Clinical experience for MD/Ph.D researchers

[7331poas]

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Hello,

I was wondering if someone could maybe explain the idea behind the expectation for applicants to put time into clinical volunteering who have no intention of practicing clinical medicine? Personally I would rather spend more time in the lab attempting to get results in whatever project we are on.

I think I may be uninformed or just have the wrong idea.

Thanks.

 

[Axes]

A medical school adcom would likely say that if you have no intention to practice clinical medicine, skip the MD and just get a PhD.

 

[tantacles]

Hello,

I was wondering if someone could maybe explain the idea behind the expectation for applicants to put time into clinical volunteering who have no intention of practicing clinical medicine? Personally I would rather spend more time in the lab attempting to get results in whatever project we are on.

I think I may be uninformed or just have the wrong idea.

Thanks.

Here's the problem. If you choose to do an MD, you're going to be forced to practice clinical medicine for at least 1 year. During that year, you have the potential to severely sour the relationship between the hospital and its patients, and if you're awful, they may fail you and then you'll tank a school's graduation rate. So at the very least, they want to know that you're going to be able to function well with patients for at least one year. So get some clinical experience if you want to go to medical school.

I understand the utility of going to medical school if you don't plan to practice clinical medicine, but do you plan to at least do a residency? That's something your medical school wants as well, even if you ultimately plan to go into research.

 

[LizzyM]

Funny thing: some people who are admitted to MD/PhD with virtually no clinical exposure and no intention of practicing medicine get into the clerkships in third year and find out that they LOVE it. They love the patients, they love patient-care, they love clinical service, and they don't want to go back to the lab. They end up being a "failure" for the MD/PhD program because they eat up all the resources intended for the next generation of physician-scientists and just end up being one more clinician.

 

[7331poas]

Funny thing: some people who are admitted to MD/PhD with virtually no clinical exposure and no intention of practicing medicine get into the clerkships in third year and find out that they LOVE it. They love the patients, they love patient-care, they love clinical service, and they don't want to go back to the lab. They end up being a "failure" for the MD/PhD program because they eat up all the resources intended for the next generation of physician-scientists and just end up being one more clinician.

Interesting. I think this is one perspective I wasn't considering

 

[NickNaylor]

If you have absolutely zero interest in clinical medicine, then the MD/PhD program is not for you. Yes, the "expected" trajectory for someone that completes that program is a research-focused career, but that doesn't mean 0% clinical time - maybe 10-20%. Otherwise, what's the point of getting the MD?