can I get a Ph.D as a post-doc?

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WorkaholicsAnon

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I know, sounds a little nonsensical. The story is, I have an MD. I'm finishing up residency. Have a research post-doc lined up at the NIH. Want to ultimately have a research career, so would like to get a ph.d, but i would prefer to get paid my post-doc salary as opposed to the grad student salary which would be half that. Anyone ever hear of post-docs doing the GPP or something like that?

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I know, sounds a little nonsensical. The story is, I have an MD. I'm finishing up residency. Have a research post-doc lined up at the NIH. Want to ultimately have a research career, so would like to get a ph.d, but i would prefer to get paid my post-doc salary as opposed to the grad student salary which would be half that. Anyone ever hear of post-docs doing the GPP or something like that?

Just do the post-doc. The PhD does nothing for you here, except "officialize" your research experience. You'll have to deal with BS coursework, qualifier, writing a thesis, etc.
 
I heard that there are some fellowships where you can also get your phd simultaneously. Not sure where though.
 
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Hi, I don't think you will be able to get paid as a post-doc while getting a PhD. PhD students are PhD students and the salaries are pretty standardized (occasionally people get a little more through obtaining a fellowship). I have known MDs (mostly FMGs) who went on to get PhDs and there is no difference between their status/stipend.

You'd probably be better off just doing your NIH postdoc. You don't really need to get the PhD at this point in your training and there are many MDs who do solid bench research through the same track you are doing.

So, the answer to your question is it is most likely not possible.

I have never heard of a PhD as part of a residency (I know of a surgery resident getting a PhD but as a special dispensation, not an official "track") - there are combined masters/fellowship programs (usuallly MPH).
 
Hi, I don't think you will be able to get paid as a post-doc while getting a PhD. PhD students are PhD students and the salaries are pretty standardized (occasionally people get a little more through obtaining a fellowship). I have known MDs (mostly FMGs) who went on to get PhDs and there is no difference between their status/stipend.

You'd probably be better off just doing your NIH postdoc. You don't really need to get the PhD at this point in your training and there are many MDs who do solid bench research through the same track you are doing.

So, the answer to your question is it is most likely not possible.

I have never heard of a PhD as part of a residency (I know of a surgery resident getting a PhD but as a special dispensation, not an official "track") - there are combined masters/fellowship programs (usuallly MPH).

UTHSCSA has a Surgery Residency/Physiology PhD combined program and a Radiology Resiency/PhD program. I believe Stanford has a Surgery/PhD option as well. I'm sure there are many more, but these are the two I've stumbled upon without looking.

Residency/PhD is probably pretty easy to find. A fellowship/PhD would probably be a bit more difficult...
 
There may not always be official programs with residency/PhD but your school may be happy to set up an informal one for you. Some official programs are at Yale, where you get a PhD in investigative medicine, and UCLA and Mayo also have something like that.
 
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Yes, you can get a Ph.D. as part of a variety of post-M.D. programs. Look up UCLA's STAR program or UCSD's Physician-Scientist Training Program. You can get paid at the appropriate PGY postdoc level and earn a Ph.D.
 
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