Switching from pre-med to public health — HELP!

[emmaelizabeth30]

Hi guys!
 

I’m entering the fall of my senior year and I’ve just decided to no longer pursue medicine and get an MPH. Because of this I’ve taken all of the hard chem and bio classes and it’s really done a number on my GPA... my first question is 1) where can I find some statistics on MPH admissions? I’m curious on my chances of getting accepted into the programs I’m looking at and at most I’ve seen a few programs state their average GPA. And 2) what are some good ideas for work experience to get in between undergrad and the MPH? I’m very open minded but I am interested in epidemiology. I live in VA so should I pursue opportunities at organizations in DC? CDC/WHO?

Thank you! Anything helps!

[hopeful2020PhD]

1.  You could reach out to admissions at each school and ask for more detailed admissions stats. Alternatively, the MPH application forums over here are much more active than on grad cafe, and many students post their GPA, GRE, experience, and outcomes: https://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/public-health-degrees-masters-and-doctoral.94/
2.  What you do for work in between your BA/BS and MPH really depends on what you are interested in. Think about your interests within epidemiology: methods, aging, social disparities, clinical trials, HIV, substance use, etc. You can always look for research assistant positions at universities, hospitals, and nonprofits aligned with those interests. Jobs at CDC/WHO are hyper competitive, but there is an uptick in openings due the pandemic. Who knows what it will be like in a year when you graduate.Insert other media

[PublicHealth2020grad]

22 hours ago, emmaelizabeth30 said:

Hi guys!
 

I’m entering the fall of my senior year and I’ve just decided to no longer pursue medicine and get an MPH. Because of this I’ve taken all of the hard chem and bio classes and it’s really done a number on my GPA... my first question is 1) where can I find some statistics on MPH admissions? I’m curious on my chances of getting accepted into the programs I’m looking at and at most I’ve seen a few programs state their average GPA. And 2) what are some good ideas for work experience to get in between undergrad and the MPH? I’m very open minded but I am interested in epidemiology. I live in VA so should I pursue opportunities at organizations in DC? CDC/WHO?

Thank you! Anything helps!

I don't think you need to be too concerned about a low undergrad GPA. I have seen MPH programs- even in the top 10 of rankings- that say their students have an avg undergrad GPA of around 3.3-3.4 (and some are lower than that since it's an average). It will help if you can strengthen other parts of your application, statement of purpose, GRE (if needed) and public health work experience. I agree with @hopeful2020PhD on the work experience suggestions