When would be a good time to do a MPH program as a medical student?

[LikeAirIRise]

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Assuming the school I attend does not have a dual degree program.

 

[puahate]

I heard residency is a good time if the program offers it.

 

[OchemOficionado]

Most do so right after second year.

 

[AllBleedingStops]

If your school does not offer it I would not take time out during medical school to do it. I would recommend either finding a residency program that would support it or doing it prior to medical school if you have the time. But lots of schools have MPH combined programs and they usually dictate when you do it or give you a choice of 2 options of when to do it.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

either before med school, between MS2 and MS3, or wait until residency

 

[LizzyM]

This is an incomplete list of the schools that offer MD/MPH:
Boston University School of Public Health
Boston, Massachusetts
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
Atlanta, Georgia
New York University College of Global Public Health
New York, New York
Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice
St. Louis, Missouri
Stony Brook University Program in Public Health
Stony Brook, New York
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health
Houston, Texas
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health
Burmingham, Alabama
University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Tucson, Arizona
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health
Little Rock, Arkansas
University of Kentucky College of Public Health
Lexington, Kentucky
University of Maryland School of Medicine Public Health Programs
Baltimore, Maryland
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Minneapolis, Minnesota
University of New Mexico College of Population Health Master of Public Health
Albuquerque, New Mexico
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Public Health
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
University of Virginia MPH Program
Charlottesville, Virginia
University of Washington School of Public Health
Seattle, Washington
Yale School of Public Health
New Haven, Connecticut

I don't see Northwestern, Tufts, Tulane and University of Connecticut on the list and all have MD/MPH programs, too. MSAR may have the complete list. It is very likely that you'll end up at a school that offers both and that will dictake when you take it.

 

[puahate]

Why arent you just applying MD/MPH?

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

This is an incomplete list of the schools that offer MD/MPH:
Boston University School of Public Health
Boston, Massachusetts
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
Atlanta, Georgia
New York University College of Global Public Health
New York, New York
Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice
St. Louis, Missouri
Stony Brook University Program in Public Health
Stony Brook, New York
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health
Houston, Texas
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health
Burmingham, Alabama
University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Tucson, Arizona
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health
Little Rock, Arkansas
University of Kentucky College of Public Health
Lexington, Kentucky
University of Maryland School of Medicine Public Health Programs
Baltimore, Maryland
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Minneapolis, Minnesota
University of New Mexico College of Population Health Master of Public Health
Albuquerque, New Mexico
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Public Health
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
University of Virginia MPH Program
Charlottesville, Virginia
University of Washington School of Public Health
Seattle, Washington
Yale School of Public Health
New Haven, Connecticut

I don't see Northwestern, Tufts, Tulane and University of Connecticut on the list and all have MD/MPH programs, too. MSAR may have the complete list. It is very likely that you'll end up at a school that offers both and that will dictake when you take it.

Also missing Miami, UCLA, USC... and definitely way more. A huge number of schools offer MD/MPH options, and many of them allow you to apply once you are already a student (in fact I think this may actually be more common than applying directly into joint degree programs).

 

[Unlimited Apps]

I'd argue that it might be more beneficial to do a MPH program as part of residency or after graduating from medical school and getting into the real world for a bit. That way, you can figure out exactly what you want your MPH for and how to best tailor each and every aspect of your MPH so that it allows you to utilize it alongside your MD in a meaningful way.

As opposed to doing a 5 year MD/MPH program where you might not necessarily know yet what you want your MPH for or how you plan to utilize it in your professional career (apart from the general "I get more public health skills and blah blah blah). I personally am interested in some aspects of an MPH but don't want to commit to one until and unless I figure out A. How specifically it adds to my future professional world and B. Is it worth it/necessary to spend an extra year doing one plus tuition/etc.

Just some thoughts from the other side of things.

 

[doc05]

Figure out why you actually need the MPH first. It’s a very expensive way to waste a year, and is completely unnecessary for the overwhelming majority of MD’s.

 

[Unlimited Apps]

Figure out why you actually need the MPH first. It’s a very expensive way to waste a year, and is completely unnecessary for the overwhelming majority of MD’s.

Yea I'd agree 100%. I was actually surprised to find out that very few jobs actually REQUIRE an MPH alongside an MD. I am sure that even many current MD-MPHs would argue that their current job could have been fulfilled just as easily with just the MD. I have even had some MDs tell me (the older ones lol) that an MPH is kind of useless (in a cost-benefit way) unless it is from a well-known and reputable MPH school/college.

 

[LikeAirIRise]

Right, I interviewed at a school as an MD/MPH applicant and was told they only accept 5 MD/MPH applicants. So I was just preparing for that just in case