PhD in Public Health

[erzsi83]

Anyone out there applying to public health PhD programs? I'm applying to mostly Health Policy & Management programs, with a few global health and public policy thrown in the mix. Would love to hear about others' experiences with the process as we're nearly the application deadlines! Cheers!

[ihernandez.1]

Hi! I am applying to PhD programs in Health Economics and Health Services Research. I am Spanish and I have a Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy and now I am completing my Master's Degree in Pharmacoeconomics and Health Economics. I am specially interested in value-based insurance design. Which are your research interests? I am applying to Boston University, Washington University in St. Louis, Johns Hopkins and Harvard. What about you? I am applying also to UK universities, since I am not sure about the real possibilities of being admitted. I am pleased to find someone with the same interests. Good luck!

[sepiasizemore]

Good luck to you both. I was in your position last year. Unfortunately, unlike MPH decisions, PhD decisions seem to take so much longer.

[elsewhy]

Hi! I'm also applying to PhD programs in mostly Health Policy and Management! Is it weird that I'm intimidated by the mere existence of other people who are (presumably) applying to the same programs I am?

[erzsi83]

@ihernandez.1 -- cool! my interests are mainly in improving access to care for women in low resource settings, but most of my research background is in health IT. i'm also really interested in health systems strengthening work.

@elsewhy -- yes, it's hugely intimidating. i'm actually applying to an absurd number of schools (10 - listed below), assuming that they are going to be incredibly competitive and I have no idea how my application will hold up. where are you applying?

@sepiasizemore -- how did it work out for you last year? any advice?

like i mentioned, i'm applying to a ton of programs. i just have no idea what to expect from the admissions process. here's my list:

university of washington - global health and health services (submitted)

unc - health policy/management

harvard - health policy (submitted)

washu - health services research and policy analysis (submitted)

univ. of minnesota - health services research and policy (submitted)

tulane - global health (submitted)

johns hopkins - international health

emory - health services

univ of michigan - health policy/management

Would love to hear how everyone's applications work out!! Fingers crossed!

[Mandalpaca]

I am also interested in global health and access to health care my specialty is family planning. I am finishing my MSN (nursing) and am considering a DrPH. What made you guys decide to choose PhD rather than DrPH? As a RN I am more interested in "hands on" public health rather than research. Just wanted to hear your thoughts.

[elsewhy]

@erzsi83 That is a great list, and I'm relieved that we only overlap twice! I keep reading posts in this forum from people with multiple masters and professional degrees and tons of work experience in the health industry who are applying to the same programs, and it's really psyching me out (with just my bachelors and two years of somewhat-relevant work experience!) I almost think I should quit reading gradcafe altogether until I hear from a school so I don't just collapse in a pile of insecurity.

Anyways, I'm applying to:

Harvard (health policy, ethics concentration)

Yale (health policy and management)

Johns Hopkins (bioethics and health policy)

Emory (health services research and health policy, poli sci track)

Pitt (health services research and policy)

Columbia (MPH - health policy and management)

@Mandalpaca, I'm interested in a PhD because I *don't* have as much interest in "hands-on" public health--my interest is primarily in ethics/bioethics, so I think the PhD just makes more sense for me!

Good luck to everyone applying!!!

[belafish]

Hello fellow applicants! I, too, am applying to PhD public health programs this year. Here's my list:

Emory (BSHE)

UNC (health behavior)

Columbia (sociomedical sci)

Johns Hopkins (health behavior & society)

Berkeley (HSPA)

Harvard (health policy, medical society concentration)

UIC (community health sciences)

I am anxious and eager to start hearing back already!! At least some schools let you know a bit of news in January (emory sent out interview invites in Jan, and I think UNC accepted some people in Jan). I'm actually re-applying this year-- I was rejected from three program last year-- and am hoping that my Fulbright research grant will make me a stronger candidate this time around!

@elsewhy, what did you get your bachelor's degree in? i'm also interested in ethics/bioethics... I studied philosophy as an undergrad and got my master's in bioethics. Taking PH classes as a masters student was when it really "clicked" for me: this is something both practical and that I love studying/researching!

[elsewhy]

@Belafish Good luck this time!!! I'm sure the Fulbright makes you an extremely strong candidate. What have you been doing with the Fulbright? As for my bachelor's, it's a little complicated. The short answer is "political science," but the long answer is "intensive political science major, political philosophy track, with an interdisciplinary focus in bioethics and health policy." Basically, I did a political science major 1.5 times over, with most of my courses relating to bioethics, and wrote a hundred page Senior Thesis on a topic of my choosing (health research ethics). I'm trying to tell myself that it was like doing a mini-Master's and I still stand a chance against wayyy more qualified applicants, but everyone knows there's no such thing as a mini-Master's, sooo... I guess we'll see!

[belafish]

Thank you, elsewhy! For my Fulbright project, I am examining Russian physicians’ socio-cultural representation of addiction. I am hoping to isolate the moral attitudes of Russian physicians towards people who use drugs—particularly injecting drug users—to get an idea of the conceptual framework that influences their treatment of addicts and beliefs about addiction.

Your bachelor's sounds really interesting and amazing! I think you'll definitely stand out as a unique candidate We overlap in quite a few schools (though different programs) so maybe one day our paths will cross... Best of luck to you!

[loganartemis]

I'd be most interested to learn how many of us applied this cycle. Are there any Public Health/Global Health PhD hopefuls applying without a Masters degree? If so, on what merits are you basing your candidacy?

[elsewhy]

@loganartemis: I'm applying to public health PhD programs without a Masters, but I don't really understand what you mean when you ask on what merits I am basing my candidacy. On what merits does one normally base candidacy for a PhD? I believe that I have a strong research background despite not having a Masters degree, and I think I have a unique enough set of experiences and skills to be considered as an applicant. If having a Masters degree were an absolutely necessary prerequisite to becoming a PhD student, I think programs would say so on their application page.

I guess that comes off as kind of defensive-- sorry! I'm just nervous, and I've actually been asking myself that same question. Every day that goes by where I don't hear anything, I have that nasty "why did I ever think I had a chance without a Masters?" thought.

[loganartemis]

@loganartemis: I'm applying to public health PhD programs without a Masters, but I don't really understand what you mean when you ask on what merits I am basing my candidacy. On what merits does one normally base candidacy for a PhD? I believe that I have a strong research background despite not having a Masters degree, and I think I have a unique enough set of experiences and skills to be considered as an applicant. If having a Masters degree were an absolutely necessary prerequisite to becoming a PhD student, I think programs would say so on their application page.

I guess that comes off as kind of defensive-- sorry! I'm just nervous, and I've actually been asking myself that same question. Every day that goes by where I don't hear anything, I have that nasty "why did I ever think I had a chance without a Masters?" thought.

 

I am also applying without a Masters! In the period since I submitted my applications in early October, I have vacillated between a position of confidence in my candidacy and insecurity when I read how few apply without a Masters. I apologize if the tone of my question came off the wrong way! Perhaps I should have clarified that I will not have completed my Masters by the time of enrollment (or not). I frequently find myself wondering at how much of a disadvantage are we when stacked up against those who do. In September and October I spoke with faculty members at each of the programs to which I'm applying, plus one lengthy phone interview. Following the interview, the professor spoke with the department head who then emailed me. He told me they are confident I could handle PhD coursework and that I'd be a good fit for the program based on my experience and proposed research, but one consideration they'd have to discuss was funding me, as I would need to do more coursework than someone coming in with an MPH. He finished by saying that this was simply a strategic matter and that it wouldn't preclude me from admission. 

 

This may or may not be encouraging to you, and I'm not certain how I feel about it myself. I agree that each passing day is fertile ground for sowing doubt, but at least we no that no one has heard back yet, right (according to gradcafe's results)?

 

Cheers!

[loganartemis]

I don't know if anyone else has heard anything more substantial and compelling, but one of my programs informed me that the department admissions committee began review of my application today. Not good, not bad; just anxiety-inducing!

[jordanhina]

I'm applying to many of the same schools already named here. Like others, I don't have a Master's yet - but I'm hoping that my experience, research, etc will be enough to get into a PhD program. Like loganartemis, I talked for a while with two different professors at my top-choice program, and they felt that given the nature of my undergrad degree (interdisciplinary health policy/science major, partially taught within a top-10 graduate school in social policy), I would be well-prepared for a PhD. Now I'm just dying waiting to hear back! I got an email from Minnesota saying that they are beginning to review applications on a rolling basis. That could mean that I hear back as soon as 2 weeks from now! Anyone else apply to the HRSP&A program at Minnesota?

[BoilerEpi]

Hey guys, love the forum! I see alot of positive energy and feedback on here. It's a great place to kill time waiting for my PhD decisions to come through.

I wanted to gauge feedback on getting into my doctoral programs in epidemiology since my MPH is in community health/health promotion and I don't have 9-5 experience.

Grad gpa: 3.88

Ugpa:3.2

GRE: V 160 (610) 83rd% Q 155 (710) 64th% AW 4.0

2 yrs as graduate teaching assistant

1 summer as graduate research assistant

3 departmental monetary awards to support research/going speaking at conferences

[VBD]

Hello! Applying for PhD programs in environmental health, so I guess I'm a little different from everyone here. I applied to BU, Columbia, JHU, UNC, Emory, UIC, Univ of Washington, and Berkeley. 

To answer the earlier question about applying sans Masters. Maybe programs have an unspoken rule at admissions, but the only school I heard people suspected was Emory. Basically, if you are applying without a Masters, you should be fine with the loads of research you've done - or so I was told. I'm muddling through this like everyone else.

 

Did anyone else nerd out like me and read the ASPH admissions report for 2010? xD

[loopsonflowers]

Hi All!

 

I've just been perusing, but it seems more... communal to be a team player.  Yes, I did check out the ASPH report!

Applying to eight programs: three in epi (Brown, Minnesota and BU), and the other five in health behavior (Harvard, UNC, Hopkins, Columbia and Michigan).  I'm pretty unclear on my or anyone else's chances of getting in, but for what it's worth, I've got a decent graduate (MPH) GPA, a less-decent undergrad GPA, pretty good test scores, and between four and five years of working experience (depending on how you're counting) in public health research from a national non-profit and a university.

 

I submitted my SOPHAS on December 1, and they were finally mailed last Tuesday.  Between those, and the applications that were not through SOPHAS, I guess it's pretty much a waiting game for now!  I haven't heard from anywhere, except to tell me that they've received my application.

 

Good luck to everyone!  You all sound like you're going to have a very successful next few months!

[jordanhina]

Has anyone heard back yet? I've heard rumors of a few decisions by Minnesota and Emory trickling out...

[elsewhy]

@jordanhina -- I've had phone interviews with Emory and Hopkins, but no decisions or word about in-person interviews.

[belafish]

haven't heard a peep... decisions seem to be trickling out for some departments, nothing from any of the departments i applied to.  boo.

 

@elsewhy: congrats on your interviews!  how did they go? 

[VBD]

I've gotten an in-person interview at UNC invite. Uncovered, but I'll happily take it. Silence from everyone else. I agree with you on the trickling. In general, programs seem to be getting out Masters first? Seems like biostats are coming out too. 

Edited January 19, 2013 by VBD

[loganartemis]

Each of the five Global Health programs I've spoken with have told me it will be February-March before (if?) I receive anything definitively positive. Washington said if I don't hear from them in January it will be a good thing. The applications that don't make it past the initial review are notified in late January. So while I continue to monitor results on gradcafe, I've settled into a peaceful waiting period. Has anyone heard what funding is looking like this year (in general, of course)?

[elsewhy]

@belafish  They were so good! I feel so much better about this whole process now Thank you for asking!

[jordanhina]

Congrats on the interviews, guys! Seems like it will be coming up pretty soon here. Harvard and Minnesota both say 4-6 weeks for decisions in the programs I applied to. Of course, who knows whether that's from the beginning of reviews, from the date the app is submitted, or the date the app is received...