Hi:
I graduated with a BS in Healthcare Administration from SIU on 2011. I’ve looking for a job for the last 4-5 months and I came out to the conclusion that there are not jobs in the research field with that degree. Employers do not take you seriously without any science background.
After I narrowed all my options; I decided that my best option is pursue a pre-med/ MPH degree. I don’t know if I want to be a doctor yet but I know I want to start working in the field I love (I’ve in school for around 10 years already) and an MPH will help me to find out a job sooner. I only took Biology and stats at college.
Has anyone, or do you know of anyone, who has done an MPH with pre-med courses concurrently? How long will take? 4 years?
I will still consider a pre-med because I don’t have any science classes. I also, don’t worry that much for the 3 first years of school because I’ve the post 9/11 GIBill.
I lived in Florida but I would be able to relocate anywhere in the US.
Thank you
You might look at a special masters program. Look at http://services.aamc.org/postbac/ and you can search by graduate programs. I’m not sure what would be an entry to research but you might make inquiries regarding a Masters in Biomedical Sciences or something similar.
Kate
I think those two options are somewhat at odds with each other.
If your goal is to become a doctor then you should do only a pre-med postbacc (usually 2-3 years) and maybe look at a MD/MPH program.
If your goal is pursuing a career in public health then you should do the MPH alone (usually two years).
My advice would be to decide which you want to do and do that well and quickly.
A SMP is usually for those people who have already done the pre-reqs.
If you are considering medicine, then an MPH will typically NOT be a great help in getting into medical school. You would be much better off in focusing on the premed, then deciding whether MD or MPH would be your primary path. You should also know that there are many joint MD/MPH programs
Like I said, my main issue is not finding a job in the research campus with a BA in Healthcare Administration. I think probably the best choice is study a Post- Bacc Pre-Med and choose after that if I want to be a doctor or study a MPH.
I don’t think both can be completed at the same time.
I don’t think you want to do a post-bacc premed unless you are sure that you want to be a doctor. An MPH (masters in public health) will not help you get into research, whereas a Masters in Biomedical Sciences MIGHT (as some of the premed programs were). That way you would have completed one 2-year degree that gave you some science background to try to get into research as well as gotten the science prerequisites needed for medical school. You can make inquiries as to opportunities to be involved as a student in research labs. This will probably NOT be paid work but would be real research experience. If you are going to commit to 2 more years of school before working, it would be as well to try to gain the most experience (shadowing physicians and doing student research) trying out your fields of interest and the most applicable education.
Alternatively, you could look for a job in the clinical arena IN healthcare administration and see where that leads.
Kate