MD-PhD: PhD in Epidemiology?

[shinchan]

This might be a stupid question. But I am very interested in PhD in Epi, even more so than basic science. Is it even possible? do I need to look at med school with public health dept? Thanks in advance.

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[b&ierstiefel]

This might be a stupid question. But I am very interested in PhD in Epi, even more so than basic science. Is it even possible? do I need to look at med school with public health dept? Thanks in advance.

At least at my institution, it IS definitely possible. One of my classmates, who finished up in 3 years, defended her PhD in epidemiology. What made it even more impressive was that she took a full course-load in the school of public health during the first of those 3 years!

If epidemiology is your passion, definitely pursue it!

 

[huseyin]

At least at my institution, it IS definitely possible. One of my classmates, who finished up in 3 years, defended her PhD in epidemiology. What made it even more impressive was that she took a full course-load in the school of public health during the first of those 3 years!

If epidemiology is your passion, definitely pursue it!

I know who you are talking about

Yeah, I guess especially in cancer genetics there are many physician scientists who do excellent epidemiology research. However, the initial steps are most of the time very statistics oriented and then you go to your lab and verify it.

Yeah, Andy that MSTP student that you are talking about took so many classes. Man, I hated classes during my undergrad, I have always avoided to my lab. But , she is doing opposite. Hopefully, during the MSTP I will not spend not more than 35% of my time in the classes.

huseyin

 

[atsai3]

This might be a stupid question. But I am very interested in PhD in Epi, even more so than basic science. Is it even possible? do I need to look at med school with public health dept? Thanks in advance.

Yes, it is possible.

(1) There are some students who are doing the MD/PhD in epidemiology through their school's MSTP program. I know there is one student at the University of Wisconsin and another at the University of Washington, both of whom are going this route.

(2) Some schools offer a combined program. Penn allows students to complete an MD/PhD in health systems research (basically an amalgam of epidemiology, economics, and health policy). I know of several students who are doing this, doing the PhD in economics. (You could probably do a PhD in a different field, but their choice of doing it in economics likely reflects Penn's focus.) Case Western Reserve University offers a combined MD/PhD in health services research.

(3) Alternately, you can do your own thing. There is a student at Case Western Reserve University who is pursuing an MD/PhD in epidemiology, and another one at USC, but they are not doing it through their schools' respective MSTP programs. (They secured funding on their own, through the department of epi.)

Hope this helps.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I know who you are talking about

your powers of perception and recollection cease to disappoint...wanna cookie?

 

[huseyin]

your powers of perception and recollection cease to disappoint...wanna cookie?

What does that mean?

 

[mendel121]

I know who you are talking about

Yeah, I guess especially in cancer genetics there are many physician scientists who do excellent epidemiology research. However, the initial steps are most of the time very statistics oriented and then you go to your lab and verify it.

Yeah, Andy that MSTP student that you are talking about took so many classes. Man, I hated classes during my undergrad, I have always avoided to my lab. But , she is doing opposite. Hopefully, during the MSTP I will not spend not more than 35% of my time in the classes.

huseyin

I suppose that in traditional epi, the statement about it being stats oriented is true, but epi is broader than that. I just finished by PhD in epi, and I did very little "dry" lab work. My project was mostly molecular genetics, using genetic epi to map a location of a gene. There is also a lot of molecular work being done in infectious diseases - look at the Epi program at Michigan for the variety of things that go on in epi.

 

[emprsswuhu]

This might be a stupid question. But I am very interested in PhD in Epi, even more so than basic science. Is it even possible? do I need to look at med school with public health dept? Thanks in advance.

hey - one of my closest friends is doing her the PhD portion of her degree at Emory. the MSTP program actively recruits epi kids and you have the benefit of a great school of public health and the CDC is right next door. hope that helps!

 

[shinchan]

hey - one of my closest friends is doing her the PhD portion of her degree at Emory. the MSTP program actively recruits epi kids and you have the benefit of a great school of public health and the CDC is right next door. hope that helps!

Thank you all very much for the information. It's great to know there are MSTP program that I can apply to pursue my interest in epi.

 

[uptoolate]

Hopkins also has an PhD/MD program in Epi.

 

[xholisa13]

Hi there,

I will be doing my PhD at Emory in epi. I interviewed a lot of places, and was uniformly open about my intent to do my PhD in epidemiology. Two places received me with open arms and enthusiasm - Emory and Minnesota. Both great public health schools, Minnesota is stronger (at present, though they are evolving to have a broader focus) in chronic disease, Emory in both infectious disease and cancer. I'm interested in ID, so Emory was the clear winner (and you can't beat having CDC next door!) Minnesota has one (or two? I can't recall) students in epi from the MSTP program, Emory has three (including me) and has been actively recruiting more this year.

I have found it wonderful to be at a school that embraces 'non-traditional' MD/PhDs. I have spoken with other MD/PhDs in epi (at other schools) that entered through the 'backdoor' - stated an interest in neuroscience or some other more traditional science such that they could switch to epi once they were accepted. I don't think I would recommend that, particularly since you will have a better experience at a school that will support your research interests off the bat.

Feel free to email me with any questions - I'm happy to encourage more people to consider this option!

 

[shinchan]

Hi there,

I will be doing my PhD at Emory in epi. I interviewed a lot of places, and was uniformly open about my intent to do my PhD in epidemiology. Two places received me with open arms and enthusiasm - Emory and Minnesota. Both great public health schools, Minnesota is stronger (at present, though they are evolving to have a broader focus) in chronic disease, Emory in both infectious disease and cancer. I'm interested in ID, so Emory was the clear winner (and you can't beat having CDC next door!) Minnesota has one (or two? I can't recall) students in epi from the MSTP program, Emory has three (including me) and has been actively recruiting more this year.

I have found it wonderful to be at a school that embraces 'non-traditional' MD/PhDs. I have spoken with other MD/PhDs in epi (at other schools) that entered through the 'backdoor' - stated an interest in neuroscience or some other more traditional science such that they could switch to epi once they were accepted. I don't think I would recommend that, particularly since you will have a better experience at a school that will support your research interests off the bat.

Feel free to email me with any questions - I'm happy to encourage more people to consider this option!

Hi, so where can I find out more about Emory MSTP and Epi? The closest I come to is

http://omesa.medadm.emory.edu/mdphd/

and it doesn't even have any info about Epi program. Please help me find out more.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Habari]

it is also possible to get your phd in epi from through the columbia md/phd program - though i believe that the process to do so isn't as straightforward as basic science phds. i would email their program director about opportunities.

 

[xanthines]

Check out the School of Public Health's website:

http://www.sph.emory.edu/

The PhD is done through the grad school. As an MSTP student you're pretty much an automatic grad student:

http://www.biomed.emory.edu/programs/program_mdphd.cfm

That's my take on the whole situation, anyway. What do I know?

-X

Hi, so where can I find out more about Emory MSTP and Epi? The closest I come to is

http://omesa.medadm.emory.edu/mdphd/

and it doesn't even have any info about Epi program. Please help me find out more.

Thanks in advance.

 

[atsai3]

Is anyone aware of any programs that enable you to complete an internal medicine research track (ABIM research pathway) in epidemiology? Most programs seem to emphasize laboratory research; however, I would like to obtain research training with a statistical emphasis (epi or outcomes research).

The UCLA STAR program (see also here) permits incoming residents already holding the PhD degree to fast track into a research fellowship -- including general internal medicine/health services research (home to lots of folks with PhDs in health services research, epidemiology, health economics, and the like).

-AT.

 

[fantasty]

I'm getting an MD/PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Iowa's MSTP - I'm just getting through my comps, and I did have more coursework than most of my peers. But, I anticipate finishing at the same time they are, so it all washes out in the end.

Also, I spoke to someone at U. Rochester and they have 2 MSTP students in epi.

Let me know if you have any questions about Iowa...

 

[fantasty]

Oh yeah - I also know of at least 2 at Univ of Alabama's MSTP - I think they are both doing ID epi. And, as for genetic epi, Iowa has a relatively new department in public health genetics which would be another alternative (if that interested potential MSTPers).