Graduate School Advice Needed

[kurtewhite]

Hi! My name is Kurt and I have been out of school for about 2 years now. I graduated with a BA in Biology and a minor in Anthropology. I then went on to get a Masters in Biology. I have been trying to get into medical school for a while and it's just not panning out for me, and honestly I have lost interest in the path altogether. I've recently

Comments

[starkyld]

Yes, start contacting professors with whom you might want to work, but be sure you have something substantive to say.

I strongly advocate doing the MPH first, either as a standalone degree or in conjunction with your PhD coursework. You may also wish to consider a DrPH or a PhD in epi instead of a PhD in anthro. Start reading up now on social epi, anthropological epi, and epi & culture.

[idealforcolors]

I think in terms of working in public health, an MPH would be more useful than a PhD in medical anthropology on its own. If you do an MPH first, you would have the option of going straight to work or going to get a PhD (and I know medical anthropologists who've done the first followed by the second, and public health people who've only done the first). If you get a PhD in anthropology first and still want to work in public health, though, you essentially will have taken a 5+ year path and still not have reached your destination, unless you manage to find a joint degree program. In particular, and depending on your prior background, you may need more statistical and epidemiological training, since anthro programs tend to be significantly less quantitative than public health

[tisiphone]

This is exactly my feeling (also in an anthropology department and not a specialist, though one of my friends is and wishes near the end of our Master's program that she did the MPH straight up). If you want to do public health, go for the MPH. Then decide if the PhD will be worthwhile.

[fromfear]

First for graduateschool stuff and general questions I love the website GradCafe
I'm applying this fall too, and most people suggest waiting to contact potential professors until around august as the semesters are winding down and they're probably pretty busy.

A friend of mine who graduated with a BA in anthropology and wants to work in public health/ medical anthropology field was told by our (medical anthropology) professor to pursue the Masters of Public Health degree after undergrad. However, since you already have a MA in biology you may just be better off getting a PhD in Medical Anthropology. I suggest contacting your former advisers or the dean of anthropology at your former schools as well as people in the job positions you wish to acquire and ask them for some basic advice, it never hurts to ask!

Good luck!