Hi all...I'm finishing up my MA in medical anthropology right now. I have the option of immediately switching into either the epidemiology or healths services research doctoral programs at my same university. My research interests are in the social, economic and political influences on infectious disease transmission, but I've been afforded an amazing opportunity to partner up with the Student Health Care Center and do a dissertation on a topic related to health among the university community. I code in SAS and have worked for a year as a data analyst to pay for my MA, so I know my way around large data sets which I will have.
My question is kind of two fold: 1) What are the benefits to the skills acquired through doctoral training in Health Services Research vs in Epi? 2) Long term I want to work in health systems strengthening particularly regarding infection control in underserved communities (internationally and domestically--I'm thinking government job, possibly private industry). So which would be a better fit for my long term goals?
