Using an MPH to get into Med School

[curious14]

I've been glancing around this board for a bit (even before I joined) and I've noticed a trend of many MPH applicants also planning to go to med school.

I was just wondering, are you planning to use the MPH as a stepping stone or is this something you want to do before getting into med school? I'm just curious as there are many dual MPH/MD programs out there. Especially because from my research and talking to others on this board and outside. Getting an MPH WILL NOT increase your chances of getting into med school if that is your only reason for getting the degree.

If you're trying to make up for a poor GPA then you probably need to do a post-bac or grad studies that have core sciences incorporated. But that's not my point or my business, I was just wondering how many people aspiring to get an MPH are actually going to be using it?

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[Stories]

What I've noticed among many of my classmates is that they realize after being in PH school, they want to practice medicine.

But you are right, MPH doesn't really help get you into med school.

 

[208808]

There are definitely people using the MPH as a stepping stone because the MD/MPH has become pretty popular. And as Stories said there are people who decide after they start an MPH program to apply to Med School.
I plan on using my MPH but I've also decided to pursue clinical social work.

You do bring up a very good point that needs to be addressed though - schools need to focus on admitting students who will work in the field and not those who think this is a plus for their med school apps, as there is always a need for epidemiologists, biostatisticians, etc.

 

[JMM051]

Don't forget Health Educators!

 

[SJD24]

Hi guys,

I will be the first to admit, my ultimate goal is to practice medicine. However, when considering the options (MD/MPH or MPH prior/after med school), I chose to pursue a full length 2-year program before med rather than a condensed/professional MPH degree that is usually offered between years 2 and 3 of medical school. The reason I chose this, albeit a bit more pricey, is because I felt I would gain the most complete MPH experience possible and not be rushed while trying to study for STEP 1 with one foot in med school and the other in MPH land. Furthermore, two colleagues I spoke to who chose to do an MPH during med school told me they wished they had done it prior/after because they didn't like having to adjust back and forth between med/MPH and wished they would have focused strictly on med for 4 years. Of course, everyone is different but I see the logic here. Not sure I would want the "MPH break".

Ultimately, I want to practice medicine with an international/public health focus and I felt that a 9-month program would not adequately prepare me like a two-year traditional program. Plus, I figured that in two years, I could make lots of great contacts, work in some more international experience, get a good feel for another part of the country, and solidify the MPH concepts that I will ultimately use in the future. Not to mention a 2-year program would allow more time to publish and allows for perhaps more flexibility if there was a great job opportunity I really wanted to pursue for a year or two prior to med school. I am in no hurry...there will always be public health issues to tackle and med schools to take my tuition money

Another reason I chose to pursue an MPH prior to Med School is because I really wanted to experience a top-tier private school education (I love school!)...especially after completing a B.S. /M.S. both at the same large mediocre public university where I was always just a number in giant auditoriums. Furthermore, I know I will never get into a Yale, Harvard, etc for Medicine, so this is my only chance to see how I stack up and to get a more personal experience At the moment, I am almost certain I will accept at Yale for Epi. of Microbial diseases (thought you would appreciate that Stories )

Lastly, I totally agree that getting an MPH will not necessarily help you get into med school, but it certainly wont be looked at unfavorably. If there was a golden ticket to med school, I think the SDN community would be all over it by now, ha. However, I think any graduate degree will help your case...but, like others have said, not all grad degrees are created equal (hard sciences vs. soft sciences).

As a side note: In case anyone was wondering, in all of my MPH essays I mentioned that I ultimately wanted to practice medicine and still got a positive response (in at Yale, Emory, PITT, GW, BU, and UIC). I don't think anyone should hide their goals even if MPH is only one part of the bigger puzzle.

Anyone else out there choosing a similar path? Any other pros or cons you can think of?

 

[curious14]

Hi guys,

I will be the first to admit, my ultimate goal is to practice medicine. However, when considering the options (MD/MPH or MPH prior/after med school), I chose to pursue a full length 2-year program before med rather than a condensed/professional MPH degree that is usually offered between years 2 and 3 of medical school. The reason I chose this, albeit a bit more pricey, is because I felt I would gain the most complete MPH experience possible and not be rushed while trying to study for STEP 1 with one foot in med school and the other in MPH land. Furthermore, two colleagues I spoke to who chose to do an MPH during med school told me they wished they had done it prior/after because they didn't like having to adjust back and forth between med/MPH and wished they would have focused strictly on med for 4 years. Of course, everyone is different but I see the logic here. Not sure I would want the "MPH break".

Ultimately, I want to practice medicine with an international/public health focus and I felt that a 9-month program would not adequately prepare me like a two-year traditional program. Plus, I figured that in two years, I could make lots of great contacts, work in some more international experience, get a good feel for another part of the country, and solidify the MPH concepts that I will ultimately use in the future. Not to mention a 2-year program would allow more time to publish and allows for perhaps more flexibility if there was a great job opportunity I really wanted to pursue for a year or two prior to med school. I am in no hurry...there will always be public health issues to tackle and med schools to take my tuition money

Another reason I chose to pursue an MPH prior to Med School is because I really wanted to experience a top-tier private school education (I love school!)...especially after completing a B.S. /M.S. both at the same large mediocre public university where I was always just a number in giant auditoriums. Furthermore, I know I will never get into a Yale, Harvard, etc for Medicine, so this is my only chance to see how I stack up and to get a more personal experience At the moment, I am almost certain I will accept at Yale for Epi. of Microbial diseases (thought you would appreciate that Stories )

Lastly, I totally agree that getting an MPH will not necessarily help you get into med school, but it certainly wont be looked at unfavorably. If there was a golden ticket to med school, I think the SDN community would be all over it by now, ha. However, I think any graduate degree will help your case...but, like others have said, not all grad degrees are created equal (hard sciences vs. soft sciences).

As a side note: In case anyone was wondering, in all of my MPH essays I mentioned that I ultimately wanted to practice medicine and still got a positive response (in at Yale, Emory, PITT, GW, BU, and UIC). I don't think anyone should hide their goals even if MPH is only one part of the bigger puzzle.

Anyone else out there choosing a similar path? Any other pros or cons you can think of?

Reading everything you've stated, I think you very much want to use your MPH degree along with practicing medicine. Also, it's sounds like you're probably in a good position to get into a med school without additional schooling.

And for others reading, this post was not to bash anyone. More so, just getting some response as to how others plan to use their degree and whether or not they'd really be active in the field. It seems there are endless possibilities with an MPH. Such as research, field work, etc.

I welcome others to mention what they would like to do with their degree or think they'd like to do, regardless of whether or not they will also be pursuing an MD.

 

[wiiturtledove]

From what I see and from people I know who did the MPH and went into med school. Yes it does help them. Because it already proves they are dedicated to the healthcare field. Be that in being an administrator or clinician. Sometimes, they go hand in hand.

 

[curious14]

From what I see and from people I know who did the MPH and went into med school. Yes it does help them. Because it already proves they are dedicated to the healthcare field. Be that in being an administrator or clinician. Sometimes, they go hand in hand.

I'm sure it does help, however, I don't think getting an MPH can overcome having a low GPA in undergrad. Particularly, if it was in regards to your science courses. I'm not even speaking for borderline 3.0 people. I'm talking about perhaps a 2.8 and below.

If you're already in the position to get into a med school based on numbers alone, an MPH can make you seem more rounded as an applicant in terms of dedication and what you plan to do with it.

However, I do think there are some individuals who think that getting an MPH will help them b/c of the grad school GPA. When from what I understand, that is not the case at all because med schools will still look at the undergrad GPA. The only way to raise it is to take more undergrad courses, continuing ed courses, or a post-bac.

Also, even if it does help a person get into med school, I would hope they would actually want to get an MPH for more than just getting into med school. Such as what SJD24 has mentioned.

 

[Wiingy]

I've been glancing around this board for a bit (even before I joined) and I've noticed a trend of many MPH applicants also planning to go to med school.

I was just wondering, are you planning to use the MPH as a stepping stone or is this something you want to do before getting into med school? I'm just curious as there are many dual MPH/MD programs out there. Especially because from my research and talking to others on this board and outside. Getting an MPH WILL NOT increase your chances of getting into med school if that is your only reason for getting the degree.

If you're trying to make up for a poor GPA then you probably need to do a post-bac or grad studies that have core sciences incorporated. But that's not my point or my business, I was just wondering how many people aspiring to get an MPH are actually going to be using it?

Many of my professors for the MPH program have an MD/MPH, MD/PhD (PhD in public health field), and many professors at medical schools have the same dual degree combination. I would imagine that some people are in interested in health care at an individual and at a population level (MD for the individual, MPH for the population). I'm one of those people. In addition, the MPH teaches skills that are not covered in medical school, such as rigorous study design methodology and other analytical tools - how many medical schools offer courses in infectious disease modeling?

From my experience talking with classmates, most of those who are interested in both fields plan to incorporate research in their career, and the MPH prepares you to perform research in a clinical setting. I've always seen the two degrees as complementing each other. Personally, I chose to do my MPH first because I wanted to have a two year experience with a summer practicum where I could learn fieldwork skills, and because I was unsure if I wanted to pursue medicine as a career. Many of my classmates say the same thing - it's not a GPA-booster, it's something that we would have done anyway and doing it first lets us make the most of the experience.

 

[JMM051]

I didn't find it antagonistic. The poster was asking a legitimate question that he/she was curious about. While many are pursuing an MPH because they are genuinely interested there are those who are looking at it simply as a way to boost their GPA. Use the search feature of this forum and you'll find people doing it. Their choice, but you shouldn't be disturbed by that post if its not pertaining to your motives and aspirations

 

[curious14]

This is a pretty antagonistic posting. Many of my professors for the MPH program have an MD/MPH, MD/PhD (PhD in public health field), and many professors at medical schools have the same dual degree combination. I would imagine that some people are in interested in health care at an individual and at a population level (MD for the individual, MPH for the population). I'm one of those people. In addition, the MPH teaches skills that are not covered in medical school, such as rigorous study design methodology and other analytical tools - how many medical schools offer courses in infectious disease modeling?

As for how many people will actually "be using their MPH" assuming that they go on to complete medical school, I'd imagine most, if not all. From my experience talking with classmates, most of those who are interested in both fields plan to incorporate research in their career, and the MPH prepares you to perform research in a clinical setting. I've always seen the two degrees as complementing each other. Personally, I chose to do my MPH first because I wanted to have a two year experience with a summer practicum where I could learn fieldwork skills, and because I was unsure if I wanted to pursue medicine as a career. Many of my classmates say the same thing - it's not a GPA-booster, it's something that we would have done anyway and doing it first lets us make the most of the experience.

And that's fine, I think you may have purposely taken my post the wrong way. In no way do I say it's wrong to pursue your MPH degree and go to med school. You clearly have stated how you plan to use your MPH or why you were simply interested in it.

Yes, many profs have an MD/MPH but I wonder if they didn't get the MPH until after med school? It doesn't matter really, it's whatever works best for you, however, it can make a difference in the point I was bringing up. If someone were pursuing an MPH for the sole reason of getting into med school they probably wouldn't still try to pursue it after med school if they could get in without it. (That's just a thought though).

Grad school in general is not and should not be intended to be used as a GPA booster, because in most cases, it's not going to help (to mask a low GPA). However, I have stumbled upon a few people who plan to use not only an MPH but grad school in general this way. An MPH just comes across more complementary than other degrees.

I actually think it's nice, those who want to acquire an MPH in accordance with any sort of clinical degree, including nursing, dentistry, etc. thus the reason I asked whether or not it was a stepping stone or something that people were really wanting to pursue Having the bg in things relating to PH will certainly make the person more well rounded if they are truly interested and not just doing it to do it.

 

[Wiingy]

And that's fine, I think you may have purposely taken my post the wrong way. In no way do I say it's wrong to pursue your MPH degree and go to med school. You clearly have stated how you plan to use your MPH or why you were simply interested in it.

Yes, many profs have an MD/MPH but I wonder if they didn't get the MPH until after med school? It doesn't matter really, it's whatever works best for you, however, it can make a difference in the point I was bringing up. If someone were pursuing an MPH for the sole reason of getting into med school they probably wouldn't still try to pursue it after med school if they could get in without it. (That's just a thought though).

Grad school in general is not and should not be intended to be used as a GPA booster, because in most cases, it's not going to help (to mask a low GPA). However, I have stumbled upon a few people who plan to use not only an MPH but grad school in general this way. An MPH just comes across more complementary than other degrees.

I actually think it's nice, those who want to acquire an MPH in accordance with any sort of clinical degree, including nursing, dentistry, etc. thus the reason I asked whether or not it was a stepping stone or something that people were really wanting to pursue Having the bg in things relating to PH will certainly make the person more well rounded if they are truly interested and not just doing it to do it.

Sorry about misreading your earlier post (I have a really hard time picking on tone in forum postings...). There's some antagonism that MPH students at my school get from medical students doing a one-year MPH (they just assume we all applied to medical school and were rejected) so I get a bit too defensive... Just out of curiosity are you applying for MPH programs or for MD?

 

[curious14]

Sorry about misreading your earlier post (I have a really hard time picking on tone in forum postings...). There's some antagonism that MPH students at my school get from medical students doing a one-year MPH (they just assume we all applied to medical school and were rejected) so I get a bit too defensive... Just out of curiosity are you applying for MPH programs or for MD?

Oh it's OK. At first maybe I thought I'd stepped on your toes, because honestly the post really wasn't meant to diss anyone. I even looked at some of your old posts after my reply and saw another discussion where you addressed the MPH before Med school and from your response we're exactly on the same page of thought. So I was kind of like "huh? I don't understand, we both agree here".

I figure even if someone's intention were solely to get a GPA boost, I think it's good to let them know that an MPH or most Master's programs aren't the way to go and there are much better alternatives that will actually help them succeed in their goal. I figure it's a subject that's likely to come up again and so at any rate, it'd serve as a nice archive for future applicants

In fact, for this very reason, it's kind of silly for the med school students at your school to even think that way. But people are people and you deal with jerks everywhere

As for your question, I'm just applying for MPH programs in Behavioral Sciences/Community Health depending on the school. I'm also entertaining the possibility of going further and perhaps getting a PhD as well but I'm not sure, I kind of have to see where life takes me lol.

 

[Wiingy]

Very cool about the behavioral sciences - that's what I like about public health, it's such a broad field and there's so many options for the MPH. I was in a very similar situation when I applied, I was choosing between going for the PhD or for the MPH. I ended deciding on the MPH because I felt it was more versatile - I can go on to do a PhD later, or I can switch to the MD track, or I can work for a bit and decide on the education later.

Yeah, it's funny that we have the same opinion about the subject given how badly I misread your original posting... but these things happen.

 

[Stories]

From what I see and from people I know who did the MPH and went into med school. Yes it does help them. Because it already proves they are dedicated to the healthcare field. Be that in being an administrator or clinician. Sometimes, they go hand in hand.

Sure, it helps them. But it doesn't help them get into medical school. If getting into medical school is rated on a 1-100 scale, adding an MPH to your repertoire is like a +1. Primarily because MPH doesn't really prove you'd be successful in medical school. The way of thinking and way to study for a MPH doesn't translate over to studying in med school.

The reason med schools want you to get A's in your organic chemistry, physics, calculus, etc. classes is because of the amount of information you have to cram into your head. Med school requires the same method of cramming that info into your head. If you haven't demonstrated that, you're not going into medicine without other well demonstrated areas of strength (eg. very high MCAT scores which proves you can cram info into your head or some ridiculously outstanding public service related to medicine).

I figure even if someone's intention were solely to get a GPA boost, I think it's good to let them know that an MPH or most Master's programs aren't the way to go and there are much better alternatives that will actually help them succeed in their goal. I figure it's a subject that's likely to come up again and so at any rate, it'd serve as a nice archive for future applicants

It's interesting your bring this up because it's a well known fact that graduate school GPAs are heavily inflated compared to undergrad grades. Many grad schools don't even do the traditional grade system with GPAs (Yale being one of them).

 

[doctormau]

Hi guys,

I will be the first to admit, my ultimate goal is to practice medicine. However, when considering the options (MD/MPH or MPH prior/after med school), I chose to pursue a full length 2-year program before med rather than a condensed/professional MPH degree that is usually offered between years 2 and 3 of medical school. The reason I chose this, albeit a bit more pricey, is because I felt I would gain the most complete MPH experience possible and not be rushed while trying to study for STEP 1 with one foot in med school and the other in MPH land. Furthermore, two colleagues I spoke to who chose to do an MPH during med school told me they wished they had done it prior/after because they didn't like having to adjust back and forth between med/MPH and wished they would have focused strictly on med for 4 years. Of course, everyone is different but I see the logic here. Not sure I would want the "MPH break".

Ultimately, I want to practice medicine with an international/public health focus and I felt that a 9-month program would not adequately prepare me like a two-year traditional program. Plus, I figured that in two years, I could make lots of great contacts, work in some more international experience, get a good feel for another part of the country, and solidify the MPH concepts that I will ultimately use in the future. Not to mention a 2-year program would allow more time to publish and allows for perhaps more flexibility if there was a great job opportunity I really wanted to pursue for a year or two prior to med school. I am in no hurry...there will always be public health issues to tackle and med schools to take my tuition money

Another reason I chose to pursue an MPH prior to Med School is because I really wanted to experience a top-tier private school education (I love school!)...especially after completing a B.S. /M.S. both at the same large mediocre public university where I was always just a number in giant auditoriums. Furthermore, I know I will never get into a Yale, Harvard, etc for Medicine, so this is my only chance to see how I stack up and to get a more personal experience At the moment, I am almost certain I will accept at Yale for Epi. of Microbial diseases (thought you would appreciate that Stories )

Lastly, I totally agree that getting an MPH will not necessarily help you get into med school, but it certainly wont be looked at unfavorably. If there was a golden ticket to med school, I think the SDN community would be all over it by now, ha. However, I think any graduate degree will help your case...but, like others have said, not all grad degrees are created equal (hard sciences vs. soft sciences).

As a side note: In case anyone was wondering, in all of my MPH essays I mentioned that I ultimately wanted to practice medicine and still got a positive response (in at Yale, Emory, PITT, GW, BU, and UIC). I don't think anyone should hide their goals even if MPH is only one part of the bigger puzzle.

Anyone else out there choosing a similar path? Any other pros or cons you can think of?

I fully agree. We do have very similar perspectives that at some point I thought I was the author of your post lol. So far, I think that I will accept Yale EMD offer as well and I am very excited about it. I would like to add that the interdisciplinary aspects of getting a MPH is what made it so attractive to me. And it is my plan to, once I have my MD degree, be able to work at goverment jobs, target communities (especially minorities) in preventive care and even go back home in Southamerica and take an active role in the health care system of my country (that needs help).


By the way, are you going to the Open House Reception?

 

[SJD24]

doctormau,

Awesome. I knew I wasn't the only one out there If you end up at Yale too, it would be great to bounce ideas off each other given that we have similar goals, interests, etc.

I am 99% sure I will be going to the Yale visit day because I have never been on campus and I am interested to see the lab facilities and talk with faculty. Just need to secure time off work and get the plane ticket. For what Yale charges, I want to make sure it is a perfect fit, ha. When the time gets closer, I will start a new thread along the lines of "Yale Visit Day" to see what other SDNers will be going.

Did you opt for the Global Health Concentration?

SDN: Any thoughts on utilizing the MD/MPH to practice international medicine or assist in disaster relief work (IE: Doctors without Borders, etc.)? I would imagine an MD with an MPH in Epidemiology (or related concentration) would be an ideal candidate for such work given such a wide range of skills and knowledge...

 

[doctormau]

SJD24,

I will be attending the Open House Reception as well (unless there is a catastrophic issue in the lab that does not allow me to leave). I have not opt for the Global Health Concentration (yet) as I am not that well informed on the impact and courses requirements that are added to my selected own program (Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases) but it definitely sounds interesting. What are you thoughts?

 

[SJD24]

doctormau,

I will PM you back with Yale info because I feel like we will easily hijack this thread...sorry curious14

 

[xscpx]

I know I want to work in a clinical setting as a PA but I chose to do an MSPH first. My main reason at first for looking into grad school was because my scholarships got cut and I was forced to graduate undergrad a year and a half earlier than I had planned. I was really interested in infectious disease and maternal child health and knew I wanted to do something in one/both of these fields as a PA. I started an Epi degree with a concentration in maternal/child. I hated it. I found this incredible class, medical parasitology, and it seriously changed my life. I switched to infectious disease and couldn't be happier. I still want to go to PA school, but I truly believe that what I have learned in my MSPH program will help me dramatically in my future career. I learned to look at health from a global perspecitive rather than having solely the individual clinician perspective. Granted, my program is very heavy in sciences and some classes are even counting as PA school prereqs, but I would never say I did this degree to get into PA school. I have a stellar GPA and resume and no doubt would have got in anyways. I wanted the public health perspective. I want to do more than treat individual patients. I want to have a greater understanding of healthcare and disease processes. I do not deny that my degree will probably be looked at quite favorably to PA schools, but that is sort of just a extra benefit. i actually love my program so much, I am thinking about doing a ScD or DrPH after PA school.

I guess some people do try to use a public health degree as a means to an end. I hope they are at least able to get something out of it. But not all people who want to do the clinical thing feel they need to boost their qualifications with a public health degree. Some of us really love to learn and are genuinely interested.

 

[takins33613]

I am not a pre-med student; I am a pre-pharm student. I am currently finishing up my MPH. I always wanted to earn a PharmD/MPH but I decided to do my MPH first after applying to a PharmD program first did not work out.
My MPH was definitely not earned as a stepping stone. I had a background in Public Health (health education) from undergrad

 

[wiiturtledove]

I am not a pre-med student; I am a pre-pharm student. I am currently finishing up my MPH. I always wanted to earn a PharmD/MPH but I decided to do my MPH first after applying to a PharmD program first did not work out.
My MPH was definitely not earned as a stepping stone. I had a background in Public Health (health education) from undergrad

Elaborate on the stepping stone part please. No offense to you but you brought up a point that's been poking at me. Do people really consider volunteering at a hospital or health ed as an undergad as a background in Public Health? I thought it meant people who actually say was an environmental health specialist and a member of NEHA.

 

[Stories]

Elaborate on the stepping stone part please. No offense to you but you brought up a point that's been poking at me. Do people really consider volunteering at a hospital or health ed as an undergad as a background in Public Health? I thought it meant people who actually say was an environmental health specialist and a member of NEHA.

Health education certainly is a core value of public health. And there's a role that public health people play in the hospital. Of course, most positions in a hospital are healthcare-based, not public health-based.