Biology/Public Health/Environmental Health Programs

[sanantone]

I'm struggling with deciding between these programs, so second opinions would be nice even though I will likely do the opposite of what's suggested.   I also thought that some of you would find these programs interesting. 

My employer offers $5,000 per year in tuition reimbursement, and I may take advantage of that. I would prefer to study something general, such as biology, because it's a flexible degree and is most aligned with my interests. However, I would also like to be able to apply to the United States Public Health Service (USPHS), but getting in is highly competitive. Qualifying for USPHS is not easy because almost everything requires programmatic accreditation. Environmental health requires a qualifying degree with programmatic accreditation or hard-to-get certifications. The scientist positions require a natural science or health-related doctorate, which is definitely not something I am willing to do after already completing one PhD. It would also be extremely difficult for me to complete a nursing, respiratory therapy, speech pathology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or social work program because of the clinical hours. 

So, if I really want to get into USPHS, the easiest qualifying degrees to get would be in these categories: 

This first set falls under the Health Services category and rarely has openings. 

Health Information Management - Requires a CAHIIM accredited bachelors. I'm sure they'll accept a higher, CAHIIM-accredited degree. 
Medical Health Record Administration - CAHIIM-accredited bachelors or post-baccalaureate program.
Health Care Administration - CAHME-accredited masters
Public Health - CEPH-accredited masters except for ones in environmental health, occupational safety, or industrial hygiene. 

Environmental Health regularly has openings and requires a bachelors, masters, or doctorate accredited by EHAC; bachelors, masters, or doctorate in industrial hygiene, safety, or health physics accredited by ABET; masters or doctorate in environmental health, occupational health, or industrial hygiene accredited by CEPH; or two certifications I do not qualify for. 

So, here are the programs I'm considering applying to. This first group would qualify me for USPHS. 

University of Findlay - MS in Environmental, Safety, and Health Management - $662/credit

Pros - Requires no letters of recommendation. It doesn't require a practicum. I could take two extra courses to avoid doing a research project. 

Cons - It's a management program, so boring business courses are mixed in. Since I don't have the science prerequisites, I'll have to take one or two extra courses. If I don't get into USPHS, I don't know what I would do with the degree since there are hardly any entry-level, safety jobs. 

University of Illinois, Springfield - MPH in Environmental Health - $362.25/credit

Pros - It's cheap. It would qualify me for Environmental Health due to its EHAC accreditation instead of Public Health which has less openings. My GRE scores are still good, but they do waive the GRE if you already have a graduate degree. Even if I don't get into USPHS, this degree could be used to find a job in public health/epidemiology. 

Cons - Requires letters of recommendation. They require an upper level statistics course that is less than three years old. I took graduate-level statistics four years ago. I don't know if I have enough science credits to meet their vague prerequisite requirement.  

The programs below would not qualify me for USPHS, but I find them to be more interesting.

University of Northern Colorado - Master of Biomedical Science - $555/credit

Pros - Only takes two semesters (9 months to complete) and is only 30 credit hours. 

Cons - Requires letters of recommendation. The program doesn't require prerequisites, but I don't think I have the chemistry background to be successful in some of the courses. This program is designed for those wanting to boost their chances of getting into a healthcare or PhD program. I don't know how marketable it would be for employment purposes. 

University of Nebraska, Kearney - MS in Biology - $578.25/credit (including fees)

Pros - They offer a lot of courses that are interesting. No letters of recommendation are required. The GRE also isn't required, but my scores are good until June 2018. They require 24 undergraduate biology credits rather than a bachelors in biology, and they don't require chemistry prerequisites. I would only need to take two more Uexcels to have enough biology credits. 

Cons - Many courses are only offered once a year or once every other year, so I might have to take electives I don't like. 

University of Florida - Master of Science in Pharmacy with a major in Pharmaceutical Science with a concentration in Forensic Science - $575/cr

Pros - This program doesn't require letters of recommendation; they won't even look at them. If you don't want to take the GRE, they'll waive this requirement if you have a graduate degree. University of Florida is ranked #42 overall, ranked #6 for undergraduate biology programs, #35 for graduate programs in chemistry, #9 in pharmacy, and ranked #55 for graduate programs in biological science. 

Cons - The degree name is ridiculous and misleading. This program would likely limit me to forensic science jobs. 

University of Florida - MS in Microbiology and Cell Science with a concentration in Medical Microbiology and Biochemistry - $535/credit

Pros - This program doesn't require letters of recommendation. If you don't want to take the GRE, they'll waive this requirement if you have a graduate degree. University of Florida is ranked #42 overall, ranked #6 for undergraduate biology programs, #35 for graduate programs in chemistry, and ranked #55 for graduate programs in biological science. While the name is long, this is probably the most marketable name of all the degrees I'm looking at because "microbiology" and "biochemistry" are in it. If you don't have a strong science background, they offer intro track courses that don't delay completion of the program. The program can be completed in one year. 

Cons - The course options aren't my favorite. Unlike the forensic science program, this program doesn't appear to teach any lab skills. If you don't have lab skills, then I don't know what this degree is good for.

[dfrecore]

I vote that you keep looking for something that meets both of your wants: it can get you into the job you want, and it is courses that you are interested in.

I also think that you need to make sure the degree will actually get you somewhere. That's a lot of time and effort to put into something that may not do anything for you in the future.

[sanantone]

I vote that you keep looking for something that meets both of your wants: it can get you into the job you want, and it is courses that you are interested in.

I also think that you need to make sure the degree will actually get you somewhere.  That's a lot of time and effort to put into something that may not do anything for you in the future.

If I could, I would become a nurse practitioner, but that's not happening. For years, I've been trying to figure out a way to become an RN. The closest thing I could come up with was doing Percom's online paramedic program, which has clinical rotations in my city, so that I could qualify for Excelsior's program. The problem is that I would have to come up with $7,000 to pay out of pocket and wait for my employer to reimburse $5,000. Excelsior's nursing program also doesn't qualify for financial aid.

[davewill]

I vote that you keep looking for something that meets both of your wants: it can get you into the job you want, and it is courses that you are interested in.

I also think that you need to make sure the degree will actually get you somewhere.  That's a lot of time and effort to put into something that may not do anything for you in the future.

If I could, I would become a nurse practitioner, but that's not happening. For years, I've been trying to figure out a way to become an RN. The closest thing I could come up with was doing Percom's online paramedic program, which has clinical rotations in my city, so that I could qualify for Excelsior's program. The problem is that I would have to come up with $7,000 to pay out of pocket and wait for my employer to reimburse $5,000. Excelsior's nursing program also doesn't qualify for financial aid.

If we're voting , I'd say do whatever it take to make THIS option happen. If this amount of money is the barrier to a major dream, I'd say there has GOT to be a way to solve it. It makes little sense to me to put this much effort into doing something that isn't what you really want.

[cookderosa]

I vote that you keep looking for something that meets both of your wants: it can get you into the job you want, and it is courses that you are interested in.

I also think that you need to make sure the degree will actually get you somewhere.  That's a lot of time and effort to put into something that may not do anything for you in the future.

If I could, I would become a nurse practitioner, but that's not happening. For years, I've been trying to figure out a way to become an RN. The closest thing I could come up with was doing Percom's online paramedic program, which has clinical rotations in my city, so that I could qualify for Excelsior's program. The problem is that I would have to come up with $7,000 to pay out of pocket and wait for my employer to reimburse $5,000. Excelsior's nursing program also doesn't qualify for financial aid.

If we're voting , I'd say do whatever it take to make THIS option happen. If this amount of money is the barrier to a major dream, I'd say there has GOT to be a way to solve it. It makes little sense to me to put this much effort into doing something that isn't what you really want.

I'm with Dave, I think pursuing an RN would be the key. If you had your RN, you could literally have your pick of anything higher. Are there any accelerated RN options near you?

[dfrecore]

That was my thinking as well. There HAS to be a way for you to get your RN, and then move up the ladder. If that means saving every penny by working 3 jobs for 2 years and then living like a poor starving college student for a couple of years after that, it might very well be worth it.

Not sure how it could work out, but I certainly think you should be pursuing this dream (a very practical one might I add) rather than doing things you don't really want, because what you do want seems out of reach!

[sanantone]

I vote that you keep looking for something that meets both of your wants: it can get you into the job you want, and it is courses that you are interested in.

I also think that you need to make sure the degree will actually get you somewhere.  That's a lot of time and effort to put into something that may not do anything for you in the future.

If I could, I would become a nurse practitioner, but that's not happening. For years, I've been trying to figure out a way to become an RN. The closest thing I could come up with was doing Percom's online paramedic program, which has clinical rotations in my city, so that I could qualify for Excelsior's program. The problem is that I would have to come up with $7,000 to pay out of pocket and wait for my employer to reimburse $5,000. Excelsior's nursing program also doesn't qualify for financial aid.

If we're voting , I'd say do whatever it take to make THIS option happen. If this amount of money is the barrier to a major dream, I'd say there has GOT to be a way to solve it. It makes little sense to me to put this much effort into doing something that isn't what you really want.

I'm with Dave, I think pursuing an RN would be the key. If you  had your RN, you could literally have your pick of anything higher.  Are there any accelerated RN options near you?

There's nothing in the Austin area. From what I see, accelerated means compressed, which means taking weeks off from work for clinical rotations.

There's WGU Texas. The closest place for clinicals is about 2 hours away. I don't know why they have clinical sites in small towns, but none near Austin or San Antonio. I looked at WGU's sample clinical schedule. Sometimes students will have to take a week or two off from work. Sometimes, they'll have to take a whole month off from work. I believe most of their clinicals are 12-hour shifts.

The other options are UT Arlington and Texas A&M Corpus Christi. I don't know how they schedule their clinicals.

University of Texas at Austin does have an Alternate-Entry MSN, but you can't work for the first year.

[cookderosa]

I vote that you keep looking for something that meets both of your wants: it can get you into the job you want, and it is courses that you are interested in.

I also think that you need to make sure the degree will actually get you somewhere.  That's a lot of time and effort to put into something that may not do anything for you in the future.

If I could, I would become a nurse practitioner, but that's not happening. For years, I've been trying to figure out a way to become an RN. The closest thing I could come up with was doing Percom's online paramedic program, which has clinical rotations in my city, so that I could qualify for Excelsior's program. The problem is that I would have to come up with $7,000 to pay out of pocket and wait for my employer to reimburse $5,000. Excelsior's nursing program also doesn't qualify for financial aid.

If we're voting , I'd say do whatever it take to make THIS option happen. If this amount of money is the barrier to a major dream, I'd say there has GOT to be a way to solve it. It makes little sense to me to put this much effort into doing something that isn't what you really want.

I'm with Dave, I think pursuing an RN would be the key. If you  had your RN, you could literally have your pick of anything higher.  Are there any accelerated RN options near you?

There's nothing in the Austin area. From what I see, accelerated means compressed, which means taking weeks off from work for clinical rotations.

There's WGU Texas. The closest place for clinicals is about 2 hours away. I don't know why they have clinical sites in small towns, but none near Austin or San Antonio. I looked at WGU's sample clinical schedule. Sometimes students will have to take a week or two off from work. Sometimes, they'll have to take a whole month off from work. I believe most of their clinicals are 12-hour shifts.

The other options are UT Arlington and Texas A&M Corpus Christi. I don't know how they schedule their clinicals.

University of Texas at Austin does have an Alternate-Entry MSN, but you can't work for the first year.

A very close friend of mine is a nurse practitioner in Austin. If you think it would help, I could connect the two of you. She earned her RN several years back but attended graduate school for her CNM online at Frontier. She had multiple job offers before the ink was dry on her diploma. Let me know, I'm happy to help.

[sanantone]

If I could, I would become a nurse practitioner, but that's not happening. For years, I've been trying to figure out a way to become an RN. The closest thing I could come up with was doing Percom's online paramedic program, which has clinical rotations in my city, so that I could qualify for Excelsior's program. The problem is that I would have to come up with $7,000 to pay out of pocket and wait for my employer to reimburse $5,000. Excelsior's nursing program also doesn't qualify for financial aid.

If we're voting , I'd say do whatever it take to make THIS option happen. If this amount of money is the barrier to a major dream, I'd say there has GOT to be a way to solve it. It makes little sense to me to put this much effort into doing something that isn't what you really want.

I'm with Dave, I think pursuing an RN would be the key. If you  had your RN, you could literally have your pick of anything higher.  Are there any accelerated RN options near you?

There's nothing in the Austin area. From what I see, accelerated means compressed, which means taking weeks off from work for clinical rotations.

There's WGU Texas. The closest place for clinicals is about 2 hours away. I don't know why they have clinical sites in small towns, but none near Austin or San Antonio. I looked at WGU's sample clinical schedule. Sometimes students will have to take a week or two off from work. Sometimes, they'll have to take a whole month off from work. I believe most of their clinicals are 12-hour shifts.

The other options are UT Arlington and Texas A&M Corpus Christi. I don't know how they schedule their clinicals.

University of Texas at Austin does have an Alternate-Entry MSN, but you can't work for the first year.

A very close friend of mine is a nurse practitioner in Austin.  If you think it would help, I could connect the two of you.  She earned her RN several years back but attended graduate school for her CNM online at Frontier.  She had multiple job offers before the ink was dry on her diploma.  Let me know, I'm happy to help.

I would love that. Thank you.

[Ideas]

Based on your original post, I would say University of Illinois, Springfield - MPH in Environmental Health is the clear winner of that bunch. The way you explain the pros and cons of each program makes me think that's the one for you. Unless you pursue nursing...

If you do, you may want to start with an LPN, part-time and locally, and then do Excelsior or a local program to reach the RN/BSN. If there's anything good in your area. When you already have an LPN, the options change. This is a little slower of a path, but seems more reasonable than the Paramedic path since you're working. Nursing students who were already a paramedic say that they had to unlearn/relearn a lot, and there was not much overlap.

Also, I thought you mentioned grants from your state for nursing programs. A lot of states have those, and there are nationwide scholarships. Although note that some of the nursing grants require to you commit to working in a certain area. Usually state wide I believe, so less restrictive than the teaching grants.