Global Health - serious confusion

[JubJubA]

Hello all!

I've been admitted to some great global health programs and am having a very tough time deciding where to go. I did my undergrad in Canada (am a citizen), worked for 2 years in Pakistan, Uganda and Indonesia doing mostly TB-related work, and am now returning to school. I'm interested in community-based health systems in developing countries (African and South Asian regions).

The programs I'm trying to decide between are:

- Hopkins MPH
- Harvard SM Global Health and Population
- Columbia MPH Population and Family Health, Global Health certificate
- LSHTM MSc Public Health in Developing Countries

Which program(s) would you recommend (irrespective of cost and location)?

Would love to hear what you guys think! Thanks in advance!

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[ionomer]

Hello all!

I've been admitted to some great global health programs and am having a very tough time deciding where to go. I did my undergrad in Canada (am a citizen), worked for 2 years in Pakistan, Uganda and Indonesia doing mostly TB-related work, and am now returning to school. I'm interested in community-based health systems in developing countries (African and South Asian regions).

The programs I'm trying to decide between are:

- Hopkins MPH
- Harvard SM Global Health and Population
- Columbia MPH Population and Family Health, Global Health certificate
- LSHTM MSc Public Health in Developing Countries

Which program(s) would you recommend (irrespective of cost and location)?

Would love to hear what you guys think! Thanks in advance!

l'll recommend you go to 1st- Harvard for the name/pedigree, 2nd choice Hopkins, 3rd choice Columbia or LSHTM. Good luck

 

[JubJubA]

I've heard mixed reviews about Hopkins. I work with quite a few Hopkins MPH graduates and while they seem to like the school, they don't seem to love it like LSHTM graduates do theirs. Some have also told me it's an MPH mill. And I've noticed that they don't make the best project managers.

As for Columbia, I've heard it's not in the same league as the other three.

I think my decision may come down to Harvard and LSHTM!

 

[EpiBird]

Hello all!

I've been admitted to some great global health programs and am having a very tough time deciding where to go. I did my undergrad in Canada (am a citizen), worked for 2 years in Pakistan, Uganda and Indonesia doing mostly TB-related work, and am now returning to school. I'm interested in community-based health systems in developing countries (African and South Asian regions).

The programs I'm trying to decide between are:

- Hopkins MPH
- Harvard SM Global Health and Population
- Columbia MPH Population and Family Health, Global Health certificate
- LSHTM MSc Public Health in Developing Countries

Which program(s) would you recommend (irrespective of cost and location)?

Would love to hear what you guys think! Thanks in advance!

These are all very good schools, didn't apply to Columbia or LSHTM, but would say that LSHTM has a great reputation, as does Hopkins and Harvard. I would rank LSHTM and Hopkins above Harvard and Columbia, but that's just me.

I've heard great things about Hopkins, trying to decide on there and a handful of other places.

 

[364462]

I've heard mixed reviews about Hopkins. I work with quite a few Hopkins MPH graduates and while they seem to like the school, they don't seem to love it like LSHTM graduates do theirs. Some have also told me it's an MPH mill. And I've noticed that they don't make the best project managers.

As for Columbia, I've heard it's not in the same league as the other three.

I think my decision may come down to Harvard and LSHTM!

Of the schools you listed, I applied and was admitted to Harvard, Columbia, and the LSHTM. (I did not apply to Hopkins.) I would go to London. Hands down. While the HSPH is an overall excellent program and has worldwide reputation, the global health program in particular is not comparable to the other schools you mentioned. It is weak at best. This alone, in my view, puts Harvard out of the running. Between Columbia and the LSHTM, I would pick London. The cost at Columbia is atrocious and not worth - again, only my view - the financial cost as correlates to the education. While London is obviously expensive, both the academic gain and the financial cost are well aligned and worth the time, effort, and money. Having said that, I chose elsewhere to go. (I am going to UCLA.) At the end of the day, it is about personal and professional fit. UCLA is definitely the place for me in this regard. Good luck to you!

 

[EpiBird]

Of the schools you listed, I applied and was admitted to Harvard, Columbia, and the LSHTM. (I did not apply to Hopkins.) I would go to London. Hands down. While the HSPH is an overall excellent program and has worldwide reputation, the global health program in particular is not comparable to the other schools you mentioned. It is weak at best. This alone, in my view, puts Harvard out of the running. Between Columbia and the LSHTM, I would pick London. The cost at Columbia is atrocious and not worth - again, only my view - the financial cost as correlates to the education. While London is obviously expensive, both the academic gain and the financial cost are well aligned and worth the time, effort, and money. Having said that, I chose elsewhere to go. (I am going to UCLA.) At the end of the day, it is about personal and professional fit. UCLA is definitely the place for me in this regard. Good luck to you!

I got the same feel for Harvard, while overall the school's reputation is quite good, global health is definitely not one of its strong suits. Columbia is very pricey and for global health, I don't think it is an agreeable benefits to cost ratio.