UNC Gillings?

[mackenzie]

Hi everyone,

I'm considering applying to a Masters' program in public health in the future (probably the cycle after next). As I live in North Carolina, UNC seems like a good choice solely for financial reasons, not to mention it is ranked #2 in the US. However, I don't see too much about UNC mentioned on these threads (especially in comparison to other schools). Is there a reason why it's not as popular on here? I am interested in learning more about the pros and cons of the School and would greatly appreciate any insight you all may have! Right off the bat, I'm interested in global health and policy, and it seems that a DC-area school may be better suited to someone with policy interests, but I'm not sure if that's a valid concern.

Thanks!

[kma19]

Hey Mackenzie. Just seeing your post. I just finished my first MPH year and when I was applying last year, I similarly thought it was odd that no one on here was talking much about Gillings. Despite that, I ended up at Gillings and am enjoying the program. Happy to answer any specific questions you have. For reference, I worked in international public health for four years pre-MPH, am planning a continued global health focused career post-MPH, and am in the Health Behavior department. 

I'm sure you know this but Gillings does have a Health Policy and Management department. It does seem very US-centric and strikes me as more similar to a healthcare administration program than the other departments such as Health Behavior or Maternal and Child Health. (At UNC the program/curriculum really does differ by department, though that is likely to change in the next couple of years as they are restructuring the entire MPH curriculum.) Having said that, there are plenty of policy-minded folks across the other school departments so there are a number of places where you can pursue policy work (same goes for global health).

Let me know if you have specific questions!

[mackenzie]

Hi kma19-thank you so much for your reply! This is very useful information--I may indeed reach out to you personally with more specific questions as I proceed in the application process. I'm definitely very interested in hearing more about the MPH curriculum overhaul. Your comment certainly speaks to the issue I have had identifying a department to which to apply. While I'm sure that, as a whole, Gillings offers courses I'm interested in taking, none of the departmental curricula themselves seem to reflect my interests, if that makes sense. 

[kma19]

I didn't see you had replied to this -- I don't get on here too much but am back to it now that I'm prepping for PhD applications! Just wanted to mention that while the departments do vary in terms of how structured their curricula are (for example, Health Behavior and HPM are much more structured with more required courses than, say, Maternal/Child Health), for each department you have a good level of flexibility to take electives in your second year -- even outside the school of public health. 

You mentioned that you'll probably be applying next year (to start Fall 2019, right?) -- I'd suggest coming by one of the open houses, which are held in the fall, since you're local. I haven't been to one (I wasn't local when I applied) but they seem like a pretty low-key yet useful way to get more information about the departments, chat with folks, and get a general vibe of the place. I think the 2017 one is in October; imagine the 2018 one will be too. They are usually scheduled to coincide with Practicum Day, which is when second-year students present on their summer practica -- might be a nice way to see what types of work students are engaged in. Either way, feel free to message me directly if you have specific questions as you move closer to your application date! Best of luck.

[zmobiedick]

Hi kma19,

I just got my acceptance letter from Gillings (also applied to UMD, Hopkins, Emory). Just wondering what drove you to get your MPH before your PhD. I'm surrounded by colleagues and friends who have tried to convince me to apply directly for a PhD program, but I didn't feel...ready. (I finished undergrad in 2010.) Are you glad you took the route you did? Would love any insight you have.

[kma19]

On 1/29/2018 at 11:50 AM, zmobiedick said:

Hi kma19,

I just got my acceptance letter from Gillings (also applied to UMD, Hopkins, Emory). Just wondering what drove you to get your MPH before your PhD. I'm surrounded by colleagues and friends who have tried to convince me to apply directly for a PhD program, but I didn't feel...ready. (I finished undergrad in 2010.) Are you glad you took the route you did? Would love any insight you have.

Hey there! Congrats on your acceptance!

I can totally relate -- once I announced to old colleagues I was applying for doctoral programs I got a lot of eye rolls and folks telling me they knew I'd end up going that way. Well, I didn't know that! I similarly didn't feel ready to take the leap to a PhD program (graduated in 2012 and worked in international health for four years before going back to school). I am really glad I went about things the way I did. I'm still waiting on PhD decisions, but if all goes well and I end up in a program next year, I will feel a lot stronger in my methods as I enter doctoral coursework and I think having the MPH has made me a more competitive candidate. I also feel like I have a better perspective on where I want to take my research career -- I didn't have that sense of direction when I entered the MPH, and a lot of the questions I want to explore arose as a direct result of my MPH coursework/research. I will say that I was lucky enough to get my master's almost entirely paid for through a research assistantship, so in a way all I "lost" by doing the MPH first was time, not money...that would have been something else to consider had I been paying for the MPH out of pocket.

Let me know if other questions come up about Gillings or anything else; hope it all goes well for you!