URGENT: Masters vs. DO

[lammoush09]

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I'm kind of in a weird situation.

I applied to DO schools but decided to apply to MPH or MS programs in Public Health as a back up plan so that I'd have something to do for the next couple of years till I can retake the MCAT and reapply. I got into all 4 programs that I applied to .. the most recent one being Harvard's Public Health school for a Masters in Global Health.

I didn't think I would get into Harvard and would have chosen DO school over any of the other masters programs.

But now I'm a bit lost. Alot of people are telling me to do Harvard first and reapply to DO school later, because if I get the DO first, there is no guarantee that I'll get the Masters (which I do want to get under any circumstances) from Harvard later. Maybe I'd get it from somewhere else.. One person said that if I can get into DO school now, there shouldn't be any reason they would reject me later with a MS from Harvard....

The other thing to consider is finances. If I get the DO first, getting the MS or MPH will take only one year later, far cheaper than 2 years right now. And of course time.. 1 year later is less than 2 years now.

Am I passing up a good chance to get a degree from Harvard if I go to DO school first? There is no guarantee that Harvard will accept me again after finishing DO....

 

[futIDdoc]

You should go to the DO school. Reapplying to any medical school after turning down acceptances is dangerous business from what I understand. Besides, whats a masters degree going to allow you to do that a medical degree won't (note: I do have a masters degree, so speaking from a little bit f expierence)? You can always do one after you finish medical school. Point is, don't expect those DO schools to take you back after you turned them down once. They have people lined up that would be willing to take your spot in a second.

 

[lammoush09]

You should go to the DO school. Reapplying to any medical school after turning down acceptances is dangerous business from what I understand. Besides, whats a masters degree going to allow you to do that a medical degree won't (note: I do have a masters degree, so speaking from a little bit f expierence)? You can always do one after you finish medical school. Point is, don't expect those DO schools to take you back after you turned them down once. They have people lined up that would be willing to take your spot in a second.

I want the Masters and the DO.. I think a masters in public health or a related field ALONG WITH my DO degree would provide with some advantage for a variety of reasons. Plus, it's something I am really interested in (that's why I chose it as my backup plan).

The only thing is that my chances of getting that masters from harvard after getting the DO are not as high. This is really a question of deciding which to do first.

 

[EastCoaster78]

I'm kind of in a weird situation.

I applied to DO schools but decided to apply to MPH or MS programs in Public Health as a back up plan so that I'd have something to do for the next couple of years till I can retake the MCAT and reapply. I got into all 4 programs that I applied to .. the most recent one being Harvard's Public Health school for a Masters in Global Health.

I didn't think I would get into Harvard and would have chosen DO school over any of the other masters programs.

But now I'm a bit lost. Alot of people are telling me to do Harvard first and reapply to DO school later, because if I get the DO first, there is no guarantee that I'll get the Masters (which I do want to get under any circumstances) from Harvard later. Maybe I'd get it from somewhere else.. One person said that if I can get into DO school now, there shouldn't be any reason they would reject me later with a MS from Harvard....

The other thing to consider is finances. If I get the DO first, getting the MS or MPH will take only one year later, far cheaper than 2 years right now. And of course time.. 1 year later is less than 2 years now.

Am I passing up a good chance to get a degree from Harvard if I go to DO school first? There is no guarantee that Harvard will accept me again after finishing DO....

question is how old are u?

if you're less than 25 you should deff do the masters, it will open more doors when you reapply, (to both DO and MD programs) and it would open doors when you apply for residency.

but if you're a nontrad pushing 30, i'd say dont waste your time, get stated on your medical degree already.

 

[futIDdoc]

fine then do an MPH after school. If you are hung up on the harvard thing, don't be. its going to make no difference where you do your master degree b/c when people look at hiring you they are going to look at two other aspects of your training way before where you did your MPH or MS; first, where did you go to medical school (though prolly not that big of deal; second (and most important) where and how did you do your residency. Where you did your MS or MPH will have little to no effect. The fact that you have an MPH or and MS may help though. REPEAT, if you turn down acceptances do not be surprised if you never get accepted into an osteopathic school again! I guarantee Harvard will still be standing after you complete your degree and you'll be a more competitive applicant after finishing medical school.

 

[Styria]

Which DO schools have accepted you?

 

[EyeDR_oo]

How bout just doing a joint program at one of your med schools? Its free, and usually can get it all done within 4-5 years.

 

[Bacchus]

This is me being a hardass: Get over the HARVARD name. No one cares if you have an MPH from Harvard.

As stated above you can get an MPH from almost any medical school or a variety of other degrees. Do not screw yourself over from medical school by denying acceptances. If you are accepted to programs and deny them, thus reapplying, those schools more than likely, with almost no shadow of doubt, will not admit you the following year. No one likes to be slapped in the face and then reused.

Also, the MPH from Harvard is not going to considerably help you in terms of admission gains. It looks nice, but you can get an MPH from a lot of schools so the novelty just isn't that high.

Take a DO acceptance and run with it.

 

[Bacchus]

question is how old are u?

if you're less than 25 you should deff do the masters, it will open more doors when you reapply, (to both DO and MD programs) and it would open doors when you apply for residency.

but if you're a nontrad pushing 30, i'd say dont waste your time, get stated on your medical degree already.

1. If the OP only applied to DO schools this time around, assuming because of stats, an MPH will not get him into MD schools. Its assumed you'll do well in a Masters program and the weight given to those grades is not the same as the weight given to an undergraduate career.

2. The MPH might help with residency but board scores, research, academic performance, LORS, and general likeability (auditioning) will have more of an impact than an MPH.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I agree with most of the above. OP, if you want to do public health stuff, an MPH is great/fitting/necessary(?). That being said, certain schools like NSU-COM give them away in the DO program, and other schools give you a break or give them away, too.

You never said you were accepted, so I'm curious if you are or if this is a hypothetical, for now.

 

[235750]

I'm confused. Harvard doesn't offer an MPH with a Global Health focus....maybe you meant International Health?

Regardless, Harvard (like most good MPH programs) require years of experience, so you are probably not a young person. You're probably old like me 🙂

Here's a couple of points for you to think about and keep your attention: (1) there is a good chance that getting an MPH, I don't care where it's from, will hurt your probability of getting into medical school, and (2) Harvard is not the best in terms of an MPH program (PhD in Biostats it's top dog, but not generic MPH)

I applied to medical school multiple times after being accepted and I got a masters instead, so I can tell you that it can be done, but it gets really hard as you get older. It will limit your options to be sure: you have to explain in future interviews why you turned schools down, and why they should believe that you still remember the sciences. Both financially and mentally, it's a strain. The newer your MCATS the better your odds: so if you really want get this harvard degree, prepare to possibily take the MCAT again. You will have to prove that 2 years of non-rigorous, non-science courses hasn't dulled your skills. That should be enough to deter you I think.

Also, your name fixation doesn't make a whole lot of sense because the best MPH program by far is at Hopkins. I tutored students there, they have an amazing program. Look at their degree concentrations. If I were you I would get your DO degree and then if you really wanted a big-name school, apply for thier MPH afterwards. You can do most of it via distance learning. I know people at PCOM who do that whilst they were 3rd and then 4th years.

Keep this in mind: an MPH does not make you a whole lot more competetive for medical school. Apart from the one biostats class you'll take, there's no science of any sort. Epi you say? Don't make me laugh! However, having a DO or MD degree will guarantee you a spot at just about any master's program, Hopkins included. There were plenty of DOs getting their MPH there a couple of years back who were just bored and wanted to get a masters, no fancy background or anything. So don't worry about it and just go with the higher degree 👍 Good luck!

 

[rddoms]

From a finances point of view, the DO is the best option. It will only take you 1 year to get a MS/MPH after a DO, so you have an extra year to make an attending's salary. Also, some schools offer a MPH program that you can take during your med school years (online, spread it out).

That being said, take the DO acceptance and run. I did a MS first, and only because I chickened out on applying to med school. I did the MS at my current school, and wished that I was one of the med students as opposed to a masters student. I loved the MS program, but seeing my med school friends in their white coats made me jealous (though I had no right to be jealous).

You might regret not taking the medical school acceptance you have in your hand.

just my $0.02, but most people will agree.

 

[EEL08]

I'm confused about whether or not you've actually been accepted to any DO programs. I'm also wondering exactly what advantages you hope to have by having both a DO and MPH. You kind of skimmed over why you want to do the MPH but didn't really explain it. If you've been accepted to a DO school I say just go. You can always work an MPH in somewhere without having to do it at Harvard. I would say if you planned on strictly going into PH then doing the program at Harvard might help some but not otherwise.

 

[futurehealer117]

Plain and simple: DO YOU WANT TO BE A PHYSICIAN, OR A PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONAL? I agree 100% that having both would be amazing and beneficial and getting it from Harvard would be FRIGGEN SWEET! But look at it like this if you got into a great MPH program at your current level of expertise, what makes you think you won't once you're a physician? Granted I'm just a pre-med who would sell a lung to get into any med-school....

 

[beachblonde]

It sounds like the OP is leaning towards not a true MPH, but rather an MS from the school of public health @ Harvard. There is a difference between the public health based MS degrees and the true MPH degree. Just something to point out.

Also, the Harvard name is just that-a name-which will eventually get lost under the name of your medical school. People always write Joe Smith, MD, MPH, not Joe Smith MPH, MD (or in this instance, Joe Smith, DO, MPH). You can easily get an MPH dual degree at several DO schools (an option which I am considering) and save yourself a lot of time and money. I can't imagine reapplying again if I didn't have to.

Plus, if your MPH isn't from the Bloomberg School of Public Health, it's worthless anyways. 😉

 

[ejay1518]

Do any of the DO schools you got into offer the option of doing a DO and a master's? if so, that would be your best bet...some schools let u get your master's and DO in four years so you don't lose any time

 

[DOquestions]

It sounds like the OP is leaning towards not a true MPH, but rather an MS from the school of public health @ Harvard. There is a difference between the public health based MS degrees and the true MPH degree. Just something to point out.

Also, the Harvard name is just that-a name-which will eventually get lost under the name of your medical school. People always write Joe Smith, MD, MPH, not Joe Smith MPH, MD (or in this instance, Joe Smith, DO, MPH). You can easily get an MPH dual degree at several DO schools (an option which I am considering) and save yourself a lot of time and money. I can't imagine reapplying again if I didn't have to.

Plus, if your MPH isn't from the Bloomberg School of Public Health, it's worthless anyways. 😉

Agreed. I don't know what is up with so many people getting MPH degrees these days. I'm seeing nurses, PAs, NPs, doctors, PhDs getting MPH degrees. If four thousand people have the same degree, your degree loses value.

So what will be the next hot degree?

I went to high school with a lady that got her MPH from John Hopkins. She had a 4.0 GPA in chemistry in college and was not able to get a job in anything. So she did temp jobs until she got her MPH degree. She then applied to the CDC and was hired right away.

 

[p30doc]

Go DO, as mentioned Nova gives you a free MPH if you want it, and others have the option to get one along the way too. Turning down an acceptance is going to be something that is hard to overcome if you apply again. Your motivation to become a physician will likely be questioned, and because you wanted a degree from a school with a big name isn't likely to be a good excuse for turning down an acceptance.

 

[EastCoaster78]

1. If the OP only applied to DO schools this time around, assuming because of stats, an MPH will not get him into MD schools. Its assumed you'll do well in a Masters program and the weight given to those grades is not the same as the weight given to an undergraduate career.

2. The MPH might help with residency but board scores, research, academic performance, LORS, and general likeability (auditioning) will have more of an impact than an MPH.

wow a pre-med, i guess u prob know a little more about this, as i'll be graduating from PCOM in 2 months.

so how bout a little more on residency interviews, I've only been on 15?
on every single one i was asked about my masters and research.

To the OP: if you got into a good established DO school, by this I mean PCOM, UMDNJ, Oklahoma, NYCOM, DMU, Chicagok, or Western..ect...i dont know what you guys consider established anymore....you are better off going, if you got into a new schoold...by this i mean one that opened in the last 5 years, go ahead and do your MPH. It will help you out when you reapply. Dont worry about being snubbed by turning down an acceptance. Only one school will know about it anyways, any Q's PM me.

 

[Bacchus]

I didn't discount it, all I am saying is that there are more indicative signs for acceptance into a residency position than an MPH. The MPH is not going to save you from bad board scores, reputation, or bad grades.

 

[EyeDR_oo]

As with most things "EC":
You're right - it wont make up for poor (fill in the blank), but might give you an edge depending on what you want to do.

We still have not heard from our original poster as to whether he/she has even received an acceptance for a choice to be had.

 

[skiracr456]

Nobody has suggested this yet, but why don't you call the admissions department from the DO schools you were accepted to. They are not going to revoke your admission for you asking about getting an MPH. Talk with an admissions counselor and ask them about your pros and cons, and what will happen if you turn down your admission.

SOME MED SCHOOLS WILL LET YOU DEFER YOUR ACCEPTANCE FOR UP TO THREE YEARS!

Don't rely on what we have to say, talk to someone who really knows.

 

[Bacchus]

I don't think an MPH is a legitimate reason for a deferral, to be honest.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I don't think an MPH is a legitimate reason for a deferral, to be honest.

LOL they'll just say, "We have one of those. So, no."

 

[ShyRem]

And some schools as has already been said, have an MPH program you can do along with the DO program.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

I didn't discount it, all I am saying is that there are more indicative signs for acceptance into a residency position than an MPH. The MPH is not going to save you from bad board scores, reputation, or bad grades.

If the OP has osteopathic acceptances, he should definitely take them for several reasons. First, the rapidly worsening economy leaves everybody in limbo in terms of having the availability of money to apply/attend med school in the future. If you do get your Harvard MPH, how will you know that you will have enough money available to apply to med school a few years down the line? Second, the MD and DO admissions games seem to be getting more difficult each year. Do you really want to risk the chance that you will not be admitted again in the future, especially since it seems that an MPH doesn't add much to your resume?

Personally, to me passing up a medical school acceptance would be like throwing away a winning $5 million lottery ticket just because you think you can win a $10 million lottery in the future. Take what you've got and run with it.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

I want the Masters and the DO.. I think a masters in public health or a related field ALONG WITH my DO degree would provide with some advantage for a variety of reasons. Plus, it's something I am really interested in (that's why I chose it as my backup plan).

The only thing is that my chances of getting that masters from harvard after getting the DO are not as high. This is really a question of deciding which to do first.

Um, I have an MPH and I almost have a DO. I haven't seen, nor do I see in the future, any advantages of having the MPH besides the fact that its more letters after your name.

I only got it because it was free. Don't waste your time.

 

[rc4ch]

If the OP has osteopathic acceptances, he should definitely take them for several reasons. First, the rapidly worsening economy leaves everybody in limbo in terms of having the availability of money to apply/attend med school in the future. If you do get your Harvard MPH, how will you know that you will have enough money available to apply to med school a few years down the line? Second, the MD and DO admissions games seem to be getting more difficult each year. Do you really want to risk the chance that you will not be admitted again in the future, especially since it seems that an MPH doesn't add much to your resume?

Personally, to me passing up a medical school acceptance would be like throwing away a winning $5 million dollar lottery ticket just because you think you can win a $10 million lottery in the future. Take what you've got and run with it.

I agree with this. The application process sucks and it was expensive as hell. I would never repeat that ever, especially since I got to my #1 choice, hehe. Anyways, if you want to be a doctor, then why delay it, just become a physician sooner. I think your just going to waste time and money getting that Masters if in the end you only want to become a doctor.

Plus did you even get in to a school? Your top choice? Or just a school that accepted you? I guess this would really change our suggestions/advice if you tell us this.

 

[lammoush09]

Thanks for all the replies but it has made things even more confusing.
I'm kind of paranoid about detailed info becoming public, especially in regards to acceptances and rejections because you never know who might read this stuff...

but I did get into 1 DO school, I've been High waitlisted at another one, and I've gotten rejected from one. The rejection was from NSU which was expected because it was my last secondary and I sent it in super late. I prefer the one I'm waitlisted on over the acceptance, although they are both relatively new schools. I think, because of all the waitlist movement, I'll get into the one I want. But I haven't heard anything at all from the "more established" schools such as CCOM, NYCOM, or NJ. I've contacted them all and they all say that my application has been complete since december or whenever and its under review.

I guess there's alot to address, but no, this is not a hypothetical. I have to make a real decision. I am going to the Accepted Students day at Harvard in a couple weeks, so we'll see how that goes. I wanted to try and decide before that...

Secondly, someone guessed correctly that I will not be getting the MPH.. I stated that I got into the school of public health, but I got into the MS degree in Global Health. I preferred the curriculum over the MPH program, but I'm not 100% sure about all the differences other than classes... more info on that would be helpful.

I know what you all are saying about passing up an acceptance. But that's what some people say to me about passing up Harvard... so I don't know. And I'm not actually that hung up on the name.. it's just the people around me ie family and friends who are like "oooh Harvard .. ur definitely going" that make me feel as though I'm a fool for passing it up. And when I say "well I've got medical school acceptances" people are just SHOCKED that I would even consider not going to harvard.

I'm young and below average medical student age. And there is no question that I want to be a doctor, but I'm also very interested in policy and public health and health disparities and working with disadvantaged populations. So the masters would help me delve into that.. that's what I meant about it being an advantage.. not in terms of getting into residencies, but in terms of allowing me to work in multiple areas related to health care.

The thing is that I can live with a medical degree and no MPH. But I'm not sure that I could do anything in public health and not be a doctor.. I want to be a physician and I want the masters degree.. but I want to be a doctor infinitely more than I want the masters.

But it seems that most of you think that I should pass up Harvard and go to DO school and get the masters later from wherever, either thru my school or otherwise. I know that Harvard and most other public health programs will do a 1 year MS or MPH for students with advanced degrees (DO, MD, DMD, etc)... so that's really what I had been thinking about when I meant that I could do it later. Although I guess everyone has a diff idea about what the best place to get it could be, it may just be my grades that determine that.

This is all very confusing but I really appreciate all this input. Other than having to reject acceptances at these (probably) two schools (so far, although the clock is ticking), is there any other disadvantage to doing Harvard first?

 

[rc4ch]

To me, it seems like you really want that MPH. I say go for it if that's really what you want and then apply to medical schools. You'd be a little late and it will cost some money, but money is nothing really. I say do what you want to do if you really want to do. We can't really make your life decision here, so... I don't know what else I can say lol.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

Honestly, in the Public Health world, no one gives a **** if you went to Harvard or some po-dunk school. Its hard enough to find qualified people that want public health. The fact that you have one from Harvard isnt gonna help much.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

I know what you all are saying about passing up an acceptance. But that's what some people say to me about passing up Harvard... so I don't know. And I'm not actually that hung up on the name.. it's just the people around me ie family and friends who are like "oooh Harvard .. ur definitely going" that make me feel as though I'm a fool for passing it up. And when I say "well I've got medical school acceptances" people are just SHOCKED that I would even consider not going to harvard.

Please don't let this be the reason you give up the medical school acceptances. Who are these people who are "shocked" that you would give up going to Harvard's MPH school in favor of med school? Are they people who know the ins and outs of the med school admissions game, or are they just people who heard "Harvard" and started swooning? Trust me, you won't be a fool for passing Harvard up.

Think about a few things here.

- How much debt do you currently have?

- How much more debt are you going to accumulate by doing the MPH first/at all (as opposed to doing med school first or doing the two degrees together)?

- Will you be able to get enough loan money to cover your MPH and medical school tuition someday? Even most medical student-oriented loan programs have an upper limit of sorts, not to mention the fact that you may need a cosigner for some or all of the loan amounts.

- Can you actually earn a living wage if for some reason med school is off the table and you have to go get a job with just the MPH? (Things happen - illness, money troubles, etc.)

- Does where you get an MPH even matter in the first place?

- Most importantly, do you really want the MPH or are you just enamored with the idea that Harvard accepted you? If the school that accepted you wasn't Harvard, would you feel the same way (and you admit that you wouldn't)?

 

[235750]

I'd just like to say on top of all the things I said previously, one does not put a masters degree after the initals MD or DO. I have NEVER seen an MD or a DO (and rarely a PhD) with the words MA or MS after their name. It's silly. The only masters degrees you can do that with are an MPH (or one of it's other forms, MSPH, etc) or an MBA, period.

If you want to go into publich health later, then for the love of God don't do an MS program. At least get a proper degree in public health at an accredited place. Otherwise it means nothing in the long run

EDIT: I just read you latest post in more detail...it sounds like you're not a competitive applicant right now, and like I and many other people have said, it will only be more difficult for you to apply to med school in two years time. Also think of a fallback: there aren't tons of jobs for people with just a MS in global health, they do exist, but you really need a higher degree to take advantage of that training. So I'd say go with the more solid choice of DO.

 

[m015094]

I'm going to go against the tide and suggest that you go to Harvard. Although I don't think it is fair, I've found that the cliché, "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is often quite true. Going to Harvard will put you in close proximity to the intellectual elite. Make all the connections you can there and I bet that you will be able to reap the benefits in the future. It's all part of playing the game.

 

[EyeDR_oo]

I'd just like to say on top of all the things I said previously, one does not put a masters degree after the initals MD or DO. I have NEVER seen an MD or a DO (and rarely a PhD) with the words MA or MS after their name. It's silly. The only masters degrees you can do that with are an MPH (or one of it's other forms, MSPH, etc) or an MBA, period.

Hmmmmm.... so MPH and MBA but not MS. Didn't see that in the handout lol. The reason you attach the initials at the end of your name is because those are your credentials. You earned them - and most likely worked hard for them. You better be dam*ed sure that I am going to include my M.S in biomed engineering from UPenn at the end of my name (whether it helps me or not).

Outside that tangential note - It looks like you said it yourself. You can live without an MPH degree but not without a doctoral one. I think you already made up your mind.

 

[235750]

Hmmmmm.... so MPH and MBA but not MS. Didn't see that in the handout lol. The reason you attach the initials at the end of your name is because those are your credentials. You earned them - and most likely worked hard for them. You better be dam*ed sure that I am going to include my M.S in biomed engineering from UPenn at the end of my name (whether it helps me or not).

Sorry you didn't get the memo! 😛

I'm sure you worked hard for your masters in engineering, as did I. That's not the point. I bet you and I also worked hard for our bachelor degrees, but we wouldn't dream of putting AB/BA/BS after our names, right? It's just common practice.

I'll include my masters on my CV to be sure, but I would never include the initials MS after my name with having an advanced degree. It's just not what's done, with the exception of the MPH or MBA degrees of course.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

There are several dentists and orthodontists in my area that have "MS" on their signs, after their higher initials.

I really don't think it's that absurd to have your sign/card/whatever say "MS", especially if you're involved in tangential matters, such as research and teaching.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

The one that confuses me is all the PAs-->Physicians who put "MD/DO, PA" on their card. That one seems really useless. 😕

Any PA care to chime in on why one might do this?

 

[235750]

There are several dentists and orthodontists in my area that have "MS" on their signs, after their higher initials.

I really don't think it's that absurd to have your sign/card/whatever say "MS", especially if you're involved in tangential matters, such as research and teaching.

I do stand corrected Mr. Chocolate Bear, dentists love their MS degrees. They are a different breed of medicine! 😀 However, that's a little different. That's how they specialize you see. They don't do a residency like MD/DOs do, they have to do a masters on top of it. So, it's a special exception that indicates extra training on top of their DMD/DDS (you or I could not get into such MS programs without a dental degree). I think of it like doctors having FACS or FACEP after their name, which is very relavant indeed.

I have worked/do work with docs (only MDs) that have MS and MA degrees, and I only find out about it in conversation. You can do what you'd like of course, I'm just saying that the general attitude is that DO/MD > MS/MA > BA/BS, and one usually puts only the highest degree in front of their name when it comes to common practice.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I do stand corrected Mr. Chocolate Bear, dentists love their MS degrees. They are a different breed of medicine! 😀 However, that's a little different. That's how they specialize you see. They don't do a residency like MD/DOs do, they have to do a masters on top of it. So, it's a special exception that indicates extra training on top of their DMD/DDS (you or I could not get into such MS programs without a dental degree). I think of it like doctors having FACS or FACEP after their name, which is very relavant indeed.

I have worked/do work with docs (only MDs) that have MS and MA degrees, and I only find out about it in conversation. You can do what you'd like of course, I'm just saying that the general attitude is that DO/MD > MS/MA > BA/BS, and one usually puts only the highest degree in front of their name when it comes to common practice.

👍

Thanks for the explanation!

 

[lammoush09]

Sorry you didn't get the memo! 😛

I'm sure you worked hard for your masters in engineering, as did I. That's not the point. I bet you and I also worked hard for our bachelor degrees, but we wouldn't dream of putting AB/BA/BS after our names, right? It's just common practice.

I'll include my masters on my CV to be sure, but I would never include the initials MS after my name with having an advanced degree. It's just not what's done, with the exception of the MPH or MBA degrees of course.

I live near Boston and (unfortunately for me) I go to Boston hospitals for all my care, where every other doctor as I'm sure you realize, is some universities teaching doctor (Harvard, BU, Tufts) and they're all big shots and MDs.. many many of them, believe it or not, have MS or MPH after their names.. and it doesn't matter what kind of doctor they are. In fact, I'd say that last 3 -4 doctors I met all had either MPH or MS after their MD.

 

[EastWestN2grt]

To the OP:

First of all, I agree with the posters who have said that you should go to medical school. I think you shouldn't turn down the acceptance thats already in hand, or at least the high-waitlist (#1 choice) school which you will also probably get into.

As a physician, the degree that is more important is the MPH, not an MS, esp if its from HSPH. Remember, the MPH program from Harvard is geared for those with professional health degrees or current 3rd-4th year med students. The MS in global health is not. I would even argue that many in the MS program are only resume padding for med school.

Myself, I will be applying to HSPH, and other schools for their MPH program as soon as im done with COMLEX I this June. I plan on taking a year off between 3rd-4th yr to do it. So I absolutely disagree with Buckeye about the value of the MPH. In my experience it is very valuable, especially if you are interested in health policy making, clinical administration, and public health, and I am interested in all the above. But the Harvard MS degree is not the MPH.

If i were you, I would go to medical school, and then if you are still passionate about it after 2 years, apply broadly to MPH programs and take a year off between 3rd-4th year.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

The one that confuses me is all the PAs-->Physicians who put "MD/DO, PA" on their card. That one seems really useless. 😕

Any PA care to chime in on why one might do this?

I believe the "PA" in that case actually indicates something other than being a physician's assistant. For instance, I used to go to a dentist whose office letterhead had the letters "DMD, PA" after his name. I got curious and looked it up and if I remember correctly, the "PA" part actually denoted some sort of legal status for a privately held medical professional's practice (i.e., roughly equivalent to "Chrysler, LLC" or something similar).

 

[Demas567]

It sounds like the OP is leaning towards not a true MPH, but rather an MS from the school of public health @ Harvard. There is a difference between the public health based MS degrees and the true MPH degree. Just something to point out.

Also, the Harvard name is just that-a name-which will eventually get lost under the name of your medical school. People always write Joe Smith, MD, MPH, not Joe Smith MPH, MD (or in this instance, Joe Smith, DO, MPH). You can easily get an MPH dual degree at several DO schools (an option which I am considering) and save yourself a lot of time and money. I can't imagine reapplying again if I didn't have to.

Plus, if your MPH isn't from the Bloomberg School of Public Health, it's worthless anyways. 😉

😱 Wow, this is probably one of the craziest statements I have EVER read on SDN. Funny thing is, this person was being serious.

 

[beachblonde]

😱 Wow, this is probably one of the craziest statements I have EVER read on SDN. Funny thing is, this person was being serious.

I was kidding.

I have a family member who went to Hopkins for their MPH, and this person makes comments about the inferiority of other schools' degrees (in a lighthearted manner, I would add).

Given that I'm considering getting an MPH through NSU, clearly I don't actually believe what I just wrote. Hopkins is hardly the only worthwhile school that grants MPH degrees!

 

[sunset823]

Don't know if the OP is still looking at this thread (it's been a whole *gasp* 10 days), but I thought I'd put in my $0.02. After undergrad I went straight to a Masters program at Harvard (in public policy), cuz I wanted to. Some people are like "oooh, Harvard", others are like "what the hell did you waste your time doing that for??" - point is, I wanted to do it, knew I would use it eventually in my career, and while I'm a product of public school who's hardly a name-grubber, being at Harvard for 2 years allowed me to make some amazing contacts and do cool stuff.

That being said, job market sucked when I came out, and with my age and lack of experience, I ended up back in academia as a research associate, probably in something I could have done before I got the degree, and I have so much debt that I'm deferring the med school acceptance I have to pay it off.

There are risks and benefits to it. Would I do it over again in my situation? Yes - I had not applied to med schools when I applied to masters programs, so it was either going to Harvard or getting a crummy low-paying job - yes, I have the debt, but the experience (to me) was worth it, and I do think my passion for policy helped me get into med school with mediocre 'numbers'.

However, in your situation you already have a med school acceptance, and therefore a guaranteed income stream after school, which you don't get with any masters degree. I would echo somebody else that if you got into a solid med school, please go - you can always get the MPH (and a REAL MPH) later, and possibly for free/much cheaper at that point. However, if it's po-dunk DO school vs. Harvard, the degree might help you get into a more competitive program (either DO or MD) in the future. Just make sure it's what you want and don't let anybody second guess you.

 

[Jamers]

Um, I have an MPH and I almost have a DO. I haven't seen, nor do I see in the future, any advantages of having the MPH besides the fact that its more letters after your name.

I only got it because it was free. Don't waste your time.

Same but I am only doing it because I am almost done with it. No reason to quit with only four classes left. I guess the only door it would open is the public health field: some agencies want physicians with public health expertise.

 

[AdemTD]

Are you crazy? Get your DO!! Your patients aren't going to care that you have an MPH from Harvard and I would be willing to bet that most of them will have no idea what MPH even means...just get it from your DO school! Good Luck!

 

[Semicolon]

Are you crazy? Get your DO!! Your patients aren't going to care that you have an MPH from Harvard and I would be willing to bet that most of them will have no idea what MPH even means...just get it from your DO school! Good Luck!

If they see "DO, MPH", somehow I doubt the "MPH" is what they'll be picking at...