If anyone has any questions for this program - I would be happy to answer/clarify anything! I am over half way done with the program.
Congrats on being halfway done!
What do you like and don't like about the program?
The program is 1-year, does 1-year cover a good amount of mental health knowledge?
If you are able to share, what is your topic of research?
Who is your favorite professor in the mental health department? Why?
1. Things I like: The amount of support, and opportunity you get with being at JHSPH. We have a very involved academic adviser who makes sure everyone gets what they need out of their experience here. There are seminars every wednesday, expanding on your mental health knowledge - in directions you probably would have never imagined. The classes are vastly interesting "Psychiatric Epidemiology, Etiology of Mental Disorders, Psychopathology, Statistical Methods in Mental Health, Psychiatric Genetics etc." and the best thing of all - after 9 months you have a masters degree which is highly marketable (and getting a job is fairly easy because you make SO many connections and the adviser will pull her connections to get you in touch with whoever you need).
Things I don't like: You don't get to utilize a lot of the funding opportunities because you are there for a year - your thesis is either a secondary data set analysis or a literature review - not a lot of time to get comfortable in a field (but I guess that's what a PhD is for) - expensive tuition.
2. You definitely get a good amount of mental health knowledge - there is plenty of opportunity for you to concentrate on a subset of mental health (it's just MUCH easier if you know which subset from the beginning).
3. My topic of research is looking into how exercise affects non-motor symptoms (depression/anxiety) in Parkinson's Patients. But we have people focusing on mental health in the context of homeless, veterans, diabetes patients, etc (whatever you want).
4. Dr. Bill Eaton - renowned professor, extremely knowledgeable, and has a few great stories up his sleeve every talk!