Article about the need for physician scientists

[Cough]

This isn't new, but I'd never seen it before. It focuses on the need for clinical researchers, as opposed to basic.

Cough

<a href="http://www.hmc.psu.edu/ps_medicine/winter00/saving.htm" target="_blank">http://www.hmc.psu.edu/ps_medicine/winter00/saving.htm</a>

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[Cough]

Dissed...no replies. I hate you guys.

 

[jot]

haha, no fear cough ... i gave it a read; what kind of work do you do at mgh?

so apparently they are clamoring for more of us. too bad there aren't going to be major exapansions in programs for a couple years. i was reading about cleveland hospitals/case westerns new school of medicine for medical scientists; i wonder how that will be recieved. one of their concerns about greatly expanding these mstp programs was that they were not sure about how deep the "talent pool" was; if they would be able to get consistently high quality applicants. seems to me like there are plenty for now, and the numbers are growing. your thoughts? treat me better than you did to cough :wink: !

 

[jot]

Dissed...no replies. I hate you guys.

 

[isidella]

So sensitive. . . Here's my two cents: I think that if someone truely wants to be a PS for the right reasons, (and those are. . .) then there is space enough for all of us. Some places like Wash U make it very clear that they have a certain number of MSTp students they would like to matriculate each year, but in no way is that set in stone. If they have 25 great applications that they want to accept, and two more come along that are equally deserving, thier program size will be 27, not 25.
Also, I have persoanlly found my happy place. No matter how good or bad my scores are (I have defined a lower limit that ya'll would certainly cringe at), I am applying to first, second and third tier schools. Wash U did accept a 29 in the past. Harvard has accepted a 30. So no matter what people, if it is in your heart to do this, then don't let one score stand in your way. Write the most honest personal statement you can, and be your lovable, nerdy self at the interview. Good luck all (I feel like a cheerleader-the kind who wears frilly undies).

 

[jot]

this was a rather amusing light hearted article:
<a href="http://webweekly.hms.harvard.edu/archive/1999/6_14/student.html" target="_blank">http://webweekly.hms.harvard.edu/archive/1999/6_14/student.html</a>

 

[Cough]

Thank you, both of you.

Jot I just got back to my computer. Isi, you're really positive, that's great. I agree that with the right dedication, people can be physician scientists. My concern, though, would be making the right decisions at this early stage such that I'll be getting the kind of career I can be happy with.

For instance, assuming you get into a school you like, then there's the issue of choosing a lab. That's certainly a more important choice than the school itself, as your Ph.D. work will very likely shape your career for years...

I guess the best you can hope for is to find something you really love, such that you'll be happy doing it and able to put in the long hours, and years. Worrying about the long-term ramifications...well that's probably just not worth worrying about. I envy those of you who can just go with the flow, without stressing. I've got to work on that.

At MGH, Jot, I work in a lab that develops all sorts of cool optical devices for medical diagnostics. The bulk of my work right now is on an intravascular imaging catheter for interventional cardiology. The stuff we do here is outrageously cool, but my personal interests are more in chemistry and drug delivery.

Cough

 

[Cough]

Jot, that article is amazing. Light-hearted fun is going to be a huge help getting through all of this...especially in the face of doubts and criticism.

 

[isidella]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Cough:
•That's certainly a more important choice than the school itself, as your Ph.D. work will very likely shape your career for years...

my personal interests are more in chemistry and drug delivery.

Cough•••••Your PhD work can set the pace, but I have seen successful PhDs really do 180s (my PI for example). He did his PhD on animal DNA methelization and its evolutionary trends. He is now working on the immunotherapy of human cancer. I am not sure how easy it is for your garden-variety physician scientist to chance research directions.

As for your interests, I am heading towards natural products chemistry and experimental therapeutics. Pretty close, eh?

ANd regarding the worry-wort in all of us, I am particularly cool today because of the massive amounts of Day-quil I am taking to just get through my experiments today. I am totally not this cool usually, not do I usually have so many typos.
Meow Meow (for lack of a better departure salutation).

Isid

 

[Cough]

Isid, I sent you a PM

 

[wgu]

Hey Jot,

The article was great. I was thinking the same thing after seeing Star Wars 2. I'm dead serious!

Cough,

If you're interested in the decline of physican-scientists, I have a few journal citations on the subject. Also FunnyBones wrote a lot on the subject in the Subject Title "MD/PhD and specialties"