forgive my fluster ...
I am set to start my junior year of university study, and because I compulsively overplan for the future, I've started shopping grad programs. I've got a range of questions -- mostly focused around the University of Washington's concurrent MSW/MPH program (which somehow has 2 different webpages) and what I should be doing to prepare myself to apply to it.
First question is pretty basic: does anyone have experience with this program and care to review it?
I'm trying to figure out how to best angle myself for admission to it. I have no healthcare experience, and all my experience with social services, public health, and social work has been from the side of the person receiving services from workers. It is actually my experience with public health workers and social services, plus my life experience, that gets me so excited about the Maternal and Child Health/Social Work degree combination. I initially only wanted to be a medical social worker, figuring that that was the closest way to get to what I felt pulled towards, but when I came upon UW's concurrent degree it was like lightening had struck -- that's what I was looking for.
That said, admission to the MPH portion of the program (which one is supposed to apply to after a year of study in the MSW program) requires at least two years of public health experience. I am taking that to mean healthcare experience -- am I incorrect?
The only way of getting healthcare experience that I can figure out, other than hoping I stumble across a clerking position within a hospital, is to get take courses at the community college to get CNA certification, and then use that to get some sort of part-time experience while I complete my BA. Unfortunately, being a CNA will expose me to the elderly population, which is pretty much the opposite end of the spectrum from maternal and child health. I am at a loss for other ideas, so if anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it.
Moving on to the MSW portion of the program, I am not as worried. I will be completing the prerequisites (from what I can tell) while still doing my undergrad. I suppose the biggest concern would be my lack of relevant work experience, as well. Volunteering is always an option, I guess, but I'd hate to spend a whole bunch of time desperately accruing the minimum amount of work experience for admission into the MPH program and then discover that I haven't paid any attention to the MSW experience requirements. Has anyone else been in this situation? Do the school seem to have some leeway or understanding that you may have experience in either discipline and have a desire to branch out professionally, or do they generally just expect you to have all this relevant experience when you apply? I've spent the last two years on unemployment while I finished my AA (with a 3.75 GPA, so I feel like not working has paid off in that respect) but now that I'm not so myopically focused on getting into an undergrad program I feel like maybe I should have tried a little harder to find relevant employment.
(that's the last time I'll say 'relevant,' I promise)
Also, Portland State University seems to have a similar program, so if anyone knows anything about or has experience with that, I'd appreciate comments on that, as well. It's quite a bit lower on my list of things to obsess over, however. ;)
Okay, I'm done, I swear. I apologize for the length and any comments are appreciated. :)
First question is pretty basic: does anyone have experience with this program and care to review it?
I'm trying to figure out how to best angle myself for admission to it. I have no healthcare experience, and all my experience with social services, public health, and social work has been from the side of the person receiving services from workers. It is actually my experience with public health workers and social services, plus my life experience, that gets me so excited about the Maternal and Child Health/Social Work degree combination. I initially only wanted to be a medical social worker, figuring that that was the closest way to get to what I felt pulled towards, but when I came upon UW's concurrent degree it was like lightening had struck -- that's what I was looking for.
That said, admission to the MPH portion of the program (which one is supposed to apply to after a year of study in the MSW program) requires at least two years of public health experience. I am taking that to mean healthcare experience -- am I incorrect?
The only way of getting healthcare experience that I can figure out, other than hoping I stumble across a clerking position within a hospital, is to get take courses at the community college to get CNA certification, and then use that to get some sort of part-time experience while I complete my BA. Unfortunately, being a CNA will expose me to the elderly population, which is pretty much the opposite end of the spectrum from maternal and child health. I am at a loss for other ideas, so if anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it.
Moving on to the MSW portion of the program, I am not as worried. I will be completing the prerequisites (from what I can tell) while still doing my undergrad. I suppose the biggest concern would be my lack of relevant work experience, as well. Volunteering is always an option, I guess, but I'd hate to spend a whole bunch of time desperately accruing the minimum amount of work experience for admission into the MPH program and then discover that I haven't paid any attention to the MSW experience requirements. Has anyone else been in this situation? Do the school seem to have some leeway or understanding that you may have experience in either discipline and have a desire to branch out professionally, or do they generally just expect you to have all this relevant experience when you apply? I've spent the last two years on unemployment while I finished my AA (with a 3.75 GPA, so I feel like not working has paid off in that respect) but now that I'm not so myopically focused on getting into an undergrad program I feel like maybe I should have tried a little harder to find relevant employment.
(that's the last time I'll say 'relevant,' I promise)
Also, Portland State University seems to have a similar program, so if anyone knows anything about or has experience with that, I'd appreciate comments on that, as well. It's quite a bit lower on my list of things to obsess over, however. ;)
Okay, I'm done, I swear. I apologize for the length and any comments are appreciated. :)