toothfairy

Hi again, thank you so much for this detailed response! I definitely have every intention of finishing my DDS degree before transitioning to the next program. I'm stuck because I do actually envision myself working on Capitol Hill, and like you mentioned I'm not sure how easily I would access those networks if I chose to do an MPH over MPP. This is much of why I had assumed MPP would be the better choice for me--I just want to be sure that whatever program I choose will help position me for policy work on the Hill post-graduation. But what you said about the policy area interest gap is very useful and something I will definitely need to consider when applying to programs. I guess one additional follow-up question would be that if I do choose to move forward with the MPH (instead of MPP), do you have any other recommendations after T.H. Chan for programs that are strong in health policy and/or networking to the federal health policy sphere? I know I should probably cast my net wider than just one school. Thank you again!!!

Hi everyone! I have a feeling my case is pretty unique, but I'm currently a third-year dental student who discovered a very strong passion for health policy during my first year in dental school. At this point I'm pretty committed to pivoting from a more clinical to strictly policy/advocacy career path--taking with me all relevant knowledge and training within the (oral) health care realm these past 3 years. There are very few (if any) dentists out there with the type of career and training I am looking to achieve, so I'm pretty desperate for some guidance as I try to plan my next move. I have gone back and forth about whether an MPH with a Health Policy focus or MPP with a broader Social Policy focus is the right fit for me. I am very interested in other policy topics outside of health care (housing, education, urban policy, etc.) and I'm worried an MPH program will not offer me the level of policy training I am after. I know I'm getting old (just turned 25 lol) but I am very much interested in pursuing federal policy work in DC, ideally on the Hill or else in the nonprofit sector. Therefore, I am also looking for programs that will best position me for a post-grad transition to D.C. I'm currently living on the West Coast for dental school but would much prefer to transition to the Northeast/DC area for this next phase. Schools/Programs Applying To: I've done some preliminary research on schools I feel would be a good fit based on what I've already shared... Harvard-Kennedy (definitely a top choice at the moment), Columbia-SIPA, GWU-Trachtenburg, Georgetown-McCourt...NYU? CMU Heinz? Others? Or if I stayed in the MPH lane as many health grads do--somewhere like Harvard T.H. Chan with a 1 year accelerated MPH program. Again, I'm not entirely sold on this idea but could be convinced otherwise. A dual-degree DDS/MPH was not an option at my school. Undergraduate institution: UW-Madison --> top-ranked dental program Undergraduate GPA: 3.9 Undergraduate Major: Biology + Spanish w/ Business minor GRE Quantitative Score: 163 (80th percentile) GRE Verbal Score: 162 (90th percentile) GRE AW Score: 5.0 (92nd percentile) Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 3 years (but still in school) Years of Work Experience: technically 0, but 3 years of post-grad clinical education Quant/Econ Experience: I think I may be lacking a bit in this section; I took Micro in undergrad (A) + Stats for health science majors (A) plus an A in high school Calc offered at a local community college, though I'm not sure how it reads on my transcript. All these experiences are 5+ years old at this point. I've done some quantitative data analysis research in my dental program but nothing too heavy. Describe Relevant Work Experience: I've had part-time work-study gigs since freshmen year of college but none that are policy or quant-related. I do see patients full-time in clinic my last two years of dental school, which may not technically be a job but definitely feels like one. lol Besides that I've done regular policy/advocacy work with organized dental associations like CDA, ADA, ADEA--think student lobby day-esque events. Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I'm a fairly good writer who's been through the post-grad application process before. I believe I have a good grasp of who I am and what my areas of interest are within the policy realm, and better yet, that my interests may be unique as they pertain to the intersection of dentistry and LGBTQ+ health care. My gender and sexual identities definitely add to my story (I am a transgender woman, first openly trans student in the history of my program) and in my writings I lean on a lot of relevant experiences advocating for policy changes within higher ed at my institution. Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): One from my direct research mentor/advisor to the LGBTQ+ club I lead on campus, one from a clinical course director who can speak to my experiences as a health care professional, and one (hopefully) from a state dental association staffer with whom I've worked closely on multiple advocacy events. I'm not certain if I've gone in the right direction with these letters as they relate to an MPP, so any feedback here would be appreciated as well. Questions/comments I have: I'm not sure anyone will actually read this but I'm thankful to anyone who can offer any insight from an "outsider" (non-health care) perspective. I'm very excited to take this next step in my education, but it's been extremely difficult for me to start the process while in grad school (clinic) full-time and without any mentors who have gone down a similar path. I do have big dreams of contributing to progressive policy reform--especially as it relates to oral/trans health care--and I'm ready to commit to a career in public service, but I'm always open to other suggestions or feedback on alternate career paths. If I am completely off the mark here, it's better for me to find out now, so be as brutally honest as needed. Thanks for making it this far, and I look forward to continuing the conversation if folks are interested!!!