The MPH to MD dual degree program is becoming increasingly popular among medical students who want to have a broader understanding of the healthcare industry. Public health is a growing field and has an increasing need for professionals who have the skills to perform duties that are required in various positions. With an MPH/MD degree, doctors can increase their ability to work in various settings and provide themselves with the skills that they need to find positions in managerial and administrative positions throughout the healthcare industry.
MPH/MD Programs
In the typical MPH/MD program, students will enroll in the MPH portion between their 2nd and 3rd or 3rd and 4th years of medical school. They will be required to apply concurrently or separately for the programs in many cases because schools offering the joint degree have yet to develop joint admissions process at the advanced degree level. In this case, students cannot enroll in the dual degree program unless they gain admission to both schools (the school of public health and school of medicine at the college in question).
This program generally takes 4-5 years to complete, and is offered by some of the best medical school colleges in the nation. This gives students the chance to get a reputable education that they can depend on. There are financial aid options, as most students will spend $20,000-$45,000 on an MPH/MD dual degree program in order to complete the degree.
Students will learn a variety of public health elements in their dual degree program, including things like:
- Biostatistics
- Epidemiology
- Health education
- International health
- Behavioral and social sciences
- Health law
- Health administration
- Child and maternal health
- Population and community health
- Environmental and occupational health
These are important areas of concentration that can be chosen for the MPH portion of the degree, along with others in the public health field. It will be up to you to find the right specialization for your MPH/MD degree, no matter what you have in mind.
Benefits of MPH/MD Degrees
There are plenty of benefits to having this type of degree. You will be more prepared for a career in the healthcare industry at the managerial level. You will also understand public policy and healthcare administration better than if you just took a traditional MD program. Those who want to be more than just another doctor can find many things to appreciate about getting an MPH/MD dual degree.
Top MPH/MD Programs
Some of the best MPH/MD programs come from leading schools in the nation for medical degrees and public health degrees alike. (See Top 10 MPH Programs in the World). You can get the dual degree that you want from leading colleges and universities like:
- Drexel University
- Harvard University
- Columbia University
- Boston University
- Emory University
- Johns Hopkins University
- New York Medical College
- The Ohio State University
- St. Louis University
- Touro University – California
- Tulane University
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- University of California at Los Angeles
In addition to these top programs, there are also online MPH degree programs that can be considered for earning the MPH/MD dual degree. It will be up to you to research your options and find the program that fits your career goals.
References
- http://school.med.nyu.edu/studentsfaculty/student-affairs/masters-programs/mdmph-global-public-health
- http://www.amsa.org/AMSA/Homepage/About/Committees/CEH/MDMPHPrograms.aspx
