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Got accepted into PA school, to continue MPH in epi or work?


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So I got accepted into a PA program that matriculates in June and am currently in my 2nd semester in Public Health (same graduate campus as PA program) towards an MPH in Epidemiology. I only have 9 hrs so far and if I continue this semester I will have 21 before starting PA program (45 hrs=MPH in epi). My question for actual PA's and people who know a lot more than me: Is paying the money to get an MPH (assuming I take this semester and come back in the future to finish 2 more semesters) worth it if I'm also going to become a PA? How specifically does it make me a better PA and does it also affect salary? Since PA school is a hefty debt, should I just work this semester until then to save a a little bit of money (low paying job, maybe get some more low level healthcare experience) or should I finish this semester (Intermediate epi, biostats II, epi/prevention of diabetes, US healthcare systems) and come back in x amount of years to finish up the last two semesters? I'm pretty torn and would really appreciate some advice! Thanks!

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Won't need MPH degree to work in general PA fields. If you would choose to specialize then depending on the field, MPH degree will help I guess.

 

However, after grueling 2 plus years of PA school, having additional debts and as you are adjusting into the PA profession after graduation, you would find time to spend 2 semesters to get the degree you might or might not use?

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Depends on what you want to do.  If your goal is to "simply" practice medicine in a private setting....then it's a complete waste of your time.  PA school is going to overwhelm your life for 2 years, I would take the semester off, work, spend time with your friends/family, start reading some anatomy and pharmacology, and get your batteries charged. 

If you envision working for the guv'ment, or academia, at some point in your future then perhaps you should take some classes toward the MPH now.  You don't necessarily need to go full time that semester, and there should be many MPH classes that correlated with medicine (Some of my MPH classes included infectious disease, trauma systems, mass casualty incident management, emergency management health care, disaster health managmeent, crisis and disaster management, quarantine). 

Best of luck to you,

 

Boats (MPAS, MPH)

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How interested in the MPH are you ?   Is the program enjoyable? Why did you study this in the first place?  if you are not easily answering this in a positive manner probably not for you. 

If you finish the MPH at this university does that mean you could avoid certain PA school classes such as public health or research methods. And does that mean slightly less tuition ?

Also, do you like the area this university is in ? Can you finish the MPH part time ?  Maybe you will just finish it once you start practicing clinically and your hospital/employer may offer tuition dollars.

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Thank you all so much for your input, I really appreciate it!  Honestly, I went to COPH to study epi with the goal of it aiding me in getting into PA school, and it was thus successful.  While I do enjoy learning about epidemiology, my college focuses more on the technical study designs and so I'm not learning much about the biological processes as much as I'm  learning a general foundation to practice epidemiology in a variety of settings (which is a good thing ultimately).  I'm not too passionate about biostatistics as it just isn't that interesting to me.  I'm mainly interested in just treating patients, so if I ever wanted to work for the government or go into research it would probably take a back seat to the practice aspect of being a PA.  Great questions SocialMedicine, I would have to go back years later to finish my MPH so it would not affect PA school courses whatsoever.  I love the campus, but they STRONGLY recommend no outside employment or anything time-consuming during the program and I think I should devote all my time to PA school and not try to do part time courses towards an MPH (plus would be impossible during certain rotations).  I'm really leaning towards dropping my MPH classes based on my desires and situation so far, but I could potentially be interested in completing it down the road if there is an employer incentive and/or I find some new passion that would still let me see patients.  Thanks again for the input guys, it's helped a lot!

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do you have the option of changing the focus of your mph to something like community health?

That might have less biostats, etc than the epi focus.

I'm doing a global health focus for my DHSc (which overlaps quite a bit with an MPH + about 20+ more credits) and only have to take 1 stats course and 1 epi course(both now done!)

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Well, I couldn't change the classes for this semester even if I decide to continue this semester.  It'd be significantly having to get even more hours to switch to a different MPH focus, and plus, I do like Epidemiology (even though studying study design intricacies aren't the most fascinating) though I only have to take 2 more biostats courses total.  That sounds very cool! For a Doctorate of health science, wouldn't that be a ton of more hours on top of what I'm already considering?

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Well, I couldn't change the classes for this semester even if I decide to continue this semester.  It'd be significantly having to get even more hours to switch to a different MPH focus, and plus, I do like Epidemiology (even though studying study design intricacies aren't the most fascinating) though I only have to take 2 more biostats courses total.  That sounds very cool! For a Doctorate of health science, wouldn't that be a ton of more hours on top of what I'm already considering?

The DHSc is 61 hours after a masters and is a hybrid program with both on campus and distance learning components. There are folks in my class with prior degrees of MPH, MPAS, MSN, MEd, etc. I have really enjoyed the program and am almost done with only 2 more courses after this term.

http://www.nova.edu/chcs/healthsciences/dhs/index.html

 

also see this thread for a course by course discussion of the program as I and some other forum members here go through it:

http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/index.php?/topic/1764-taking-the-dhsc-plunge/

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Hello everyone,

 

I have scene a lot of post stating that Dr. without borders only take PA with an MPH. 

What about PAs with MHS?  I am not talking about an MHS from a PA program that awards an MHS for going through the PA program but an entirely separate MHS degree.  I earned my MHS in December and I'll actually earn another MHS from PA school.  I still would not be able to do something like Dr. without borders? 

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Hello everyone,

 

I have scene a lot of post stating that Dr. without borders only take PA with an MPH. 

What about PAs with MHS?  I am not talking about an MHS from a PA program that awards an MHS for going through the PA program but an entirely separate MHS degree.  I earned my MHS in December and I'll actually earn another MHS from PA school.  I still would not be able to do something like Dr. without borders? 

They only want the MPH. lots of other organizations are fine with PAs of any kind.

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