What are the differences between MD and MPH professions, specifically in infectious disease?

[SouKu]

Hi, I recently graduated with a BS and BA in Biochemistry/Cell Biology and Anthropology, and a minor in Global Health. I am highly interested in understanding infectious diseases, especially neglected tropical diseases such as leishmaniasis and hydatidosis, as these are diseases I have personally presented on and studied in-depth, including treatment regimens, socioeconomic factors, and nutritional profiles of affected patients. I am interested in becoming an infectious diseases (ID) doctor because of the investigative nature of the work, sorting through various factors and conditions of affected patients to make proper diagnoses and administer effective treatment plans that diminish patients' infections and minimize/do not promote antibiotic resistance. I have shadowed multiple ID doctors, making rounds with numerous patients and taking notes on their various conditions, medical histories, antibiotic and anti-fungal medication regimens. I enjoyed it a great deal.

However, many would ask, why not go to public health school and earn an MPH instead of going through the grueling process of medical school to earn an MD? You can virtually do much of the same things, but with larger populations, suggesting effective treatment plans and preventative measures as well as offering highly applicable counsel to doctors. At least this is what I've gleaned from other colleagues and doctors I've interacted with.

So, please, anyone with an MPH who works with infectious diseases, or an MD who works with infectious diseases, or an MD/MPH who works with infectious diseases, or anyone with extensive knowledge of infectious diseases professions, if you could give an articulated input on this and clearly list the differences in regards to the types of exposure and interaction in each profession, that'd be great!

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[aprilfools]

Well one is a physician and the other not. One you're treating patients and the other you're not. They're really vastly different things. So I'd think to yourself are you interested in being a physician or are you interesting in studying infection diseases?

 

[LizzyM]

Many doctors specializing in infectious disease do earn an MPH degree along the way to learn ways of approaching infectious disease from the population level as well as the individual patient level.

With an MPH, one can direct outbreak investigations although in more complex situations, physicians will be directing the efforts to characterize the outbreak and develop methods to halt its spread, particularly if there is a need to conduct physical examinations of the suspected cases.

A health department employee with an MPH may direct efforts to collect and test samples of food, water, soil, ticks, and body fluids etc that are suspected of contributing to an outbreak, and the health department has the legal authority to shutter businesses that may be contributing to an outbreak, require the testing of food handlers, and so forth. The health department may establish a plan to collect information about an outbreak, carry it out, analyze the data collected, and develop a plan to contain the outbreak or prevent further spread of disease. The health department may issue boil orders to counteract bacterial contamination of water, may order quarantines, establish a safety net treatment center. The health department may develop public education campaigns aimed at prevention of communicable disease with an emphasis on diseases specific to that region and season.

Physicians take care of individual patients and can prescribe medications. Public health professionals with MPH degrees are responsible for population health. Some physicians (MD/MPH) can do both.