80/20 or 100/0

[azn888]

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Would doing 100% research be more productive than doing 80% research and 20% clinical? Money is not important to me. I'm just wondering if there's any advantage to maintaining some degree of clinical work.

 

[shindotp]

That's the question I asked the director of UPenn's MD/PhD program. He told me that his clinical experience helps his research and vice versa, but I think it would be way more productive to just do 100/0 and do a research post-doc instead of a residency. It would definitely be a lot less money though.

 

[gbwillner]

Would doing 100% research be more productive than doing 80% research and 20% clinical? Money is not important to me. I'm just wondering if there's any advantage to maintaining some degree of clinical work.

If you are going to do 100% research there is very little reason to get an MD, IMHO.

Clinical duties, depending on specialty CAN be a source of inspiration or sample material (especially in pathology), but overall it is something that takes away from your research time... especially clinic.

 

[dmblue]

At northwestern they tell you do do 100% research and 20% clinical.

Think about it.

 

[CancerKiller007]

^^ LOL

To OP, you are at least 15-20 years away from that decision. You should rather worry about more immediate concerns until than. 😀😀😀

 

[dl2dp2]

depends on your definition of "productive". you may not care about money yourself, but it's the money that makes research go around. what about salary for your postdoc/techs? maybe you can live in a homeless shelter...

will you get paid more as 80/20 or 100/0? 80/20, sometimes substantially more
will you be more flexible geographically? 80/20
will you be more likely to get hired? 80/20
will you be more likely to get a grant? 80/20
will you be more likely to get published (in any journal)? 80/20
will you be more likely to get tenured somewhere? 80/20
will you be less likely to lose your job? 80/20

on the other hand

will you be more like to get a basic science grant? 100/0
will you be more likely to get published in Cell, Nature, Science? 100/0
will you be more likely to get HHMI? 100/0
will you be more like to get the Nobel prize? 100/0 (don't know ANY with 80/20 who has a Nobel prize...although there are a few 0/100)

 

[shindotp]

depends on your definition of "productive". you may not care about money yourself, but it's the money that makes research go around. what about salary for your postdoc/techs? maybe you can live in a homeless shelter...

will you get paid more as 80/20 or 100/0? 80/20, sometimes substantially more
will you be more flexible geographically? 80/20
will you be more likely to get hired? 80/20
will you be more likely to get a grant? 80/20
will you be more likely to get published (in any journal)? 80/20
will you be more likely to get tenured somewhere? 80/20
will you be less likely to lose your job? 80/20

on the other hand

will you be more like to get a basic science grant? 100/0
will you be more likely to get published in Cell, Nature, Science? 100/0
will you be more likely to get HHMI? 100/0
will you be more like to get the Nobel prize? 100/0 (don't know ANY with 80/20 who has a Nobel prize...although there are a few 0/100)

LOL, they don't look at your degree when deciding the Nobel Laureates.

 

[cyclin M]

Was anyone asked this during an interview and if so how did you respond? I'd probably go with 80 - 20 for an interview and in real life as well. If I wanted to do 100% research I'd probably go hardcore PhD only and drop the MD.

 

[anemone2]

Was anyone asked this during an interview and if so how did you respond? I'd probably go with 80 - 20 for an interview and in real life as well. If I wanted to do 100% research I'd probably go hardcore PhD only and drop the MD.

This falls under the "so where do you see yourself in 20 years" question, which you get pretty often. I've gone with the 80-20 split description on my interviews.

 

[BNSN]

at northwestern they tell you do do 100% research and 20% clinical.

Think about it.

Haha. 😀

But, actually, I think that is about right. My MD/PhD mentor has a full-fledged research program and clinical duties. Seems to work for him.