Applying to Health Services Research PhD without Masters?

[HSRhopeful]

Hey Y'all, I'm new to forum space, but I was just wondering if anyone had any insights onto applying to Health Services Research PhD programs without a masters? I've been looking at Northwestern, Minnesota, NYU, Michigan, Chicago, Florida, Pittsburgh, and Emory just as an idea. I can give some specifics about me later (I want to research queer health disparities in outcomes and in medical education), but I just wanted to see if there were any strong opinions out there first. I'm also looking at Columbia's Sociomedical Sciences program, my dream (pre-doctoral fellowship in Gender, Sexuality, and Health), and read around that they have historically taken undergrads. I've also seen that some of the schools I've listed have also accepted undergrads. PM or comment and thanks for any thoughts! 

Edited April 12, 2016 by HSRhopeful

[Familiar Heron]

Hey, glad to hear that you're considering graduate programs in HSR! Just to provide some context to my answer, I'm only a few years out of undergrad, I recently earned my MS in a health services-related field, and I will begin a PhD program in HSR in the fall. 

From my discussions with program staff, faculty, and students, admissions committees like to see some combination of relevant education and experience. If you're a young applicant with little to no professional experience, a master's degree (ideally in public health or a related discipline)  goes a long way. If you have worked in a healthcare sector for several years, previous graduate education is not that important. The former demonstrates competencies in baseline health services coursework (for example, such as biostatistics), whereas the latter indicates first-hand knowledge of operations in the field. Obviously having both is ideal, but having one is good enough. 

With that said, applying to a HSR PhD program without graduate education or professional experience puts you at a non-insignificant disadvantage to your competition. It's not so severe that applicants in your position never receive admission (some do, but it's much harder). Reach out to faculty early in the application cycle (like in August and September), express your enthusiasm for their work, and ask them for what they want from an applicant who is fresh out of undergrad. If you can identify two or three professors with whom you really connect, then lack of experience may have less weight in their decision. Good grades, killer GREs, a compelling statement, and exquisite letters are generally par for the course (especially at top schools like Michigan, NYU, Minnesota, and Emory), so don't just rely on those. 

I recommend applying to the fellowship at Columbia before applying to PhD programs. You seem passionate about the topic, but – who knows? – maybe your interests will change. And if you get in, it will also give you a competitive edge when you apply to graduate programs. 

Good luck!