Some medical students choose to study for a Master’s in Public Health (M.P.H.) while simultaneously working on earning an M.D. for many reasons, from being a more competitive candidate for residency matches to learning about public health issues and tying them into practical medicine.
As the website Mastersinpublichealth.org explains, medicine often focuses on a single patient, while public health “seeks to improve the lives of entire communities.”
The American Medical Student Association’s website has a section that discusses the pros and cons of studying for an M.P.H. while in medical school.
AMSA says some medical students cite the following benefits of studying for an M.P.H. and M.D.:
- Some schools allow for an academic year in which students may pursue an alternate degree (such as M.P.H.) or other academic research.
- May give you a better sense of how you'd like to plan your career (life?)
- Real-life experience after M.P.H. may give you the mental structure to understand and process what you are doing and seeing.
- Gives you time to step back from the day-to-day of medical school to see the bigger picture and what role you play in the broader medical system.
The website Mastersinpublichealth.org offers online directories of educational resources for students, including traditional and online M.P.H. programs.
In addition to pursuing an M.P.H. degree, some medical students may also study for a joint Ph.D., M.B.A., Master’s of Public Administration or Master’s of Health Administration as well, but the increased study time can be stressful. As an article by Veritas Prep in U.S. News and World Report points out, “Combining the M.D. with another degree, such as a Ph.D., M.B.A., M.P.H. or M.P.A. (Master of Public Administration), can greatly enhance your career options and impact. However, pursuing a joint degree is a significant undertaking, and preparation is key.”
UMHS is partnered with two accredited online universities, Walden University and Davenport University, which offers students a chance to study for an M.D. and several different online master’s degrees in conjunction with their M.D., including Master's programs in Health Administration (M.H.A.), Public Health (M.P.H.), and Health Informatics and Clinical Research Administration.
For more information, visit http://www.umhs-sk.org/index.php/academics/walden-university.html and http://www.umhs-sk.org/index.php/news-and-events/umhs-partners-with-davenport-university-for-mba-in-health-sciences.html.
(Top photo) Photo: Pixabay
About UMHS:
Built in the tradition of the best US universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciencesfocuses on individual student attention, maintaining small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. We call this unique approach, “personalized medical education,” and it’s what has led to our unprecedented 96% student retention rate, and outstanding residency placements across the US and Canada.
Scott is Director of Digital Content & Alumni Communications Liaison at UMHS and editor of the UMHS Endeavour blog. When he's not writing about UMHS students, faculty, events, public health, alumni and UMHS research, he writes and edits Broadway theater reviews for a website he publishes in New York City, StageZine.com.
