PublicHealthGuy

Awesome... that helps to clarify the tone of the interview. I tend to do well with interpersonal communication, so I'm going to focus on the meat & potatoes aspects of amping up the research portion of the resume & identifying/speaking-with faculty. I really think that some of this information will be helpful to other aspiring PhD's, PH or otherwise. I am sure I am not the only one with these questions, and am really glad this is in the forums. Thank you again Stories for all your insight... and for everyone else who took the time to give pointers. Hoping this coming Spring is productive, enjoyable, and not too stressful for all, and wishing you all the best in your acceptance & future careers! Hope to someday run into you at seminars/conventions, or read of you in the coming years!

I'm guilty of that too...I guess the important part isn't rambling itself, but knowing/admitting that you ramble, right? I am really glad the preventative side of healthcare is coming to the fore, be it environment, gene-mapping & mutagenic behavior, or nutrition. You've probably seen this clip before on regenerative medicine, but if things like this are coming in the next decade, then I can't wait to see what we all find through our research: One of the ideas I had for a focus is based on accreditation. The current process with the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) is a national beta test - starting this summer - for a group of PH agencies that will measure how well they function within 10 identified public health standards (taken from the CDC's National Public Health Performance Standards Program [NPHPSP] and the National Association of County & City Health Officials [NACCHO]). Assuming everything stays on track, in 2011 the accreditation process will be opened up for anyone. For those that volunteer for it, I think it would be interesting to measure and compare how (un)successfully the transition is for a sample of small, medium, and large health agencies, and see if any best (or worst) practices are out there for managing the change. One other one is another survey of best practice, this time for the rehabilitation of homeless that fall under the "dual-diagnoses" category... those with drug addiction and mental illness. I'd have to see what current research is out on that already, though. Ok, now I'm the guilty rambler... but I did want to ask something. How did you present yourself in your personal statement & interview if you didn't have a specific research question yet? In other words, what level of focus-specificity do you think tells the faculty you are interested and a good fit? Was the interview them grilling you on your focus and seeing if you had thought it through?

Wow, stories, thank you for being so descriptive! It is a real treasure to find someone who will take the time to share their experience with others... and I'm happy that you enjoy it too! That is why these forums are so great... I can honestly say this discussion has been a real uplift to the whole prospect of my getting a PhD. Especially because I am a big-time planner (much to my wife's amusement, because she is a bit more relaxed... :mrgreen: ), I think just being able to hash it out helps. Ok... so do well on the typical scoring stuff, but focus heavily on understanding the research culture at each university, market to that culture & the corresponding faculty that share your interests. While it has been on the books for a bit, I will focus on seeing if I can partner with one of Case's public health faculty to familiarize myself with the process of more established researchers (and if I can get a name on a paper, that works too! ... but mainly so that I can learn from/with them). That may help with the personal statement too, because I figure someone who has already done some research on his/her topic focus will sound more credible than another who just has an focus inkling. Congratulations on getting into Yale! I think the gene-environmental is just fascinating... our health department is just beginning a grant for the National Children's Study, and that is just got me hopping to think of all that data... man, if you ever find a way to get a participants to honestly & accurately fill a 100 page questionnaire, that would be just golden. I'm really psyched ... It's like walking into a random store blindfolded, taking it off, and you discovering what is there over the course of your wanderings...so cool. What is your focus? Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts! It really is invaluable.

Hi Stories.... that's really good to know about the revision of the personal statement. I'm on the alumni board at my alma mater... I'll have to have a couple of them provide their input. I'm sure it will be a bit overwhelming at first, but it's a process I'm willing to endure! And thank you sab for the two cents! I have a feeling many places will find my application a bit puny, especially when you list your creds and outcome. Still, I'll apply to a bunch of schools, including safer bets and an MPH program or two. I'm sure there is some college out there that will take another warm bady & caffeinated mind. I wonder what happened in your case? Did the interviews not flow well? What were the creds/interests of some of the accepted candidates? Thank you all! Happy Wednesday!

Thanks for the good insight Stories. The situation you mentioned is exactly what I thought I'd be up against... especially with the economic push to re-educate, I'm sure this is going to be a "big fish" swimming pool. I'm hoping that what you suggest will find its guidance during the visit with the faculty, where I am expecting them to a) chuckle, give me the advice you just suggested (likely), or c) to suggest some pre-req coursework and other minor polishes (hoping). I guess I want to make sure I've tried going through the (pre)application process for the PhD before I defer it for the MPH. Thanks again!

Thanks for the reply! That's a good point Rutabaga; a point that was delaying my consideration of the Bachelors --> Doctorate jump. BUT! ( :mrgreen: ) ... then I got the chance to speak with a current PhD student from UNC in the HPM program and she started as an MSPH there, then transferred this semester into the PhD program!! That was like (woot!/a damn bursting) because I thought, like you said, that a Masters would be required. So I printed the Academic Policies manual for the PhD program and as of 2008-2009 it said "Masters, or equivalent experience". Whatever that means... but since I spoke with that student I guess it means it's possible! I hope that is the case! I'll be talking with whatever faculty are specialized in my focus areas in the summer to get their input too.... FSIA, thanks for the supportive feedback! It's true that I'm not bound to UNC, but there is something about the program so far (from many people I've talked to) that have valued it's education/cost ratio and it's position in public health that lures me strongly. I liked JHU when I visited...I'd consider applying (if able) to UCLA, Michigan, Ohio State, JHU, and Harvard (just for fun, if able). Thanks for the feedback! Wishing you all that 100% acceptance rate by being GradCafe folks!

Hi all, I'd like to pick the brains of a few applying PhD students! I currently have a Bachelors Degree in Nursing from Case Western Reserve University, have been working for two years now at a health department, and am debating between an MPH or a PhD in Public Health. My ideal is applying for the PhD Health Policy & Management program at UNC (focus in health prevention & quality assurance/economics), and would like your feedback on two things... 1. Is a bachelors candidate with a good GPA (3.7) and two years (3 upon application) of PH experience too overzealous to think he has a shot at a PhD program? 2. Have any of you found the "overqualified" stigma with a PhD Public Health? My main reasons for the BSN --> PhD and not an MPH is that a) I will eventually want a doctorate, and I would like to finish my education in the next 5 years, and cannot fit both a MPH and a PhD (not to mention if such a combination is not practical due to material overlap?) I've got tough skin, so hit me with some honest opinions! Thank you!