Best MD/PhD Combos

[blazinfury]

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What are the best MD/PhD combinations that are a viable fit for MD/PhDs. I have heard that ppl in the ROAD careers are able to achieve PhDs, but what are their PhDs in and in what other MD fields is it feasible to achieve an MD/PhD? Thanks.

 

[achamess]

The best one is the one that YOU want. The money will follow.

 

[blazinfury]

This is not always true b/c some careers fit better with an MD/PhD than others and there always exists a limit to what career options and choices one may have in order to adequately integrate the two degrees. It would be a shame if one did not do their research and then jumped into the field and then not use one of the degrees b/c of time constraints and other issues.

 

[britishmafia]

Just look at what matters to you. For example, I am fascinated with both the blood and cancer metastasis, so I plan to specialize in hematology-oncology with my medical degree. On the graduate side, I will focus more on the laboratory, not the department. This is really important!!!

For example, I work in a cell/molecular lab right now, but I'm a bioengineer who is applying bioengineering principles to bone tissue.. and there is another BioE in my lab too. The others include those in the CMB program. In other words, think about what you like, and the applications to medicine will arise from your lab of choice!

Don't fret too much about this right now. You will do lab rotations, I believe, in the first 2 years of medical school. Many don't require you to join a department or lab until year 3 (G1, after M2).

😀 Less stress will go a long way. 😀

 

[gbwillner]

I would say that picking a department is almost as important as picking a lab. Choose departments very carefully- they will have different requirements for graduation, but more importantly you want to join a department with a lot of great faculty. If you choose a department that has only 3 PIs you'd work for, I would strongly consider that you go elsewhere. Chances are 1 is a jerk, 2 has no funding and 3 leaves for a position somewhere else your second year. Having a great department means lots of great options, as well as better faculty and staff support.

As for the best specialties for MD/PhDs, probably the best answer is medicine, pathology, and pediatrics. ~70% of all graduating MD/PhDs go into those fields for a reason.

 

[ecoli]

There are other things to consider though, like time it takes to train. Coming out of an 8 year med program, it wouldn't be intelligent to go into a field where there's a long residency, especially if you also have to do a post-doc

The best one is the one that YOU want. The money will follow.

 

[britishmafia]

There are other things to consider though, like time it takes to train. Coming out of an 8 year med program, it wouldn't be intelligent to go into a field where there's a long residency, especially if you also have to do a post-doc

Speaking of which, are they now beginning to have combined research/residency fellowships? In other words, your residency would involve X days during the week where you work in a laboratory too? If so, does anyone have sources??

 

[ecoli]

if they do, would that eliminate the need to do a post-doc? (if you want to get your own lab eventually)

 

[gbwillner]

Speaking of which, are they now beginning to have combined research/residency fellowships? In other words, your residency would involve X days during the week where you work in a laboratory too? If so, does anyone have sources??

It doesn't really work that way. There are a few programs, like WashU, UMichigan, UCSF and a few others that have PSTPs (physician-scientist training programs). These are typically for residencies in medicine, (others include path and peds) and allow you to "fast-track" residency and give you guaranteed funding for research during residency. Typically you do research for 1-2 years with minimal clinical responsibilities. You don't do a post-doc but a fellowship with a research component. Often these programs give you your choice of fellowship- which can be a big deal with competitive fellowships like cards, GI, dermpath, etc.

 

[QofQuimica]

What are the best MD/PhD combinations that are a viable fit for MD/PhDs. I have heard that ppl in the ROAD careers are able to achieve PhDs, but what are their PhDs in and in what other MD fields is it feasible to achieve an MD/PhD? Thanks.

I don't know about the other specialties you mentioned, but there are relatively few MD/PhDs in anesthesiology. I have met one who got his PhD in pharm (great combo IMO) and another with a PhD in BME (also cool b/c he works on anesthesia devices for the OR).