Undergraduate Prep for MPH?

[VassarLiberal]

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Do any current MPH students have any recommendations for courses that an undergraduate should take prior to a grad program in public health, particularly in epidemiology?

 

[xscpx]

basics sciences, math (calculus), and I think a med term course would be helpful too.

 

[FutureKDEpi]

.

 

[xscpx]

yeah definitely stats! duh forgot about that!

 

[VassarLiberal]

Is regular ol' undergrad statistics sufficient? I imagine that taking biostatistics on top of that would be worthwhile, no?

 

[xscpx]

biostats 1, for me, seemed like a faster paced sequel to stats 1, just using health examples. Taking stats 1 is really helpful because they spend quite a bit of time on frequency histograms and the tables to make them. In my biostats 1, the book assumed knowledge of frequency histograms and the section on them seemed to be review. It may be difficult if you had not seen it before. Also, the table you use to solve them is the same as you need to set up for ANOVAs. Having done it before makes it that much easier later. Also, taking stats 1 makes the probability section of biostats 1 a breeze. Stats 1 moves very slowly and you have plenty of time to "get it". Biostats is fast paced. I would highly reccomend it.

My school does not offer an undergrad biostats course. If your does, take it. Anything to make your life in grad school easier, because not all classes will be easy. (Honestly, biostats 1 was really easy for me because I had already seen most of it before. It allowed me to focus more time on studying Epi, which I needed.)

 

[love2bfit]

I'm so glad someone started this thread! I've been wondering if I'm lacking any necessary courses for an MPH in epi. I'm a psych major, so I've taken courses in psych stats and research methods/design. I also took calc my freshman year (though I didn't do too well in it). I'm thinking of taking intro to cell/molecular bio and microbio for non-majors this coming school year... would these courses be beneficial? I'll be finished with the psych major after next semester, so I have to fill my schedule up with something anyway (haha).

 

[Music333]

Most schools recommended 1 semester of stats, 1 semester of calc, and 2 semesters of science. I think Yale was the only one that said psych stats wasn't okay, and said to take stats with SAS, which my school doesn't offer. I asked all the other schools if they'd recommend any other classes, and they all said that 2 sem of math and 2 sem of science were fine. I was thinking of taking A & P, but it won't fit in my schedule.

 

[gobears88]

i will be taking biostats, but i haven't taken regular stats. would that be acceptable? also, do they care which sciences we take in those 2 semesters? i've taken one semester of biology, and a handful of other "science-related" but not exactly hard science classes - such as intro to human nutrition; brain mind and behavior.

 

[Stories]

Anything that's physiology, nutrition, kinesology, toxicology, and other applied health sciences are very useful classes to take because it gives you a better understanding of the biology of health. They're not critical, though. You can always take the bio courses that are offered at your SPH.

Familiarity and proficiency in math definitely helps, though. As will any amount of natural science work since you'll be more familiar with scientific writing and scientific thought.

 

[jkmph]

As an Epi MPH student I can assure you that the most useful undergrad course you could take is an introductory biostatistics course. Hands down the best prep for your first year program in Epi.