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Caroline
Student
Summerville, South Carolina
2
Questions
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What colleges / university are good for a clinical epidemiologist or to get a job in healthcare?
I want to go to college close to the state of South Carolina #epidemiology #healthcare #clinical
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3 answers
Suzanne Sorkin
Retired family physician and medical educator
115
Answers
Traverse City, Michigan
Updated
Suzanne’s Answer
Caroline, an epidemiologist typically has a masters degree in public health (MPH) which is usually a 2 or 3 year program following college. So first you would go to college and get a bachelor's degree before going for your masters. You could go to any college in your preferred area and major in anything which is of interest to you. Most colleges do not offer majors in public health. Having said that, though, you would do well to take classes which will prepare you well for the MPH/epidemiology career. It would be helpful to take biology, chemistry, statistics, and calculus as well as social science classes. Another possibility is to get a bachelors degree in nursing (BSN) which can also be a good background for a career in clinical epidemiology.
For MPH programs you may want to look at the programs at the University of South Carolina:
https://sc.edu/study/majors_and_degrees/epidemiology.php
and Medical University of South Carolina: https://medicine.musc.edu/departments/phs/academics/mph
For MPH programs you may want to look at the programs at the University of South Carolina:
https://sc.edu/study/majors_and_degrees/epidemiology.php
and Medical University of South Carolina: https://medicine.musc.edu/departments/phs/academics/mph
Christy Jose
9
Answers
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Christy’s Answer
The healthcare industry is a very large industry and has many different jobs available such as epidemiologist, athletic trainers, audiologists, chiropractors, dentists, orthodontists, dietitians and nutritionists, EMT and paramedics, genetic counselors, nuclear medicine technologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, occupational therapists, optometrists, pharmacists, physical therapists, and much more. There are specific universities with specific programs for each program.
For epidemiology, students are usually required to get a master's degree and sometimes even a Ph.D. However, the University of Texas School of Public Health has a direct Ph.D. program where you do not need to have a master's degree to apply for this Ph.D. program. A bachelor’s degree is enough. Students must have a bachelor’s degree with an appropriate grounding in biology and mathematics or statistics and demonstrate potential. Most M.S. programs require that students complete both a thesis (3-6 semester hours) and a minor (involving approximately 9 semester hours of coursework) before entering the Ph.D. program. A regular Ph.D. program includes (but is not limited to) 3-6 semester hours for a dissertation and 9-12 semester hours for each of the two minor areas. With direct admission to this direct program, the student would no longer be required to complete the M.S. minor or thesis but would complete two minors and the dissertation as part of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree, while still taking all of the didactic courses in epidemiology that a student in the M.S. program would take, plus additional elective courses recommended by the student’s advisory committee.
Some universities have a direct program out of high school for students pursuing Physician Assistant degrees. Normally students would have to get a bachelor's degree and get a master's. However, in these programs, students can complete their Physician Assistant program in between 4.5 to 6 years. Some of which are D'Youville College completing the program in 4.5 years, DeSales University completing the program in 5 years, Marquette University completing the program in 5 years, Nova Southeastern University completing the program in 6 years, and many more
For epidemiology, students are usually required to get a master's degree and sometimes even a Ph.D. However, the University of Texas School of Public Health has a direct Ph.D. program where you do not need to have a master's degree to apply for this Ph.D. program. A bachelor’s degree is enough. Students must have a bachelor’s degree with an appropriate grounding in biology and mathematics or statistics and demonstrate potential. Most M.S. programs require that students complete both a thesis (3-6 semester hours) and a minor (involving approximately 9 semester hours of coursework) before entering the Ph.D. program. A regular Ph.D. program includes (but is not limited to) 3-6 semester hours for a dissertation and 9-12 semester hours for each of the two minor areas. With direct admission to this direct program, the student would no longer be required to complete the M.S. minor or thesis but would complete two minors and the dissertation as part of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree, while still taking all of the didactic courses in epidemiology that a student in the M.S. program would take, plus additional elective courses recommended by the student’s advisory committee.
Some universities have a direct program out of high school for students pursuing Physician Assistant degrees. Normally students would have to get a bachelor's degree and get a master's. However, in these programs, students can complete their Physician Assistant program in between 4.5 to 6 years. Some of which are D'Youville College completing the program in 4.5 years, DeSales University completing the program in 5 years, Marquette University completing the program in 5 years, Nova Southeastern University completing the program in 6 years, and many more
Karen Munoz
Product Development Manager
24
Answers
Troy, Michigan
Updated
Karen’s Answer
Hi Caroline,
If you are interested in epidemiology specifically, you will need to get a Masters of Public Health (MPH). So, you'll need to first pursue an undergraduate degree, preferably with a major in science (biology, chemistry, or health sciences, for example). Then, in your junior or senior year of college, you'll want to research public health schools to find the one that is best for you. I have a Masters of Public Health from the University of Michigan, but I also considered Emory University which is closer to you in Atlanta GA. There are many excellent public health schools, and epidemiology is an exciting career with many great job opportunities. Good luck!
If you are interested in epidemiology specifically, you will need to get a Masters of Public Health (MPH). So, you'll need to first pursue an undergraduate degree, preferably with a major in science (biology, chemistry, or health sciences, for example). Then, in your junior or senior year of college, you'll want to research public health schools to find the one that is best for you. I have a Masters of Public Health from the University of Michigan, but I also considered Emory University which is closer to you in Atlanta GA. There are many excellent public health schools, and epidemiology is an exciting career with many great job opportunities. Good luck!