Why do people do an MD/MPH?

[mariposas905]

If you are interested in this, why did you (or will you) choose to pursue the dual degree option?

I'm trying to figure out why people get an MPH and MD in the first place and what career paths or type of flexibility it can open for a doctor.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CommyO]

More letters = more prestige = more compensation.

There will always be people gunning for the top degree, and that happens to be MD/PhD. Can't say the same about MPH since I don't know. MPH sounds pretty cool (racecar) and MBA sounds like NBA so that's pretty legit

 

[raiderette]

MPH goals- save a country (including US) with preventative care, vaccine programs, public policy. MBA goals- healthcare start-up to replace physicians.

 

[Jaigantic]

More letters = more prestige = more compensation.

There will always be people gunning for the top degree, and that happens to be MD/PhD. Can't say the same about MPH since I don't know. MPH sounds pretty cool (racecar) and MBA sounds like NBA so that's pretty legit

This is it, OP. This is the reason why. Because MPH invokes fond childhood memories of racecars.

 

[mariposas905]

MPH goals- save a country (including US) with preventative care, vaccine programs, public policy. MBA goals- healthcare start-up to replace physicians.

Thanks for explaining it in simple terms! So, I'm guessing it's not entirely a useless degree? Everyone keeps saying masters degrees are useless...

 

[Master_of_Savage]

MPH goals- save a country (including US) with preventative care, vaccine programs, public policy. MBA goals- healthcare start-up to replace physicians.

Thanks for explaining it in simple terms! So, I'm guessing it's not entirely a useless degree? Everyone keeps saying masters degrees are useless...

As someone who is getting an MD/MPH I agree with this. Whether or not you pursue an MPH depends on what you want to do post medical school/residency. If you just want to see patients and practice medicine, then maybe spending extra money on an MPH isn't a great idea. But if you are interested in bigger picture/systemic changes, then consider an MPH. While its not necessary to do public health work, it seems to add some credibility.

 

[Gilakend]

Do you guys think an MPH could help getting into politics / public policy?

 

[Master_of_Savage]

Do you guys think an MPH could help getting into politics / public policy?

Yeah but there are plenty of physicians in politics who don't have an MPH degree. So it might help making connections, getting internships, and learning about different concepts, but its not 100% necessary. You can learn a lot about health policy just by reading different policy books written by physicians and people in the field.

 

[Jaigantic]

Do you guys think an MPH could help getting into politics / public policy?

As I understand it, this is what MPH is ideal for.

 

[fourandtwo]

As someone who is getting an MD/MPH I agree with this. Whether or not you pursue an MPH depends on what you want to do post medical school/residency. If you just want to see patients and practice medicine, then maybe spending extra money on an MPH isn't a great idea. But if you are interested in bigger picture/systemic changes, then consider an MPH. While its not necessary to do public health work, it seems to add some credibility.

MPH goals- save a country (including US) with preventative care, vaccine programs, public policy. MBA goals- healthcare start-up to replace physicians.

As someone who has an MPH degree I agree with this. Yet, I am premed now because I have been bumping into the glass ceiling with my freestanding MPH degree

 

[Endoxifen]

An MPH doesn't have to be on policy. It can also be in biostatistics and epidemiology, which helps with clinical and translational research.

 

[Mad Jack]

If you are interested in this, why did you (or will you) choose to pursue the dual degree option?

I'm trying to figure out why people get an MPH and MD in the first place and what career paths or type of flexibility it can open for a doctor.

The MD degree is focused on individual-level health and treatment, for the most part. The focus of the MPH is population-level health. The MPH prepares people to handle the bigger problems in health care that an MD degree simply doesn't prepare them for- epidemiology, program design, program management, sources of funding and support, regulations, higher level biostatistics, population-based research methods, etc. The advantage to having both is that you can formulate population-level questions while understanding the impact and limitations at the individual level.

 

[Mad Jack]

A good way to put it is that it's kind of like the difference between the fields of microeconomics and macroeconomics- they're separate but distinct fields that differ in scale and methodology. If you've got both, you can work at any scale and design better at either level.

 

[mariposas905]

The MD degree is focused on individual-level health and treatment, for the most part. The focus of the MPH is population-level health. The MPH prepares people to handle the bigger problems in health care that an MD degree simply doesn't prepare them for- epidemiology, program design, program management, sources of funding and support, regulations, higher level biostatistics, population-based research methods, etc. The advantage to having both is that you can formulate population-level questions while understanding the impact and limitations at the individual level.

That makes sense, thanks! I'd definitely be interested in finding solutions at community levels instead of just individual levels. What kinds of jobs (other than working in a clinic and seeing patients) can I pursue with an MD/MPH? Would it give me flexibility in my career to do some sort of 9-5 admin/clinical job later on (if I decide to take a break from seeing patients 24-7) that gives me more time to focus on family but still pays well?

 

[Dr. Stalker]

There's 3 possible reasons IMO:
1. The student thinks having an MPH will make her/him more competitive when it comes to applying to residency (55%)
2. The student is mildly interested and the SOM offers a free MPH within the 4 years of the MD education (40%)
3. The student actually gives a **** and wants to learn more about public health and potentially go into a non-traditional career in medicine using both degrees to achieve something (5%)

 

[LizzyM]

There's 3 possible reasons IMO:
1. The student thinks having an MPH will make her/him more competitive when it comes to applying to residency (55%)
2. The student is mildly interested and the SOM offers a free MPH within the 4 years of the MD education (40%)
3. The student actually gives a **** and wants to learn more about public health and potentially go into a non-traditional career in medicine using both degrees to achieve something (5%)

Interested in academic medicine but not in bench research and therefore looking for training in an alternative type of research experience (clinical epidemiology, health services, population health).

 

[md-2020]

There's 3 possible reasons IMO:
1. The student thinks having an MPH will make her/him more competitive when it comes to applying to residency (55%)
2. The student is mildly interested and the SOM offers a free MPH within the 4 years of the MD education (40%)
3. The student actually gives a **** and wants to learn more about public health and potentially go into a non-traditional career in medicine using both degrees to achieve something (5%)

I have an MPH. I got it during what would have been my senior year in UG, but I graduated early.

What you quote for #1 may be true for IM/FP/Infectious Disease type spots, but in a lot of surgical subspecialties (what I'm aiming for) it actually doesn't help...if not actually hurts a bit if you can't adequately tie in the MPH with whatever field you're interviewing for (should it be brought up, which I'm told MPH/MBAs often are).

#2: I did not get my MPH for free (LOL) though it was at a university that I was very happy to be at (b/c I'm a prestige prostitute) and it was a good way to fill in the impromptu "gap year." Still, most people pay for their MPHs (even combined programs usually add a bit more cost vs. a regular 4-year MD).

#3: Basically this for myself & most people that I know w/ MPHs. Though I'd hesitate to say that their interests are all in public health per se, but rather the "bigger picture" of things: pharma development, biotech applications on a population scale, and such. However my perception on this last point could be heavily influenced by my current area's overwhelming startup culture.

So why'd I get it? Some combination of an interest in biostats/population medical patterns as well as practical concerns (gap year, app cycle, being productive, etc.) Real-world factors such as the latter are often quite decisive in these types of choices.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

I have an MPH. I got it during what would have been my senior year in UG, but I graduated early.

What you quote for #1 may be true for IM/FP/Infectious Disease type spots, but in a lot of surgical subspecialties (what I'm aiming for) it actually doesn't help...if not actually hurts a bit if you can't adequately tie in the MPH with whatever field you're interviewing for (should it be brought up, which I'm told MPH/MBAs often are).

#2: I did not get my MPH for free (LOL) though it was at a university that I was very happy to be at (b/c I'm a prestige prostitute) and it was a good way to fill in the impromptu "gap year." Still, most people pay for their MPHs (even combined programs usually add a bit more cost vs. a regular 4-year MD).

#3: Basically this for myself & most people that I know w/ MPHs. Though I'd hesitate to say that their interests are all in public health per se, but rather the "bigger picture" of things: pharma development, biotech applications on a population scale, and such. However my perception on this last point could be heavily influenced by my current area's overwhelming startup culture.

So why'd I get it? Some combination of an interest in biostats/population medical patterns as well as practical concerns (gap year, app cycle, being productive, etc.) Real-world factors such as the latter are often quite decisive in these types of choices.

Dam, now that's some quality reasons right there. At my home school, the medical students can pursue an MPH, MA, or MS for free. The med school is trying to integrate medical education with other stuff to make better physicians.

 

[md-2020]

Dam, now that's some quality reasons right there. At my home school, the medical students can pursue an MPH, MA, or MS for free. The med school is trying to integrate medical education with other stuff to make better physicians.

Your state uni is being quite generous then. Most dual degrees that I researched (MD-MBA, though mostly MPH applied as well) during the app cycle/asked about at interviews said something like:

"yeah we love having med students do multiple degrees!
..
..
..
it'll be an extra (insert $20-80k) in tuition and (possible 1 additional year) though. Small price to pay!"

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Your state uni is being quite generous then. Most dual degrees that I researched (MD-MBA, though mostly MPH applied as well) during the app cycle/asked about at interviews said something like:

"yeah we love having med students do multiple degrees!
..
..
..
It'll be an extra (insert $20-80k) in tuition and (possible 1 additional year) though. Small price to pay!"

woah!!! Only 20-80k on top of 4 years of debt from loans taken for medical school?! Sign me up 😛. I actually thought the freebie dual degree was popular and the norm...I'm shocked to be told it isn't D:

 

[Endoxifen]

woah!!! Only 20-80k on top of 4 years of debt from loans taken for medical school?! Sign me up 😛. I actually thought the freebie dual degree was popular and the norm...I'm shocked to be told it isn't D:

Gotta make that green, man.

 

[unicornshadow888]

The MD degree is focused on individual-level health and treatment, for the most part. The focus of the MPH is population-level health. The MPH prepares people to handle the bigger problems in health care that an MD degree simply doesn't prepare them for- epidemiology, program design, program management, sources of funding and support, regulations, higher level biostatistics, population-based research methods, etc. The advantage to having both is that you can formulate population-level questions while understanding the impact and limitations at the individual level.

THIS! THIS! THIS!

 

[unicornshadow888]

That makes sense, thanks! I'd definitely be interested in finding solutions at community levels instead of just individual levels. What kinds of jobs (other than working in a clinic and seeing patients) can I pursue with an MD/MPH? Would it give me flexibility in my career to do some sort of 9-5 admin/clinical job later on (if I decide to take a break from seeing patients 24-7) that gives me more time to focus on family but still pays well?

There are a lot of people that practice medicine part time and work for public health agencies (like the CDC, WHO, APHA, etc).

 

[mariposas905]

There are a lot of people that practice medicine part time and work for public health agencies (like the CDC, WHO, APHA, etc).

Do you have to have an MPH degree to do this?

 

[SpineResearcher]

I'm applying to the MD/MPH program for all the schools that offer it. I majored in public health in college because I thought it would give me a broader education of health than if I majored in biology (not that majoring in biology is bad). I developed a lot of relationships with the public health professors at my university and even had two of them jump on board for a research project I am doing. So like LizzyM said, public health is definitely good for people who like academic research but clinical rather than bench. From college so far (I'm still going into senior year), the lessons I've learned in epidemiology and biostatistics have been extremely useful, more so than anything else I've learned probably.

Public Health is a bachelor of science (even tho epi, environmental and occupational, and many other public health classes are not considered in the science GPA) that also required numerous behavioral and social psychology courses which helped me tremendously for the MCAT, especially considering I took it before Physics/Biochem/OchemLab. I remember going crazy because I had just taken my final for "Psychology of Eating Disorders" before my MCAT, and I had a passage in the Psych/Soc section on exactly that topic. Keep in mind this section is NEW...maybe they want students to have this kind of background??

When I came into college, Public Health was a new major. This emphasis of public health is spreading like wildfire. For example, many of the top 20 schools I looked at either require or offer supplement courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental, and occupational health (probably more so than before, but I'm not sure). Northwestern and Miami Miller both offer an accelerated 4 year MD/MPH at little extra cost, with opportunity for a stipend. University of Pittsburgh offers the PSTP program (shortened version of MSTP) for students who want more education on clinical science (epi, biostats) and offer the fifth year free with "partial" tuition scholarships for your MD years...not sure to what extent partial means. Stanford has their "scholarly concentrations" many of which are related to public health. I'm discussing their "clinical research" scholarly concentration for their secondary prompt that LITERALLY asks "how you will our requirement for a scholarly concentration help your personal career goals?"

Regardless, I agree with @Dr. Stalker, you will be a lot more competitive for residency with an MD/MPH. You gain a very valuable perspective on medicine when you allow these to disciplines to INFORM each other through your work.

 

[unicornshadow888]

Do you have to have an MPH degree to do this?

For some programs, you don't HAVE to, but it's strongly recommended. But, for many programs, it is a requirement that you have an MPH in addition to the MD. If you want to work in public health at some point, it would help to have that additional MPH. It gives you more opportunities.

 

[unicornshadow888]

I'm applying to the MD/MPH program for all the schools that offer it. I majored in public health in college because I thought it would give me a broader education of health than if I majored in biology (not that majoring in biology is bad). I developed a lot of relationships with the public health professors at my university and even had two of them jump on board for a research project I am doing. So like LizzyM said, public health is definitely good for people who like academic research but clinical rather than bench. From college so far (I'm still going into senior year), the lessons I've learned in epidemiology and biostatistics have been extremely useful, more so than anything else I've learned probably.

Public Health is a bachelor of science (even tho epi, environmental and occupational, and many other public health classes are not considered in the science GPA) that also required numerous behavioral and social psychology courses which helped me tremendously for the MCAT, especially considering I took it before Physics/Biochem/OchemLab. I remember going crazy because I had just taken my final for "Psychology of Eating Disorders" before my MCAT, and I had a passage in the Psych/Soc section on exactly that topic. Keep in mind this section is NEW...maybe they want students to have this kind of background??

When I came into college, Public Health was a new major. This emphasis of public health is spreading like wildfire. For example, many of the top 20 schools I looked at either require or offer supplement courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental, and occupational health (probably more so than before, but I'm not sure). Northwestern and Miami Miller both offer an accelerated 4 year MD/MPH at little extra cost, with opportunity for a stipend. University of Pittsburgh offers the PSTP program (shortened version of MSTP) for students who want more education on clinical science (epi, biostats) and offer the fifth year free with "partial" tuition scholarships for your MD years...not sure to what extent partial means. Stanford has their "scholarly concentrations" many of which are related to public health. I'm discussing their "clinical research" scholarly concentration for their secondary prompt that LITERALLY asks "how you will our requirement for a scholarly concentration help your personal career goals?"

Regardless, I agree with @Dr. Stalker, you will be a lot more competitive for residency with an MD/MPH. You gain a very valuable perspective on medicine when you allow these to disciplines to INFORM each other through your work.

I can vouch for this. I'm applying to MD/MPH programs as well. I was a PH major in undergrad (albiet, it was a BA at my school) and it helped tremendously. In fact, although I'm a bit biased, I do think that it's the perfect major (or minor, if your school has it) for pre-meds even if you don't plan on going into public health directly. It gives you more perspective on the impact of healthcare beyond the individual level, which imo, all doctors should have. It would certainly benefit anyone's medical practice to have that broader perspective on various aspects of health. For our major, we had to take epidemiology, global health, medical anthropology, environmental health, health policy, and biostats in addition to other electives that allowed you to gain skills like learning how to construct proposals and interventions. There are opportunities in GA via Emory and MCG at UGA where you can easily obtain an MPH. And especially in the case of Emory, you're literally right next door to the CDC and not too far away from the Carter Center which would give you a ton of PH-related research opportunities throughout med school. PM me if you have any more questions. I'm fairly well-connected when it comes to the bridge between public health and medicine.

 

[tessellations]

I've been thinking about pursuing this route for some time because I'm interested in going into academic medicine but I have no interest in doing bench research. I've learned through doing research in undergrad that I favor clinical and data driven research, and would love to pursue that type of work in my future career.

I am hesitant though - would it be worth the extra year/money (depending on the program)? I am very interested in doing research that could lead to systematic changes (I'm thinking of going the EM/Med Tox route and am really interested in environmental toxicology and drug epidemiology). If I have the opportunity to go to a research focused medical school that requires some sort of scholarly project, could that theoretically offer me enough training (along with a fellowship down the line)?

For those of you going down this route/have gone down this route, do you think that the additional training that comes from the masters is worth it?

Sorry if I'm highjacking a bit - this topic has just been on my mind for a while.

 

[unicornshadow888]

I've been thinking about pursuing this route for some time because I'm interested in going into academic medicine but I have no interest in doing bench research. I've learned through doing research in undergrad that I favor clinical and data driven research, and would love to purse that type of work in my future career.

I am hesitant though - would it be worth the extra year/money (depending on the program)? I am very interested in doing research that could lead to systematic changes (I'm thinking of going the EM/Med Tox route and am really interested in environmental toxicology and drug epidemiology). If I have the opportunity to go to a research focused medical school that requires some sort of scholarly project, could that theoretically offer me enough training (along with a fellowship down the line)?

For those of you going down this route/have gone down this route, do you think that the additional training that comes from the masters is worth it?

Sorry if I'm highjacking a bit - this topic has just been on my mind for a while.

Speaking as someone whose professor does this exact sort of research: yes, yes, and yes. The MPH would help. If money is a concern, look for programs that allow you to pursue an MPH for free (some residency programs allow you to get an MPH for free). Having that additional education behind the research will help you put your research into perspective. MD alone isn't meant to train you in epidemiology research and environmental health. It would make your life much easier to just get both degrees if you're serious about doing that type of research. Not to mention that some research programs require that you have an MPH, so keep that in mind.

 

[tessellations]

Speaking as someone whose professor does this exact sort of research: yes, yes, and yes. The MPH would help. If money is a concern, look for programs that allow you to pursue an MPH for free. Having that additional education behind the research will help you put your research into perspective. MD alone isn't meant to train you in epidemiology research and environmental health. It would make your life much easier to just get both degrees if you're serious about doing that type of research. Not to mention that some research programs require that you have an MPH, so keep that in mind.

Wow, your professor is living my dream (well, I also want to practice medicine, but still haha). Good to know that for the career path I'm looking at that pursuing the MPH may very well be worth it. Thanks for the feedback!

Edit: I did a search for Med Tox/EM folks with an MPH and saw that there is a decent amount of them. Interestingly, I found one guy at UCSF with an MD, MPH, and MBA. So you know, you can always get ALL the degrees hahaha.

 

[DBC03]

I just thought about this today when I was looking back on my experiences as an engineer. Stay with me as this actually applies. I live in Florida and have spent a significant amount of time working on projects that either directly or indirectly impact the Everglades - we're talking hundreds of thousands of acres of vegetation and wildlife. Every project impacts wetlands here. Years ago some engineers figured out how to drain the swamp and it worked a little too well, so we are still working hard to find a balance between keeping current residents dry and rehydrating the wetlands, and we have to face what was done years ago and consider how what we do now will impact the future. Every project I work on will likely impact people 30, 40, or even 50 years from now. I see similar concepts in public health. I admire the personal nature of the role of the clinician as you can have a deep personal impact. And, if a treatment does not work, that often does not affect an entire community. But public health considers entire populations and the impact of medical care - how the past has impacted populations today, and how solutions we create today may impact populations in the future. It's actually quite fascinating. I think the MD is crucial to understanding population health, and the MPH will give some physicians the opportunity to make lasting impacts on the healthcare of tomorrow.

 

[mariposas905]

Thanks for all the input guys! Do you think it matters where you get the MPH degree? For example, is getting an Master of Health Science (MHS) from Johns Hopkins better than getting an MPH from a school like Old Dominion University/EVMS program during the gap year?

These might be the options I have during my gap year...I can't apply to the MPH program at Hopkins or the other top schools, but have a chance to pursue an MPH at the lower ranked schools. However, if an MPH is like an MBA in the sense that we should pursue only the top most programs, then I will consider doing something else...

 

[unicornshadow888]

Thanks for all the input guys! Do you think it matters where you get the MPH degree? For example, is getting an Master of Health Science (MHS) from Johns Hopkins better than getting an MPH from a school like Old Dominion University/EVMS program during the gap year?

These might be the options I have during my gap year...I can't apply to the MPH program at Hopkins or the other top schools, but have a chance to pursue an MPH at the lower ranked schools. However, if an MPH is like an MBA in the sense that we should pursue only the top most programs, then I will consider doing something else...

Is there any reason why you don't think that you could do your MPH at a top program? You don't necessarily have to be in a top program, but a higher-tier program does help. Usually, the best MPH programs have better resources. You can weigh your options. You can:
1) apply for dual MD/MPH programs (most likely your best option, as you have a greater chance of exploring your area of research in conjunction with a similar field of medicine that you're interested in)
2) apply just for MD and look into programs that allow you to obtain an MPH from a separate institution (still a fairly good option if you want to get an MD but also want an MPH from a highly ranked institution)
3) get an MPH separately from the MD (cons: more tuition money, more time)

Also, an MPH and a MHS are different degrees.

 

[mariposas905]

Is there any reason why you don't think that you could do your MPH at a top program? You don't necessarily have to be in a top program, but a higher-tier program does help. Usually, the best MPH programs have better resources. You can weigh your options. You can:
1) apply for dual MD/MPH programs (most likely your best option, as you have a greater chance of exploring your area of research in conjunction with a similar field of medicine that you're interested in)
2) apply just for MD and look into programs that allow you to obtain an MPH from a separate institution (still a fairly good option if you want to get an MD but also want an MPH from a highly ranked institution)
3) get an MPH separately from the MD (cons: more tuition money, more time)

Also, an MPH and a MHS are different degrees.

Unfortunately, getting an MPH from a top program means doing an extra year...I'm looking for programs I can finish in 1-1.5 years and there are very few of those. It is also significantly expensive (I'm talking only $10K of tuition at a less ranked school vs. $63K of tuition at a higher name school. Since I'm looking for something that supplements my degree, I really do not want to take 2-3 years off to get an MPH while I could work on my MD program during that time.

And yes, I know they are different degrees. I am just thinking is it better to do an MHS from a top school like Hopkins during my gap year? Or an MPH from a lower ranked school?

Alternatively, do you think the Dartmouth 1 year MPH, Northwestern 1 year MPH, or GWU 1 year MPH are considered to be top MPH programs? I know the Dartmouth name is big but not sure if their MPH program is worth it or has the same recognition...

 

[unicornshadow888]

Unfortunately, getting an MPH from a top program means doing an extra year...I'm looking for programs I can finish in 1-1.5 years and there are very few of those. It is also significantly expensive (I'm talking only $10K of tuition at a less ranked school vs. $63K of tuition at a higher name school. Since I'm looking for something that supplements my degree, I really do not want to take 2-3 years off to get an MPH while I could work on my MD program during that time.

And yes, I know they are different degrees. I am just thinking is it better to do an MHS from a top school like Hopkins during my gap year? Or an MPH from a lower ranked school?

Alternatively, do you think the Dartmouth 1 year MPH, Northwestern 1 year MPH, or GWU 1 year MPH are considered to be top MPH programs? I know the Dartmouth name is big but not sure if their MPH program is worth it or has the same recognition...

I was actually in your situation this past year (I just graduated) and was told by my PH major advisor and my pre-med advisor that it would be wise to use that gap year to apply for some health-related jobs and then apply for a dual MD/MPH program. I looked into 1-year MPH programs and I felt that the material was too rushed (plus, most of those programs require some kind of work experience or an additional degree like an MD in order to be enrolled). I was a public health major in school and ended up getting a high GPA, but I still didn't meet some of the requirements for some of those 1-year programs. If you don't have any substantial public health experience, then getting into any 1-year MPH program is quite difficult, if not impossible (depending on the requirements). Also, in contrast to their regular MPH program, the 1-year MPH @ GWU is online, so keep that in mind (that was a huge deterrent for me). Doing the dual degree is just the better option financially and in terms of time. Have you taken the MCAT yet? If not, then you really need that time to study for it while working either part-time or full-time.

 

[numbersloth]

Would an MPH be helpful for someone interested in clinical trials/pharma/biotech? If so, what concentration?

 

[unicornshadow888]

Would an MPH be helpful for someone interested in clinical trials/pharma/biotech? If so, what concentration?

I can't vouch for the latter two, but for clinical trials? Absolutely, yes. The best way to do that is to concentrate in epidemiology. A HUGE chunk of epidemiology focuses on clinical research and study design.

 

[mariposas905]

I was actually in your situation this past year (I just graduated) and was told by my PH major advisor and my pre-med advisor that it would be wise to use that gap year to apply for some health-related jobs and then apply for a dual MD/MPH program. I looked into 1-year MPH programs and I felt that the material was too rushed (plus, most of those programs require some kind of work experience or an additional degree like an MD in order to be enrolled). I was a public health major in school and ended up getting a high GPA, but I still didn't meet some of the requirements for some of those 1-year programs. If you don't have any substantial public health experience, then getting into any 1-year MPH program is quite difficult, if not impossible (depending on the requirements). Also, in contrast to their regular MPH program, the 1-year MPH @ GWU is online, so keep that in mind (that was a huge deterrent for me). Doing the dual degree is just the better option financially and in terms of time. Have you taken the MCAT yet? If not, then you really need that time to study for it while working either part-time or full-time.

Oh okay, I see. But in general do you think the Dartmouth 1 year MPH, Northwestern 1-year or GWU 1- year programs are worth it to pursue? Are they considered top programs? And there is actually a GWU 1 year residential program that is also open to recent undergraduates. I checked with the Director and she said it wouldn't hurt to apply. GWU is ranked 14th best MPH programs, so I guess that's top enough? 😕 And yes, I've taken the MCAT.

 

[unicornshadow888]

Oh okay, I see. But in general do you think the Dartmouth 1 year MPH, Northwestern 1-year or GWU 1- year programs are worth it to pursue? Are they considered top programs? And there is actually a GWU 1 year residential program that is also open to recent undergraduates. I checked with the Director and she said it wouldn't hurt to apply. GWU is ranked 14th best MPH programs, so I guess that's top enough? 😕 And yes, I've taken the MCAT.

I don't see any harm in trying. Just make sure that you meet the requirements for admission.

 

[DoctorScreeLoose]

As someone who has an MPH degree I agree with this. Yet, I am premed now because I have been bumping into the glass ceiling with my freestanding MPH degree

I would like to know the difference between physicians and veterinarians that pursue an MPH? Is there a difference? Can we be from different specialties in medicine and have an equal degree on a public health level?

 

[DoctorScreeLoose]

I would like to know the difference between physicians and veterinarians that pursue an MPH? Is there a difference? Can we be from different specialties in medicine and have an equal degree on a public health level?