Advice for Prospective PhD/DrPH Global Environmental Health student

[EnvHealthDude]

Greetings everyone,

 

I am currently pursuing my MPH at the University of Missouri. While my interest is environmental health/global health, my program only offers two tracks: Health Promotion and Policy and Veterinary Public Health. Since most emerging diseases have a zoonotic source, I chose the VPH option. My long-term plan is to work as a “practitioner” for the majority of my career and then move on to academia. While I’ve always respected all of my professors, I really admired those who worked in governmental organizations, NGOs, etc, because they had a great amount of experience.

 

I’m starting to put together some application materials for PhD/DrPH programs. Given my career goals, it appears that the DrPH would be the better option. However, I do have a few questions:

 

1)   Are there any DrPH programs that offer similar funding from PhD programs?

2)   Most DrPH programs require several years of experience. Between my undergraduate and graduate work, I was a GIS Analyst. While this isn’t related to public health directly, I feel as if it is applicable work experience. Do you think this would satisfy the experience requirement?

3)   My undergraduate degree was in environmental health/chemistry minor. Given the lack of many specific Global Environmental Health doctoral programs, do you think it would be okay for me to pursue just global health or just environmental health and then pursue a career in global environmental health?

4)   The University of Florida has a new(er) PhD program in Environmental Global Health. Has anyone heard anything regarding this program?

 

I know this post is a bit lengthy and I do apologize for that. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

EnvHealthDude

[mpheels]

You past work experience will depend on how well you can spin the experience as related. You need to present well thought ties between what you have already done, what you are learning now, and what you want to do in the future.

 

I would lean towards envrionmental health because that has a more specific methodology. You can fill out yoru global health knowledge with electives and work experience.

[EnvHealthDude]

mpheels,

 

I thank you for your response. I think i could tie it in well. 

 

Cordially,

 

EnvHealthDude