NiceGuy

I think you answered your own question... that you like ph slightly more than pharm.. In my opinion, I'd pick ph over pharm mainly because ph encompasses many aspects of healthcare.. pharmacy is more specific and like pearl421 said, job prospects aren't as great as what it may seem to be.. especially if you want to start your own business.. it's more difficult nowadays with large companies such as shoppers or rexall dominating the market. Also, I feel that being a pharmacist, the work is quite repetitive.. and not much room for career growth unless you pursue working for a pharmaceutical company and work your way up from there. On the other hand ph is quite flexible and transferable in many areas of healthcare.. so i don't think there would be a problem with job prospects.. what you do 5 years from now in ph will probably be different in 10 years, which is why I find ph a good field for me to go into (different challenges and less routine/repetitive work and possibly have a larger impact on the population/society).. I feel that as a pharmacist... what you do after school will pretty much be the same 5 years from now... and 10 years from now... but of course, pharmacy is a rewarding career, especially if you enjoy the patient interaction.. let us know what you decide!

Hey Pebbles, If your supervisor can ensure/guarantee you a placement in toronto (sounds like you really want to complete your practicum there), then by all means, Queens is probably your best choice. I got accepted to UofT's OEH program, so I'll be attending in the fall, maybe I'll see you there if you decide to accept UofT's offer. My main reason for picking UofT over the other schools is mainly because it's an established school and connections with other large organization, departments and agencies within the realm of public health. The school is also quite well-known for its MPH program... so reputation is something I consider important in regards to attending a professional school... (not saying Queen's isn't a reputable school, just that UofT's MPH program has been around much longer). I didn't do my undergrad at UofT so I'm looking forward to a change in the academic scene. Like stated earlier, I also feel that UofT may offer better placements and Toronto is ideally where I want to work (at least when I start out) once I've completed the program. I chose the OEH program in particular because I'm interested in workplace health and safety.. more specifically dealing with the business aspect of H&S.. so I may actually do an MBA later on in my life... but that's a whole other story.. Whatever decision you make, I'm sure it will be the right one for you... I did recall someone say in previous posts that Queen's MPH program is more focused towards cancer epi? Is that something you're interested in? Also, I'm not sure if there's a facebook group for UofT's/Queens Public Health programs... but if they do, maybe you could contact some from there to get a better perspective of what both schools have to offer. I know there are a few UofT facebook groups for different professional programs such as physiotherapy or pharmacy geared towards answering questions and sharing their experiences in the program. Hope this helps!

So I was just skimming through Queen's MPH website and it seems like the "field trips" and placements are "based in either a local or regional". This is from their website description and their list of field trip locations. Perhaps you should email the Program Director for Queen's MPH program to inquire about their practicum or contact the list of students they have posted on the MPH website to see what they have to say about their practicum experience. Like you said, I too feel UofT students get better placements, not only because of their location, but also the School's connections with other organizations and agencies... So networking may be an advantage for you. I know when I was doing my placement at the City of Toronto, they had a student from UofT's MPH OEH program complete her placement there... and she got to know a lot of the senior staff working in various fields of Public Health in the city. Maybe the location of the school and where you live might be able to help you decide as well? If you're a perm resident in Kingston, and you're more interested in the courses Queens has to offer, then I'd say go with Queens. Or if you're from the GTA region, maybe UofT might be a better choice (although they may not offer your ideal courses), the change in academic environment may open more doors for you in the future..

Hi Pebbles, You've mentioned that you're currently finishing up your undergrad at Queens.. May I ask what program/degree you're working towards to?

When I completed a work placement at the City of Toronto in the Occupational Health, Safety and Workers' Compensation Department... We had about 3-4 Occupational Hygiene Consultants (all graduated from the OEH MPH Program from UofT) who mainly provided consulting services to various divisions of the City.. so for example Toronto Humane Society... Toronto Water.. Social Services.. etc. etc. The pay grade was good... and the work they were doing was mainly reducing workplace injuries, as well implementing new programs to help reduce environmental exposures to workplace hazards.. The manager of the department was also from OEH, however, her role was somewhat different and mainly focused on 'big picture' stuff.. such as implementing new policy changes for the city regarding workplace hazards.. This is just one aspect I of OEH on a municipal level.. I'm sure there are other people out there who also received training end education from UofT's OEH MPH doing other things with their knowledge and skills.

In that case, I say go to UofT. You can get some background training in the types of hazards and biological diseases or infections that commonly occur in workplaces as well as health regulations and policies. You don’t HAVE to work in the occupational public heath long term… you may pursue a different career if you want since you already have basic foundation in occupational health and safety and find a job where you can apply your knowledge and skills on a community/ global level… you can always build on the OEH degree and do a phd in epi or another masters in epi..

Actually, UofT's Epidemiology program accepts 30 people according to a student in that program from 2010: "I am currently a student in Epidemiology at U of T finishing up my first year. In terms of admittance, they accept about 10% of applicants (our class this year is about 30 people). As its competitive, the higher the GPA the better (most people I have talked to had at least a 3.7 in the last two years), although having a strong background in either research or public health work will also give you points (can compensate for lower grades). When writing your letter of intent, make an argument for why their program fits you - it is unique in a number of ways compared to other MPH programs in Ontario." I believe the OEH option accepts about 10 people.

UofT's program has been around longer.. a little over 30 years I believe.. and I know Queen's MPH program is fairly new compared to UofT, so there may still be changes being made to the program as it continues to grow.. However, this is only speculation based on what I've experienced in new programs. This program is slightly different than Queen's MPH where they seem to be focused on community Health and Epi, whereas OEH is more focused with hazards in work-related and industrial settings. After all, you do work towards to become a ROH where you will use your skills and knowledge in promoting primary interventions in EHS settings. However, this is just one aspect of what you can do with a MPH from UofT.. there are many other routes you can take such as academics or a managerial role.. I'm sure that's also the same for Queen's MPH program. So it really depends on what you really want to do and like. The OEH program itself is quite small... about 10-12 people, so you'll get to know your classmates and profs quite well. UofT is certainly a larger institution, so you are correct about long term opportunities, since the school is much more recognized internationally.. and is ranked 27th in the world.. Sometimes change is a good thing and perhaps attending a new school in a new community may help you develop new skills, gain new knowledge, meet new people, develop a different perception on things and find new opportunities that you might not have been able to experience or find during your undergrad at Queens. Hope this helps.