a masters does help to some degree. It does not help with the grades because one is judged more on the undergrad GPA than grad. The only exception being SMP courses because they are medical school level.

This is the way I see the benefit of all post-baccalaureate degrees:

SMP or Post-bacc >>>>>> M.S. >> M.P.H.

This is from the combined knowledge of SDN and 2 adcoms I have spoken to.

 

[rednailpolish]

thanks for all the replies. i committed to the MHS at hopkins and i really like the program and it seems like there's a lot of support for pre-med graduate students, so i'm finally happy with my choice. i will likely pursue a MPH in the future, either alongside med school or instead of it if i don't in anywhere through a few application cycles