MPH OR MBA? DUKE MED STUDENT CONSIDERS DUAL DEGREE OPTIONS

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By MAX LEISTEN

What do you do when you’re a first-year med student and you’re already thinking about adding an extra degree to your plate? A Duke Med student is wrestling with the decision of pursuing either an MPH or an MBA alongside their MD, and they’ve turned to the Duke alumni community for guidance.

Torn between his passion for health disparities and the broader opportunities a business degree could provide, he’s seeking guidance from Duke alums on which path could offer the most dynamic career opportunities. With both degrees presenting unique pros and cons, his question may resonates with many students aiming to balance career ambitions and academic choices.

Keep it simple.

Max

The "ask"

I’m a first-year medical student at DukeMed. I’m originally from Boston, MA and went to Boston University where I got my BA in Neuroscience. During my gap years, I worked as a dermatological medical assistant, an endocrinology clinical research assistant, and was a middle school and high school girls’ basketball coach. I also served as a teaching assistant in biostatistics, conducted public health research, and engaged in graduate level public health courses.

I am considering enrolling in a graduate degree program in addition to completing my MD. The two degrees that I am considering are an MPH and an MBA. I am trying to figure out which will be more advantageous for me as I consider my long-term career goals as well as open the most doors for me to consider multiple career options.

In terms of the MPH, I am really interested in health disparities work and access to healthcare for all. I really want to focus on helping improving the quality of life for people living with chronic illness specifically. The pros of taking on the MPH is that I am able to complete this degree without adding an additional year to my studies. The cons are that I have heard that some residency programs allow you to get an MPH, so I am unsure whether it is better to get it now or wait.

In terms of the MBA, I do not come from a strong business background. I am interested in learning more about business from a health standpoint and it would allow me to use my MD beyond the clinic. I would be able to pursue hospital management roles or even leave the hospital space and go into biotech/pharma. The cons are that it would add an extra year and I have heard one of the large benefits of business school is the network you gain from your time there so I am unsure if I should wait until after training.

In conclusion, I would love guidance on which degree would help me the most in the long run in terms of having a dynamic career and should I pursue either of them now or wait until I have completed my MD.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question. I look forward to hearing from any Duke alums who have been in my shoes before and have contemplated adding an additional degree.

The "give"

Hi there. Unfortunately, the route to your decision is through deciding what you want to do in the future. The MPH is great if you are going to have an academic career in population-based research. The information you would glean would be invaluable and serve you well in the part of your career that follows residency if that is in research. The MBA is a little less focused and thus of potentially greater utility. You can do anything with an MBA, but if you are considering an administrative role in your future this is the degree to get.

I have an MBA and found it enlightened my view of the real world tremendously. I had had no finance, statistics, accounting, or strategic planning as an undergrad, so the MBA was of great use even as I was unsure what I would do with it. It turned out to be very useful when I became a VP at MD Anderson and oversaw the infrastructure for research at a major cancer center.

Finally, what do you want people to think of you as: an MD-MPH or an MD-MBA. The opportunities you will be offered may be affected by what people perceive you can do. The MPH is research oriented. Yes, you can do public health work as well. The MBA is business-oriented.

In the end, will you stay in a white coat or don a suit? Your call.

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