Alternative Jobs with a M.D

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I hear alot of med school students talking about other jobs they might pursue other than clinical practice but when i ask what they say they don't really know. Can anyone tell me what other jobs M.Ds who don't want to do a clinical practice can do and their salaries?

 

[deuist]

Biotech research: lots of money.
Author of books such as "who Moved the Chees?": tons of money.

 

[deleted87716]

Can anyone tell me what other jobs M.Ds who don't want to do a clinical practice can do and their salaries?

Honestly, I don't see how a medical degree with no license and no clinical experience really makes anyone all that marketable. You could do pretty much anything that you could do without an MD; it would depend on what other skills and abilities you brought to the table.

 

[sleepy_dwarf]

I hear alot of med school students talking about other jobs they might pursue other than clinical practice but when i ask what they say they don't really know. Can anyone tell me what other jobs M.Ds who don't want to do a clinical practice can do and their salaries?

You can get into medical administration...although you'll need to have admitting priveledges at the hospital in question, and generally an advanced degree MBA, MHA, etc. Pay is generally on the executive range $150-250K.

 

[mysophobe]

I can't imagine going through med school to not practice medicine--clinical or no. What a waste.

 

[closertofine]

An M.D. told me recently that finishing just two years of med school could be helpful for some alternative careers...but I didn't and don't think she's right by any means...that sounded actually pretty ridiculous to me. Right?

 

[sidewalkman]

You can administer clinical trials for big pharma. As an MD you'd be reviewing patient records for inclusion/exclusion in the study and determining the severity of an adverse event, among other things. The pay is favorable compared to a FP, with what seems like less stress (from this amateur observer). Yeah, you'd have to complete a residency and be a licensed physician.

The cons? While you work with patients' charts on a daily basis, you don't actually see the patients themselves. You're in an office, which means a life surrounded by cubicles and all the political BS that goes along with it. Personally, I wouldn't do it unless it was as a consultant (i.e. in the office for a limited time).

I also know one MD who works as a clinical research associate, monitoring doctors who conduct clinical trials all over the country. You certainly don't need an MD to do this, and I don't think the pay is that great compared to straight clinical medicine.

 

[needinformation]

There is always consulting. McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte and Touche, and the like, are always interested in people who are bright, motivated, and hardworking. Certainly earning a medical degree would make one appear bright, motivated, and hardworking. The work these people do end up not being all that closely related to medicine at all- but possibly in the field of healthcare consulting...etc. I know of one person who finished a residency, then went into consulting. I can't say that work is any easier than medicine though. Perhaps just hard in different ways.

 

[satsuma]

There's lots of things -- hospital or health plan administration, public health official (ie FDA or county health official in US, or another country altogether), WHO, consultant (like the post above described), also investment banking or venture capital/private equity. Healthcare is a huge business internationally and a huge part of regulatory process/government and MDs are instrumental to making these things run. So think healthcare products, businesses, or policy...and you'll find non-clinical MDs somewhere in the works of any of those things.

 

[CanIMakeIt]

There is always consulting. McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte and Touche, and the like, are always interested in people who are bright, motivated, and hardworking. Certainly earning a medical degree would make one appear bright, motivated, and hardworking. The work these people do end up not being all that closely related to medicine at all- but possibly in the field of healthcare consulting...etc. I know of one person who finished a residency, then went into consulting. I can't say that work is any easier than medicine though. Perhaps just hard in different ways.

lots of moola $$$$$ very good money and if you like consulting McKinsey, BCG is the way to go.....no need to do residency as long as you have that MD 🙂