2nd cycle MD/PhD offer

[madindalab]

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As my previous posts indicate, I applied 2nd cycle to my schools MD/PhD program. I am an MS2 and I was offered a spot in the program, so I would enter the program by starting graduate school after step 1.

I am extremely torn about if I should take it. I love research and bench work but I am not sure if this is the best time to do a PhD. I am afraid I will get a PhD and never do meaningful research after residency. Here is a caveat: I have family support, which I am forever greatful for, which I have used so far in medical school. I have no loans and if I don't take the MD/PhD offer my family will pay for all four years, so the full funding/stipend of the MD/PhD program isn't a huge pro for me. I am more worried about setting myself up for faculty positions down the road. The surgical speciality I want to go into with 99% confidence has 2 years of watered down research built into all residency programs for this speciality.

So here are my two choices, could anyone give me opinions on what I should do?

1. Enter into the MD/PhD program -> go into a surgical residency -> apply for research track positions.

2. Finish medical school with MD -> go into residency and try to extend the 2 years of research into however long it takes to do a PhD -> apply for faculty positions.

Anyone have any input? I would greatly appreciate it!!!!!!!

TL;DR: should I do PhD in an MD/PhD program or later during residency, given I have to debt in either situation?

 

[URHere]

This is one of those situations where there is no one right answer.

Some things to consider:

1) Do you actually want to earn a PhD? Yes, you can devote time to research during a medical fellowship, but those experiences are not quite the same as what you get from a PhD. PhDs are drawn-out periods of uncertainty that teach you about self-reliance and decision-making (and, of course, science). From talking to MDs in my group who were trained through fellowships rather than PhDs, I get the impression that their projects were generally "safer" and more pigeonholed than a typical PhD thesis project. They still learn the research and the science, but the general experience is different. Granted, this is just my personal impression, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Also, how much research do you actually imagine yourself doing down the line - especially if you are planning on a surgical specialty? I'm not saying that it can't be done, but I do think you should be sure that you want a research component to your career before devoting so many years of your life to it.

2) For your intended specialty, is a PhD actually considered a pro? If you aren't sold on the idea of the PhD, and part-time clinical research would look just as good to a residency director, then maybe it isn't the best path for you. Talk to a residency director at your school, and see what they think.

3) Remember that there are other options. If you don't want to commit to a PhD, could you take a year to earn a MS, or possibly apply for a HHMI fellowship? One internal MD/PhD applicant from my school ultimately chose to take a year for HHMI instead of joining the program. So far, he seems very happy with that choice.

Just some food for thought.

 

[JETER]

The surgical speciality I want to go into with 99% confidence has 2 years of watered down research built into all residency programs for this speciality.

I'm thinking Neurosurgery??

There are folks that extend the two years and do a PhD in programs that are more conducive to this, but at least from my understanding, this is the exception. At most places, extending your research years will royally f-up the existing structure (i.e., who will take your chief year when you stay in the lab?), and therefore is generally not permissible.

Assuming you are dead set on the PhD (and I'm biased, and think it is a great asset for academic surgery), then I would strongly suggest doing it now, while you are young and not as jaded as you are going to be after 4 years of neurosurgery residency (or whatever field it is). If you are holding an acceptance in your hand, then you only have two years of debt, and not 4, right? Also, regardless of what you read on here, having the MD/PhD -- especially if you have done exceptional science -- will greatly help you when applying to top academic residencies. Plus, in your two protected research years, you can hit the ground running applying your skill set, instead of learning a skill set.

I think it is safe to say that any specialty that requires 2 years of research values research, and therefore a PhD is generally viewed as a "pro"