Epidemiology or general MPH? And which Swedish uni?

[Ziza]

Key questions first, then details:

(1) For PH work in developing countries, is there more of a need for generalists with a standard MPH or epidemiologists with a dedicated master’s in the subject? (I want to study whatever will allow me to have the greatest impact; I don’t have strong interest or experience in any particular field.)

(2) How much difference is there in the perception by (international) employers and other unis (thinking about doctoral studies here) of the different Swedish unis, particularly Karolinska Institutet, Lund, Umea and Uppsala? Is a degree from one ‘worth’ substantially more on paper?

I’m applying for courses in Sweden as they are free for EU citizens. When applying, you have to rank them in order of preference, and if you’re accepted for the first you aren’t considered for the others; you can’t wait till all the offers are in and decide later. I’ve only got a few days to decide which course to put first, second, etc, and am having a really hard time. (Actually, I’ve already applied online, but can presumably get myself rejected for particular courses by not submitting the required documents, eg statement of intent, which I need to send off by post in a few days, so it amounts to the same thing.)

The main options are:

Epidemiology at Karolinska Institutet

- Best uni overall in Sweden and good reputation in the medical/health field.

- Highest ranked uni in the country by THE and Shanghai ranking systems (and 43 and 44 in the world respectively).

- Rated a ‘high quality’ course by the independent Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (SNAHE).

- Has a focus on outcome assessment, which I have some interest in.

- Also includes courses on qual research, scientific methodology and general PH science, which I would find interesting.

BUT:
- I don’t know if I want to concentrate on epi; ideally I’d do a broader range in the first year and specialise later, or do a 1-year epi programme so I could do another year of something else if I wanted, so this would be a huge risk (but with great benefits if I do decide epi is the way to go).

MPH at Lund
- Second/third best uni in Sweden and top 100 in the world according to most rankings.
- Also rated ‘high quality’ by SNAHE.
- Quite a good range of courses covering all the main fields of PH, including epi and biostats in the first semester.

BUT:
- No epi or biostats after the first semester, so no chance to do that as a focus.

International Health at Uppsala
- Uni is ranked 67-147 in the various world systems, so about the same as Lund on average.
- Course rated ‘high quality’ by the SNAHE.
- Quite good range of internationally-focused options, esp. in the second year.
- Can do ‘advanced quant methods’ in the second year (though it’s a short course so I doubt it’s that advanced)
- Can leave after one year with a degree  (in Sweden there are 2 types of master’s degrees, 60 credits and 120 credits; most are the latter)

BUT:
- Not much epi/stats, esp. in the first year, so a one-year degree might not be that useful.
- First year options may not be that practically useful ‘in the field’; mostly social sciencey global health stuff.

MPH at Umea
- The only PH course rated ‘very high quality’ by SNAHE, so claims to be the best in Sweden.
- Can leave after the first year with a real master’s egree, or go on and do the two-year degree.
- Courses cover the main areas in the first year (global health, epi, stats, qual methods, economic evaluation, systems, promotion).
- Second year is advanced epi/stats/qual methods, plus some options like economics, management, informatics and social epi. Thus, you seem to get a pretty good background in epi but can focus on other areas if you want.

BUT:
- It’s way up north, so bloody cold and 24 hours of light/darkness some times of year. Not a big consideration, but worth bearing in mind.
- It’s a new, little-known uni ranked between 250 and 300 in the world by the 3 main systems, so even if the course is good, the degree might not ‘count’ for as much
- The entrance requirements seem lower (e.g. no statement of intent or references needed), and foreign students (which compose the vast majority in this course) only need a 5.5 in IELTS, so it could be a less intellectually stimulating environment.

I know those comments sound snobbish, but for undergrad I made the mistake of going to a mediocre uni with a good course and very much regretted it. The other students were mostly lazy or just not that bright, the courses were sometimes too basic, and the degree is not worth as much to employers or other unis as one from the prestigious institutions that I turned down. Also, I currently teach IELTS prep and I can’t imagine having sophisticated academic debates with someone getting 5.5.

The decision will have a major impact on others’ lives as well as mine, so I appreciate any input you give.



 

[dr_hopeful]

Karolinska is a good school. My observation comes from reading very good papers/articles published in epidemiological literature.I haven't come across much work from the other two schools so I can't comment on them.

Edited January 19, 2014 by dr_hopeful

[dianap]

I would suggest that you choose Epidemiology because of the strong quantitative skills you will gain. These are transferable and you can easily market yourself for different fields (e.g. epid, publ health, health econ). Knowledge can be gained at the workplace.