Clinical Research v. Scientific Research

[DoubleHelix]

Hello,

I am interested in research if and when I become an MD. Would you please help with the following questions:

First, what are the differences between clinical research and scientific research?

Second, what are the differences between MD and MD/PhD to be able to do clinical and/or scientific research?

Also, I understand that the MD/PhD is very difficult to obtain. However, I heard that America only has a totally of about 50 seats available across all school. Is this true?

Thank you in advance

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[CaptYossarian]

First, what are the differences between clinical research and scientific research?

Clinical research generally means conducting studies with human patients (drug trials, health risks, etc.) Scientific research involves benchwork and generally a greater in-depth knowledge of the problem being studied.

Second, what are the differences between MD and MD/PhD to be able to do clinical and/or scientific research?

Both can do both types of research. MD/PhDs a generally more interested in scientific research, but there are schools that offer clinical research focuses (Mt. Sinai, for one). However, MDs have to do extra research fellowships to get the necessary research background, which ends up taking about as long as an MD/PhD. And they graduate with loans, which puts pressure on them to practice rather than to research.

Also, I understand that the MD/PhD is very difficult to obtain. However, I heard that America only has a totally of about 50 seats available across all school. Is this true?

Yes, it's difficult--see the "what are my chances" sticky in this forum. But since there are at least 40 md/phd programs in the country, there are way more than 50 seats.

 

[vc7777]

MD/PhDs a generally more interested in scientific research, but there are schools that offer clinical research focuses (Mt. Sinai, for one). However, MDs have to do extra research fellowships to get the necessary research background, which ends up taking about as long as an MD/PhD. And they graduate with loans, which puts pressure on them to practice rather than to research.

Don't forget translational research too.

I'd like to briefly point out there are MD/MS programs that do prepare you for careers in research as well - some which are tuition free. I would generally say these programs are more focused on preparing you for a clinical or translational career

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[michaelrack]

First, what are the differences between clinical research and scientific research?
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It would be more accurate to use the term "basic" rather than "scientific"

 

[QofQuimica]

It would be more accurate to use the term "basic" rather than "scientific"

Agree. Clinical research and basic research are two subtypes of scientific research.

 

[DoubleHelix]

Thanks everyone!

Thanks vc7777. This is the first time I heard about translational research. According to NIH, it is the ongoing and feedback study from "bench-to-bedside". Is this correct? This is very interesting. Are you doing or planning on doing this? Please tell me what you think about it, and how it fits your personally.


And, Thanks CaptYossarian. Does this mean that in clinical research, the doctor collects, reviews and analyzes patient data, and then, draw conclusions - all without wet lab work. If so, what would be the difference between clinical research and public health studies?


Also, how does doing research during undergrad count towards these fields?


Thanks!!!

 

[catlady]

This pretty much sums it up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbODigCZqL8&feature=player_embedded

 

[MNIkid87]

Does this mean that in clinical research, the doctor collects, reviews and analyzes patient data, and then, draw conclusions - all without wet lab work. If so, what would be the difference between clinical research and public health studies?

Yes and no. Collecting data from patient charts and analyzing it (which is called "chart review") is part of clinical research, but doesn't sum it up. Taking huge amounts of data from a big database and analyzing it is epidemiological (aka public health) research, and not clinical research.

Clinical research can contain much much more than chart reviews. For example, clinical research can include the testing of two different treatment modalities for a given problem and comparing which one works better, it can even include some wet bench stuff (e.g. analyzing a tissue sample and correlating whatever you analyze it for with certain patient variables / health outcomes). The extremes regarding basic science and clinical research are easily to distinguish (e.g. chart review vs. looking at the structure of a given protein), however the borders between the two can get quite fuzzy, which is kind of the whole bench-to-bedside approach in my opinion.

 

[vc7777]

Thanks everyone!

Thanks vc7777. This is the first time I heard about translational research. According to NIH, it is the ongoing and feedback study from "bench-to-bedside". Is this correct? This is very interesting. Are you doing or planning on doing this? Please tell me what you think about it, and how it fits your personally.

Also, how does doing research during undergrad count towards these fields?


Thanks!!!

Remember, these are somewhat arbitrary constructs used to help classify research. It really is a spectrum from very basic to strictly clinical work ('basic' is NOT to be confused with 'simplistic' - to the contrary!) Often, labs and groups that develop novel basic research tools are the very ones who carry the work forward into the clinical realm.

In short, translational research is similar to "applied physics" or "Developmental engineering". This is typically the first "real world" testing of a concept - in each case the ideas that were "proven" in a basic research setting are applied to actual patient populations under realistic conditions carefully constructed to test efficacy. Also, it can go the other way too - interesting or unexplained observations in a clinical setting can be leveraged to drive basic research. (I believe such is the case with the discovery by a medical student decades ago that furosemide is a powerful loop diuretic).

While it may seem obvious - there must be a formalized and constant communication between researchers and clinicians to allow orderly transfer of ideas back and forth.

I am not doing any research currently - but I am considering such a path for my career. Partially because it is a space I am familiar with as an engineer.

For example, I once spent almost 3 years working on an engineer's thesis experiment and tried to make it actually 1) robust 2) reliable 3) manufacturable 4) user friendly. I see many parallels in translational research.

Why choose it? First - careers are what you define them as. This isn't per se a job description you will find posted somewhere. Personally, I intend to make my career a more 50-50 split of clinical and research obligations - and I hope they "dovetail" nicely.