What does one do with an MD/MPH?

[kareniw]

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I really enjoyed my work with the homeless population, really enjoyed studying medical anthropology and other issues in health disparities. I am currently also cultivating an interest in international health. Given my interests (also including practicing medicine), it appears that an MD+MPH program (4-5 yr is fine) is right for me... but how does one use the MPH really? I know a doctor who is in academic medicine with MD+MPH, and I helped him do some really cool policy-oriented stuff on Latinas' receipt of health care services, but I don't think I want to go into academic medicine. What else is there?

thanks,

Karen

 

[Pathologist]

Some people with an MD/MPH use it for administrative positions, such as a hospital administrator.

 

[Dave2K]

Karen-

There is an enormous range of opportunity within the field of public health! To begin with, an MPH degree will give you a much better overview of the healthcare system of this country, plus studies in a wider range of areas that apply to medicine: academic research, analysis of research publications, healthcare policy and management, international health, environmental or occupational health.
If you are interested in international health and working abroad, an MPH will assist you greatly as the public health world has a wealth of connections with the very best international health and medical organizations in the world.
It's true that an MPH is useful for both academics and administrators, but I would argue that it is useful for everyday clinicians as well. Like it or not, our country is moving towards population-based medicine, with managed care, capitation, and enormous pressures on social programs such as Medicare/Medicaid to produce maximum benefits for maximum numbers of people.
If you want more information, visit www.asph.org to learn more about accredited schools of public health. That isn't to say that a non-accredited program won't be useful (many combined degree programs aren't ASPH or CEPH accredited) but it should provide you a good base of knowledge on your decision to pursue public health. Good luck!

 

[Stinky T]

Karen

You can always do a MPH during residency rather than during medical school. Yale has an Internal Medicine/Preventive Medicine residency program with one of it's affiliate hospitals (Griffin Hospital) that gives you a MPH. You will also be able to sit for the Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine boards. The best thing about the program is that your MPH from Yale is free. If you did a five-year program during medical school, you would take one more year to graduate as well as incur another year of tuition. I'm certain that there are other programs elsewhere as well. I'm not saying that this is the best option, I just wanted to let you know that there are other routes to getting the MPH. Good luck.

- ST

 

[Stinky T]

This is a link to the website:

Yale University - Griffin Hospital