MPH Personal Statement Sample and Analysis: Learn from a Successful Applicant
How to Write an Amazing MPH Application Essay
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a public health professional who can make a difference in the lives of millions of people around the world? Do you want to pursue a career in epidemiology, biostatistics, health administration, health policy, or any other field within the vast and diverse realm of public health? If so, you probably know that applying to public health school is one of the most important steps you need to take in order to achieve your goals.
Mph Application Essay Sample
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One of the key components of your public health school application is your personal statement or essay. This is where you get to showcase your personality, passion, and potential for public health. It's also where you get to convince the admissions committee that you are a strong candidate who deserves a spot in their program.
But how do you write an amazing MPH application essay that stands out from the crowd? How do you craft a compelling narrative that highlights your qualities, experiences, and goals in public health? How do you avoid common pitfalls and mistakes that can ruin your chances of getting accepted?
In this article, we will answer these questions and more. We will guide you through the process of writing an amazing MPH application essay step by step. We will provide you with tips, examples, and resources that will help you create a memorable and effective essay that will impress the admissions committee and increase your chances of getting into your dream public health school.
Let's get started!
What is the purpose of the MPH application essay?
The MPH application essay is a chance for you to reveal the qualities and experiences that make you a worthy candidate for public health school beyond what's written on your transcripts and test scores. It's also an opportunity to demonstrate what sets you apart from the rest of the applicant pool.
In short, the purpose of the MPH application essay is to give the admissions committee a clear sense of the following:
What makes you a strong candidate for public health school
Why you want to work in public health
How their specific program will help you accomplish your goals
An excellent MPH application essay will link these pieces of information in order to create a cohesive narrative of your path towards the MPH and beyond.
As such, it's one of the most important parts of your MPH application. It can make or break your chances of getting accepted, so you want to make sure you put your best effort into writing it.
How to structure your MPH application essay?
A good way to approach your MPH application essay is to follow a basic structure that consists of three main sections: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each section has a specific purpose and function in your essay, and you should make sure to include all the necessary elements in each section.
Here is a general overview of the recommended structure for your MPH application essay:
Introduction: This is where you introduce your topic and provide some background information on public health and your chosen field of interest. You should also hook the reader's attention with a personal anecdote or a surprising statistic related to public health. Finally, you should end your introduction with a clear and concise thesis statement that summarizes your main points and goals.
Body paragraphs: This is where you develop your main points and support them with evidence from your experiences, research, or other sources. You should have at least three body paragraphs, each focusing on one main point. You should also use transitions and topic sentences to connect your paragraphs and create a logical flow.
Conclusion: This is where you restate your thesis statement and summarize your main points in different words. You should also emphasize your contributions and potential impact on public health. Finally, you should end your essay with a call to action or a final thought that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.
In addition to following this structure, you should also pay attention to how you organize your ideas and use headings and subheadings effectively. Headings and subheadings can help you break down your essay into smaller sections and make it easier for the reader to follow your argument. They can also help you highlight the main points and keywords in your essay.
You can use different levels of headings depending on the length and complexity of your essay. For example, you can use H1 headings for the main sections (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion), H2 headings for the sub-sections (main points), H3 headings for the sub-sub-sections (sub-points), and so on.
Here are some tips on how to use headings and subheadings effectively:
Use descriptive and informative headings that capture the essence of each section or paragraph.
Use parallel structure and consistent formatting for headings at the same level.
Use headings sparingly and only when necessary. Don't overuse them or make them too long or too short.
Avoid using headings as substitutes for topic sentences or transitions. They should complement, not replace, the text.
How to write a captivating introduction?
The introduction is the first part of your MPH application essay, and it's also one of the most important. It sets the tone for the rest of your essay and determines whether the reader will be interested in reading more or not.
A good introduction should do three things:
Hook the reader's attention with a personal anecdote or a surprising statistic related to public health
Introduce your topic and provide some background information on public health and your chosen field of interest
```html your main points and goals
Let's look at each of these elements in more detail.
Hook the reader's attention
The first sentence of your introduction should grab the reader's attention and make them curious about your essay. You can use different types of hooks to achieve this effect, such as anecdotes, statistics, quotes, or questions. The key is to choose a hook that is relevant to your topic and that showcases your personality, passion, or perspective on public health.
For example, you can start your essay with a personal anecdote that illustrates how you became interested in public health or how you overcame a challenge or obstacle in your public health journey. Alternatively, you can use a surprising statistic that highlights the importance or urgency of public health or that reveals a gap or problem in the current public health system. You can also use a quote from a famous public health figure or a question that provokes the reader to think about your topic.
Here are some examples of hooks for different public health fields:
Epidemiology: "When I was 12 years old, I witnessed a cholera outbreak in my hometown in India. I saw how a simple disease could spread rapidly and cause severe illness and death among hundreds of people. I also saw how a team of epidemiologists worked tirelessly to identify the source of the infection, implement preventive measures, and educate the community. That was when I decided that I wanted to become an epidemiologist and help fight infectious diseases around the world."
Biostatistics: "Did you know that every year, more than 1.5 million people die from tuberculosis (TB), a curable and preventable disease? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one of the main challenges in TB control is the lack of accurate and timely data on TB cases and deaths. As a biostatistician, I want to use my skills and knowledge to improve the quality and availability of TB data and to support evidence-based decision making for TB prevention and treatment."
Health administration: "As a former nurse, I have seen firsthand how the quality and efficiency of health care services can affect the health outcomes and satisfaction of patients. I have also witnessed how poor management and leadership can lead to waste, errors, and conflicts in health care organizations. That's why I decided to pursue a career in health administration and to use my clinical experience and administrative skills to improve the performance and productivity of health care systems."
Health policy: "One of the most influential quotes that inspired me to pursue a career in health policy was from former US Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop: \"Health care is vital to all of us some of the time, but public health is vital to all of us all of the time.\" As a health policy analyst, I want to contribute to the development and implementation of public health policies that address the social determinants of health and promote health equity for all."
As you can see, these hooks are engaging, relevant, and personal. They show the reader why you are passionate about public health and what motivated you to apply to public health school.
Introduce your topic and provide some background information
After hooking the reader's attention, you should introduce your topic and provide some background information on public health and your chosen field of interest. You should explain what public health is and why it is important. You should also briefly describe your field of interest and what it entails.
The purpose of this part is to provide some context for your essay and to show the reader that you have a solid understanding of public health and its significance. You should also use this part to narrow down your topic and focus on a specific aspect or issue within your field of interest.
For example, if you are interested in epidemiology, you can explain what epidemiology is and how it relates to public health. You can also mention some examples of epidemiological methods or applications that interest you or that you have experience with. You can also identify a specific problem or challenge in epidemiology that you want to address or explore in your essay.
Here is an example of how you can introduce your topic and provide some background information:
"Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private communities, and individuals (Winslow 1920). Public health encompasses a wide range of disciplines and fields that aim to protect and improve the health of populations and individuals. One of these fields is epidemiology, which is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems (Last 2001). Epidemiology is essential for public health because it provides the scientific basis for identifying and understanding the causes and consequences of diseases, as well as for designing and evaluating interventions to prevent and control them. Some examples of epidemiological methods or applications that interest me are outbreak investigation, disease surveillance, risk assessment, and meta-analysis. One of the current challenges in epidemiology that I want to address in my essay is the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which threatens the effectiveness of existing treatments and poses a serious threat to global health security."
As you can see, this part provides a clear and concise introduction to public health and epidemiology. It also narrows down the topic to a specific issue (AMR) that will be discussed in more detail in the body paragraphs.
End with a clear and concise thesis statement
The last part of your introduction should be your thesis statement. This is a one-sentence summary of your main points and goals in your essay. It should answer the following questions:
What are you going to argue or prove in your essay?
Why are you making this argument or claim?
How are you going to support your argument or claim?
A good thesis statement should be clear, concise, specific, and arguable. It should also reflect your position or perspective on your topic. It should not be a fact, a question, or a vague or general statement.
For example, here is a possible thesis statement for an essay on epidemiology and AMR:
"In this essay, I will argue that epidemiology plays a crucial role in combating AMR by providing evidence-based information and guidance for policy makers, health care providers, and the public. I will support my argument by discussing three main ways that epidemiology can contribute to AMR prevention and control: 1) by monitoring and assessing the burden and trends of AMR; 2) by identifying and evaluating the risk factors and drivers of AMR; and 3) by designing and testing interventions to reduce or eliminate AMR."
As you can see, this thesis statement is clear, concise, specific, and arguable. It also reflects the position and perspective of the writer on the topic. It also provides a roadmap for the rest of the essay by outlining the main points that will be discussed in the body paragraphs.
How to write engaging body paragraphs?
The body paragraphs are the core of your MPH application essay. This is where you develop your main points and support them with evidence from your experiences, research, or other sources. You should have at least three body paragraphs, each focusing on one main point that supports your thesis statement.
A good body paragraph should have the following elements:
A topic sentence that introduces the main point of the paragraph
Evidence that supports the main point with examples, facts, statistics, quotes, or anecdotes
An analysis or explanation of how the evidence relates to the main point and the thesis statement
A transition or a concluding sentence that connects the paragraph to the next one or summarizes the main point
Let's look at each of these elements in more detail.
A topic sentence that introduces the main point of the paragraph
```html the main point of the paragraph. The main point should be related to your thesis statement and should support your argument or claim. The topic sentence should also indicate what evidence you will use to support your main point and how you will organize your paragraph.
For example, here is a possible topic sentence for the first body paragraph of an essay on epidemiology and AMR:
"One of the main ways that epidemiology can contribute to AMR prevention and control is by monitoring and assessing the burden and trends of AMR."
As you can see, this topic sentence introduces the main point of the paragraph, which is how epidemiology can monitor and assess AMR. It also indicates what evidence will be used to support this point, such as data and reports on AMR.
Evidence that supports the main point with examples, facts, statistics, quotes, or anecdotes
The next part of each body paragraph should be evidence that supports the main point with examples, facts, statistics, quotes, or anecdotes. Evidence is the material that you use to back up your main point and to persuade the reader that your argument or claim is valid and credible. Evidence can come from various sources, such as your own experiences, research, or other sources.
For example, you can use evidence from your personal stories, achievements, awards, publications, projects, volunteer work, internships, or extracurricular activities that demonstrate your interest and involvement in public health and your chosen field. You can also use evidence from research or other sources that provide relevant and reliable information on your topic.
When using evidence from research or other sources, you should make sure to cite them properly and to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's words or ideas without giving them credit. Plagiarism can have serious consequences for your academic integrity and reputation. To avoid plagiarism, you should always acknowledge the original source of your evidence and use quotation marks or paraphrasing when using someone else's words or ideas.
Here is an example of how you can use evidence to support your main point in the first body paragraph of an essay on epidemiology and AMR:
"One of the main ways that epidemiology can contribute to AMR prevention and control is by monitoring and assessing the burden and trends of AMR. Monitoring and assessing AMR involves collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on the occurrence and distribution of resistant microorganisms and their impact on human health. This data can help identify the magnitude and scope of the problem, track changes over time and across regions, detect outbreaks and emerging threats, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. For example, one of the projects that I worked on as a research assistant at the National Institute of Health (NIH) was a systematic review and meta-analysis of global data on carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), a group of bacteria that are resistant to most antibiotics and cause serious infections in hospitals and communities. We collected data from more than 200 studies published between 2000 and 2018 and analyzed them using statistical methods to estimate the prevalence and mortality of CRE infections worldwide. We found that CRE infections have increased significantly in recent years and have a high mortality rate of about 40%. We also identified regional variations and gaps in data quality and availability. We published our findings in a peer-reviewed journal and presented them at a national conference. Our study provided valuable information for policy makers, health care providers, and researchers who are working to combat AMR."
As you can see, this evidence supports the main point by showing how epidemiology can monitor and assess AMR using data from various sources. It also shows how the writer has experience and involvement in this field through their research project.
An analysis or explanation of how the evidence relates to the main point and the thesis statement
The next part of each body paragraph should be an analysis or explanation of how the evidence relates to the main point and the thesis statement. Analysis or explanation is where you interpret your evidence and show how it supports your argument or claim. Analysis or explanation helps you connect your evidence to your main point and to your overall thesis statement.
For example, here is an example of how you can analyze or explain your evidence in the first body paragraph of an essay on epidemiology and AMR:
```html and control is by monitoring and assessing the burden and trends of AMR. Monitoring and assessing AMR involves collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on the occurrence and distribution of resistant microorganisms and their impact on human health. This data can help identify the magnitude and scope of the problem, track changes over time and across regions, detect outbreaks and emerging threats, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. For example, one of the projects that I worked on as a research assistant at the National Institute of Health (NIH) was a systematic review and meta-analysis of global data on carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), a group of bacteria that are resistant to most antibiotics and cause serious infections in hospitals and communities. We collected data from more than 200 studies pu