Clinical research

[POWP]

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Is it safe to say that clinical research is more mundane than basic scientific research?

...also im interested in neuroscience...how realistic is it to do clinically relevant basic science research in the lab?

i want to do md/phd b/c im sure that i will get bored with seeing patients only, but not sure if I will want to do clinical or basic research yet.

 

[bd4727]

Is it safe to say that clinical research is more mundane than basic scientific research? .

No

...also im interested in neuroscience...how realistic is it to do clinically relevant basic science research in the lab? .

Very

i want to do md/phd b/c im sure that i will get bored with seeing patients only, but not sure if I will want to do clinical or basic research yet.

Not to sound too harsh, but wanting to do an MD/PhD bc "I am sure I will get bored with seeing patients only" may be the worst reason for doing MD/PhD I have ever heard. If this is truly the reason why you are interested in MD/PhD you will hate life.

 

[fairalexfield]

You can do plenty with an MD that isn't patient oriented from administration, clinical research, to teaching. You don't need a PhD to 'do something else.'

 

[Tradewind]

Is it safe to say that clinical research is more mundane than basic scientific research?

Yes.

...also im interested in neuroscience...how realistic is it to do clinically relevant basic science research in the lab?

Very.

i want to do md/phd b/c im sure that i will get bored with seeing patients only, but not sure if I will want to do clinical or basic research yet.

This is among the smartest reasons I've heard for working toward an MD/PhD. However, if you're ONLY interested in highly clinical work, I'm not as sure you need a PhD. Having a PhD in other areas of science can help a lot.

 

[CielloStelatto]

seems we have some dissent in the room

 

[POWP]

Well I am obviously not doing it simply for "something else" to do. I love science and the process of discovery...it's just a part of who I am. I'm scared that treating patients will become rather routine and I won't get to use the kind of creativity I desire on a daily basis.

I know i enjoy basic science research, and I don't have any clinical research experience to decide...maybe I'll get a clinical research job this year 🙂 that should do the trick.

 

[bd4727]

Well I am obviously not doing it simply for "something else" to do. I love science and the process of discovery...it's just a part of who I am. I'm scared that treating patients will become rather routine and I won't get to use the kind of creativity I desire on a daily basis.

I know i enjoy basic science research, and I don't have any clinical research experience to decide...maybe I'll get a clinical research job this year 🙂 that should do the trick.

Well then this is opposite of what you said in your original post. If you are interested in maybe doing a bit of research on the side but mainly be a clinician, PhD will be a waste of your time and you will really regret your decision during the middle of your PhD years when the going gets tough and it is not for something you really want to pursue anyway.

 

[POWP]

I am little worried about that...but I have heard that its possible for do mainly clinical work with some research on the side....for example if you become a member of a large lab, where you don't have to take all the grant writing/funding responsibilities...that's something I would not mind.

 

[Neuronix]

I am little worried about that...but I have heard that its possible for do mainly clinical work with some research on the side....

Of course that's possible. But you don't need the PhD for this and that's not the goal of MD/PhD programs. The goal is a majority research career. If you don't see yourself doing that now, don't do MD/PhD, because it's even more unlikely that you're going to come around to research later.

 

[gbwillner]

I concur with Tradewind.