Need Advice - MPH or MSc?

[Tess2019]

[Deleted]

 

 

 

[premed72]

Hello there!

School rep definitely does not matter. I think the biggest thing you want to look out for is whether or not it's a thesis or non-thesis masters. U of T med does consider the difference between the two and can change how they evaluate you as a grad applicant (not sure of other schools though). I personally would go for the MPH if money is not an issue for you. But first I'd check and see how productive the lab is in terms of doing research projects and conferences to get the most of your grad school experience. I also think an MPH opens up way more career doors than an MSc (depending on what field your MSc is in). Im pretty sure with an MPH you can find a nice government job if it takes u some time to get into med. But that's my two cents. Also, (again depending on the field of research), the average MSc degree can take up 2.5-3 years to finish so that should also cross your mind. I'm currently in basic sciences and it takes alot of time to complete projects etc. But I also see you have experience in your current lab which would def reduce the time to complete projects as you're probably somewhat trained. 

At the end of the day, med schools really do not care what type of research or masters you pump out. I think you just need to choose something that you would enjoy doing because I think that positively correlates with how productive you will be in gaining some meaningful experiences. These will all indirectly help you get an interview. Choosing a masters should not be directly geared towards med school. It should be about what you can see yourself doing if med doesnt work or takes you an extra while to get in. I can see you're thinking this way which is great. 

 I hope my rambling helped. 

Cheers 

[rusty714]

Recent MPH grad here so I might be a bit biased, but here are my thoughts: 

Throughout my MPH, I had many opportunities to engage in research projects and conferences, but I wasn't tied to one research project for the entirety of my master's (although this may be slightly different for you since I did a practicum rather than a thesis). I was able to explore different areas of public health, while also still being able to add that research experience to my CV. I also really enjoyed being able to learn about a breadth of different topics, ranging from epidemiology to the social determinants of health. I knew that I still wanted to do med after and I felt that the knowledge and skills that I gained throughout my MPH would help me in a future career as a physician. What made my MPH so meaningful to me was that I was able to discover these new passions, that I eventually realized were what led me to want to pursue medicine in the first place. I knew that even if med didn't work out for me, I would still be doing something that I loved. 

I also had similar thoughts about choosing an MPH when I finished undergrad - I was a little concerned about the difficulty, but I found it to be really manageable. I was also thinking of the job prospects post-graduation, as I wanted to be realistic with my decision. There are so many different fields you can enter with an MPH and though it might take a bit of time for the initial job search, I do think the job prospects are pretty good. 

That being said, I have friends who did their MSc's with the intention of still applying to med after, and absolutely loved it. They were really passionate about one research topic and really enjoyed how they were able to focus on one research project. 

I hope that helps a bit! 

[Tess2019]

Thank you both for your input! It's greatly appreciated. 

[Edict]

On 5/6/2020 at 11:18 AM, Tess2019 said:

Hi all, 

With no interviews this cycle, I have decided to complete a Masters to expand my research experience and to have as a backup plan if med doesn't work out. I'm having a bit of trouble deciding between two programs right now and could use your advice.

Essentially, I'm deciding between an MPH with a thesis (not sure about the project/supervisor yet) at a reputable school with no funding (will be around 25k total) vs. an MSc at a less reputable school, but with full funding, a guaranteed TA position, as well as the bonus of already having a good relationship with my supervisor and knowing that I am interested in and well-suited for the research being done at their lab. 

I feel that the MPH may hold more weight to medical schools and will give me more opportunities if med doesn't work out, but will be more challenging of a program (more courses, etc). I think the MSc would probably provide me with more opportunities during the program (the TA position, planned publications/presentations over the two years, great references and support system) but I'm worried about the school's reputation (not sure if it matters as much as I think it does), career prospects with an MSc if med doesn't work out, and the idea of turning down a competitive MPH program for it. 

Any advice would be appreciated! 

Stats: 515 MCAT (126 cars), 3.92 GPA. 

 

 

 

Unless the school you are talking about is Ivy League (in which case there are side social/network benefits of attending if you can afford it), it really makes no difference. I would focus more on career prospects afterwards if med doesn't work out and also where you want to live, those are more important imo.