Commitment anxiety

[mdphdpleaseee]

I am ecstatic after getting accepted to MD PhD programs! I put in a lot of time with both research and patient care, as well as shadowing physician scientists to make sure this was a good fit for me.

However, as I consider making a decision on which school I am going to, I have begun to have a lot of anxiety over committing 8 years of my life to one program. I will spend the rest of my 20's pursuing this, and am worried about making the wrong decision. Moreover, I worry about going through all of this training, only to end up having an unsuccessful career. Since its such a hard program, is having concerns before I even start a bad sign?

Have any other MD PhD students had these concerns and then ended up happy once their training started?

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[anotherro]

Not a bad sign. At all. But you are out way in front. Your career is at least a decade away! Sometimes it helps to think about what you have more control over in the immediate future. Focus on your decision to an MD/PhD program. It may help you reduce your worry to make a spreadsheet and think of your values and what matters to you, and rank the programs you are considering based on those values. This may help to give you a sense of more control over what is to come. If you can, maybe visit some of the schools. Also, it is normal to be worried about committing to something for the next 8 years. But remember you are not the first or last person to walk this road. you are joining the ranks of impressive people who had similar fears and worries as you. They got through it. So will you. One day at a time. Sometimes one minute at a time. You are not alone. But if the thoughts and worries are persistent, outside help in one form or another may be useful and are not shameful.

Cheers and congratulations!

 

[mdphdpleaseee]

Thank you! It helps to know other people have had similar worries and gotten through the program!

 

[mszzeta]

I am ecstatic after getting accepted to MD PhD programs! I put in a lot of time with both research and patient care, as well as shadowing physician scientists to make sure this was a good fit for me.

However, as I consider making a decision on which school I am going to, I have begun to have a lot of anxiety over committing 8 years of my life to one program. I will spend the rest of my 20's pursuing this, and am worried about making the wrong decision. Moreover, I worry about going through all of this training, only to end up having an unsuccessful career. Since its such a hard program, is having concerns before I even start a bad sign?

Have any other MD PhD students had these concerns and then ended up happy once their training started?

For research itself, there is always a risk of discovering nothing, which is the inherent risk of research itself. And the success of your research career will also depend heavily on the support from your mentors, which is to some degree not completely in your control. Your anxiety is completely normal and understandable

After graduating from your MD/PhD, there is literally any time point (residency, fellow, faculty, etc...) that you can quit and simply be a practicing MD who can make a lot more money than a physician-scientist (or go to pharm company). Quitting the PhD part during your program should also be possible but you may need to pay the full MD tuition, just like your other classmates.

It is essentially an existentialism question. About what you really want in your life. This is a very hard question that most people can only answer them after they have the exposure and experience, and see how things go