Pursuing an MPH

Although Stanford does not offer an on-site Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, Stanford strongly encourages students to consider graduate-level training in public health as a complement to their medical education.

Most MPH programs require that students select an area of specialization.  These include, but are not limited to:

  • Epidemiology
  • Biostatistics
  • Health Policy
  • Community Health
  • Environmental Health
  • Maternal & Child Health
  • Infectious Disease
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Global Health

 

Often students who want to pursue an MPH during their medical education take a year off after completion of their 1st year of clinical rotations and enroll in MPH programs geared specifically towards students who have earned or are concurrently enrolled in professional degree programs.  Many Stanford medical students have chosen this option at UC BerkeleyUC DavisHarvardUCLA, University of WashingtonJohns HopkinsColumbia, and other schools of public health. 

Students may also pursue an MPH after graduating from medical school, as part of a training fellowship or as a sabbatical later in their careers. 

 

Is an MD/MPH dual degree right for you?

Where do medicine and public health intersect? How can a dual degree enrich and leverage your training and career? Is an MD/MPH right for you? Is now the time to pursue another degree?

The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) MD MPH resource guide can help answer these and other related questions.  And the Association of Schools of Public Health  also offers resources for prospective students, including information on careers in public health.