Chemistry in Medical Field?

[chemdocz]

Hello!

So, I'm majoring in Chemistry in college, and I really like it, but I plan to apply to medical school (no grad school for me!). I was wondering if there was any way I could do both Chemistry and be in the medical field. Is there a way for me to be able to do both, or do I have to drop the chem part?

Thanks!

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[phunky]

You could go into a chemistry-heavy field like hematology. Our you could do an MD/PHD

 

[kyamh]

I don't understand your question...

Are you asking if you can do chem research without a PhD? The answer is yes, you just have to find a PI who will take you on as a "post-doc" with an MD. The trick is that you have to continue to be involved in research (and publish + present your research) throughout medical school.

Are you asking whether you can incorporate chemistry into the medical field? What about a career in industry?

I guess the reason I am confused is that I don't understand what your goals are. Do you want to actually work as a physician? Then there isn't much chemistry there. Do you know what a physician does day to day? Do you know what career options there are with chemistry and what those careers look like day to day?

First you need to figure out what you want to be doing day in and day out and then you need to figure out what schooling you need to achieve that.

 

[QofQuimica]

Hello!

So, I'm majoring in Chemistry in college, and I really like it, but I plan to apply to medical school (no grad school for me!). I was wondering if there was any way I could do both Chemistry and be in the medical field. Is there a way for me to be able to do both, or do I have to drop the chem part?

Thanks!

I'm an MD/PhD in pharmaceutical (organic) chemistry. There are definitely certain specialties and subspecialties that are more chemistry-heavy versus others. What kind of chemistry are you interested in? Pharmaceutical chemistry and biochemistry lend themselves well to several specialties, including anesthesiology, psychiatry (especially addiction medicine and psychopharm), toxicology (subspecialty entered via peds, EM or occupational medicine), and yes, various IM subspecialties like heme/onc or genetics. If it's analytical chemistry you like, you could consider pathology (clinical chemistry/lab medicine). There isn't as much overlap for inorganic or p chem, but you might be able to find a niche in something like medical informatics or PM&R. There are probably other possibilities too.