MPH or MSN/RN for International Health Work?

If you could put both RN, MPH after your name you'd be hot stuff, otherwise the MPH might be a better option, IMO

Hi there,

I am doing a dual-degree FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner - think primary care), MPH with a focus in global health. I go to school with a lot of people like you. While an MPH alone is good... it is very helpful and competitive to have a clinical backgroud, especially for work abroad. I am often "preferred" for internships and jobs just because I'm a nurse. While I know there are dual masters programs out there (such as mine - just google MSN, MPH) I'm not as sure about RN, MPH. I would suggest RN, then MPH. There are a few MPH's in my nursing classes who decided to come back - realizing after the fact how much they wanted the clinical side.

One degree or the other is a bit of a catch-22. As an RN you can work abroad, but to get into the nitty gritty of policy, programs, and data it's a big help to have an MPH. An MPH alone - you have to network well to get a decent job. You will most likely not go abroad right away.

As an RN getting an MPH you can use your nursing background to really launch into global health. You could also concurrently pursue advanced nursing education as say, a nurse midwife or FNP (if you chose a dual-masters). I guess it all depends on what you want to do. For work abroad, though, I can definitely say being a nurse is an advantage. Good luck! Your experience in Africa will make you a valued part of any program.

VivaRN

Hi VivaRN,

I just read your post and found it very useful as I also am a RPCV considering an MSN/MPH. I have two questions that Im hoping you might be able to answer. First of all, do you know any nurses currently working abroad and if so, how do they find such opportunities? Are they hard to come by? Second, I am wondering if you might be able to give me some stats about people accepted to MPH/MSN programs. The websites of the univeristies I am applying to do not give any GPA or GRE stats. Do you have any idea of what a competitive GRE score looks like for such programs, especially at the top schools?

Thank you in advance.

I do know nurses currently working abroad. The nurses I know found their opportunities through school. I went to a well-connected MPH program. The nurses who got jobs abroad (or stateside with lots of travel) right away often had language skills, clinical skills and prior international or public health experience. They're not hard to come by - you just have to be in the right place in your career. Personally, I'm not quite there. As a new grad NP, MPH I'm getting experience managing HIV in the inner city, then in 2yrs or so I can skip into clinical mentoring and capacity building in Africa. However I have a friend with 4 yrs nursing experience, 3 yrs doing public health in Benin, speaks french, english and german, who started right away with WHO.

It was my feeling that your experience as an RPCV is worth more than your GRE/gpa unless it was completely terrible, even at a top school. I was at a top school with people who struggled with stats and were not your typical star students, but they sure knew a lot about controlling cholera outbreaks! For the record my GRE was so-so (can't remember the number) and my BSN gpa was 3.9.

Are you a nurse already?

good luck!

Thanks VivaRN.

Im not a nurse yet- my degree is in international affairs and development, so Im currently knocking out prereqs for some of the accelerated MSN programs at that unbeatable community college price. Thanks so much for your input. I feel a bit mystified by grad school applications because the class sizes are so small. I find myself constantly wondering- I think I am a good applicant. Am I a good applicant? Im competitive, right? - so having some numbers is a big help.