RN joining Peace Corps wondering about MPH degree

nurseyNurseMI · Apr 17, 2010

I would love to hear some responses on this topic. I am working on my application for the Peace Corps now (have been pondering over my essays for too long). I recently went to the University of Michigan School of Public Health Open House because I am also looking into MPH degrees and Masters International. The jist I got from students and professors was that MPH degrees are very broad and semi-vague. The student panel said it was really about your interests as a student, you pick a population and then go from there. (I think part of it could be U of M because I got the same impression from the Nursing grad school- very open-ended). Some people end up in clinics, grant-writing, public health planning, gov't agencies, teaching, it's very broad-kind of like a business degree in a way. It also depends on what you want to go into specifically- epidemiology, public health administration, outreach, etc. A lot of people I talked to at the fair were using an MPH for an added edge for med-school, which could also be combined with an DNP or other advanced nursing degree I imagine.

I would recommend e-mailing the directors for these programs. I sent an e-mail to a director at John Hopkins and he himself called me to explain the program. I also e-mailed an advisor at USF and she put me in touch with a student there doing Masters International who went to my same school for undergrad. You have to be accepted to the school and some of them require 1-2 semesters of coursework before you do your PC fieldwork, so that may affect your choices. I don't know about where you live but I know John Hopkins has a specialization in Maternal/Child health which can be combined with the PC.

As for me, I graduated with my BSN May 2009 and have been working med-surg for the past year. I really wanted to join the PC straight out of school but really needed to save up because of my student loans. I would love to hear more from you about the PC!!

kmaries · Apr 17, 2010

Thanks for giving me more info on MPH degrees. As for more info on Peace Corps, I would recommend saving some money before you go just to fill your accounts for student loans. My husband and I can defer our federal loans, but not the private loans, so we saved enough money to cover monthly payments on those while we were gone. I made my mother our Power of Attorney to help manage our accounts while we were gone. We were invited to go to Benin this July. I'll be working as a Community Health Advisor. I understand that some of the main issues in Benin are malnutrition, infant mortality, and of course HIV/AIDS. We are very excited to go, but loans do make the process a little more difficult. But we figured never give up a chance for a great experience if you don't have to!

nurseyNurseMI · Apr 18, 2010

That is so wonderful that you were invited to serve in Benin!! :yeah: I studied in Ghana during my undergrad which is what got me interested in the Peace Corps to begin with. From my experience, West African culture was very welcoming and friendly. Do you know if your assignment is rural/urban or where exactly? There's a pretty good book about a PCV in Togo called The Village of Waiting if you're interested.

I am trying to save up enough money for my loans while I am gone, but I am just too eager to go! How long did the entire application process take you? I read on PeaceCorpswiki about how lengthy it can be...I was sort of hoping to apply now, then by the time I (hopefully) get interviewed, medically cleared, invited, nominated, etc. I will have enough saved up. How long from your application to interview to all the other steps? If I need like 10 more months worth of saving before I go should I apply now or wait a few more months?

kmaries · Apr 19, 2010

Oh I would say apply now, sometimes the application process can take a very long time. You'll have lots of paperwork to come, and of course there can be delays and waits. You need lots of patience and flexibility to be a PCV! It took us about a full year to complete everything, but that is also because it can take much longer for a married couple to be placed, so Im guessing it wouldn't take you quite that long. You can also request when you'd like to leave in your application if I remember correctly. The medical clearance took some time to complete too, but again, two of us having to complete it. But if you feel like you're ready to go, then apply away! Good luck!!

AWanderingMinstral · May 6, 2010

I served in the Peace Corps in Togo for a while and then returned to school for my nursing diploma (RN) and BSN. I just finished my first year at the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh and I am finishing in December. As for applying to the Peace Corps, it isn't too bad. If you have any medical problems, particularly a serious-ish one, the application process can take longer. The best advice I received in regards to earning the MPH is to get it IN something (i.e. biostatistics, epidemiology, etc.). This is compared to focusing on community and behavioral health (i.e. the liberal arts version of public health). Good luck!