Year Off - Masters in Pub. Health or Research?

[Minea1010]

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I have to takte Step one again and this has caused me to be behind schedule and to have to take a year off - so what is better : getting a MPH or doing research?

Which candidate would be more competitive when applying for residency?😕

 

[OveractiveBrain]

I have to takte Step one again and this has caused me to be behind schedule and to have to take a year off - so what is better : getting a MPH or doing research?

Which candidate would be more competitive when applying for residency?😕

MPH is a perfect cover. " i planned it all along" vs "oh poop, I had to come up with something to hide the fact that I failed..."

Either way, MPH or research, neither of them impact your chances of getting in (MPH does not change match rates), and every program will see that you failed once. I suppose that in one you could earn money (research) while one you have to pay more (MPH), but unless you publish to nature or NEJM, "doing research" is pretty bunk.

You might even learn something useful (like biostats) in MPH. I use the term "useful" loosely.

 

[Minea1010]

Thanks.... makes sense 🙂

 

[mdeast]

I somewhat disagree. MPH= more debt for a relatively useless degree. Research= chance of publication in a field you're interested in applying for. I'd take #2 over #1.

 

[x10694]

I somewhat disagree. MPH= more debt for a relatively useless degree. Research= chance of publication in a field you're interested in applying for. I'd take #2 over #1.

couldn't have said it better myself : you really shouldn't do an MPH just to boost up a resume: its more debt, possibly useless, and doesn't really guarantee a publication. You can do effective research and publish without being an MPH.

 

[drizzt3117]

You can also considering being a scribe....I know people who said they took a year off to save money for med school, and because they wanted more clinical exposure. It helped a few of my friends. There may not be a program near you but check out www.iamscribe.com

The OP IS ALREADY a med student.