Which MPH field is most helpful in non-primary care residency??

[libraryismyhome]

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I have an idea of doing MPH during my gap years.
Largely, i noticed that MPH is divided into 6~7 fields like this list.

1. Community Family health
2. environmental occupational health
3. Epidemiology
4. Biostatistics
5. Global health
6. Health Policy and management

Among these fields, which one would be the most helpful field toward residency? If one is not looking for primary care?

 

[Isoprop]

All of them if you go into preventive medicine (a non-primary care specialty).

 

[libraryismyhome]

I guess MPH won't be helpful toward radiology or cardiology.

I am interested in epidemiology or biostatistics. By any chance, is epidemiology helpful toward oncology??

 

[Frazier]

I guess MPH won't be helpful toward radiology or cardiology.

I am interested in epidemiology or biostatistics. By any chance, is epidemiology helpful toward oncology??

I suppose you could draw lines between epidemiological studies and oncology... Essentially any trends in populations pertaining to incidence of cancer.

Biostatistics background can be applicable to any specialty if they utilize statistical measures in their research [albeit likely an excess of statistical training].

PH degree in Toxicology could be somewhat applicable to Emergency Medicine Docs.

Global Health obviously applicable if you ever want to be a Doc overseas [but its not a pre-requisite for doing so].

...It just depends on your interests and how creative you can be with seeing ties.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

Are you interested in pursing an MPH? Or are you interested in pursuing an MPH in the hopes that it will help you during residency applications?

Like Frazier said, biostatistics could be applied to pretty much any specialty. I don't know how helpful epidemiology would be for the very competitive fields...I would imagine that research in the particular specialty you're interested in >>>>>>>>>>> MPH. At least, for the competitive ones.

 

[LizzyM]

Epidemiology. Understanding research study design is very important in every area of medicine. What exposures are associated with(or inversely correlated with) a given outcome of interest. It is also connected to health services research such as cost effectiveness, health disparities, outcome disparities, screening protocols and policies, and so forth.

With regard to cardiology, there are a number of longitudinal studies to study heart disease risks as wll as other health conditions including the Framingham Study (which is now studying the grandchildren of the original cohort, the CARDIA study which has been going on for ~25 years and many others. Epidemiology is also useful to oncologists, particularly genetic epidemiology and studies related to factors associated with hormone levels associated with some cancers.

With a degree in epidemiology before medical school, you can do some meaningful research as a medical student that will help move you into a residency (and fellowship) that will build on your skills in population based research.

 

[235009]

If you want to do clinical research Epidemiology will be very helpful. Also while you do your MPH there will be many opportunities to get some great meaningful research under your belt, go to/present at conferences and get your work published. So you'd basically be ahead of the game when you start med school.

Biostatistics is usually way too theoretical to be useful for a future doctor whereas Epidemiology focuses much more on the practical aspects.