Confused of what path to take

[Everglore]

Hey fellow SDN s

I am new here . I am an international MD with masters in Hematology/Oncology who is confused as what to do next in my career . I will quit medicine that is for sure so now I am working in University of Cincinnati in a Lab . I like research a lot especially in Cancer ( pre-clinical and clinical research) . I don’t want to work as a physician anymore ( haven’t done any usmle yet also ) , As I don’t want to deal with patients anymore

I did also like Healthcare management cause I like planning and making strategies , working to improve Health sytem etc…

So I would like to hear more about the career of Research ( lifestyle , money , job descriptions like the pros n cons)

Also The same with HMP or healthcare management As I want to do masters in one of them or both if there is a combined masters for that….I am only going for masters though . No PhD .

I am also a US citizen .

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[Fencer]

In health care management, there will be a glass ceiling because you don't have a medical license. In academic research, you will be less desirable because you don't want a PhD.

MHA will allow you to serve in hospital depts of quality control and the like, but without a medical license, it is unlikely that you can become the director of such dept.

Salaries vary a lot, but will be generally speaking less than practicing or academic physicians. PhDs as assistant professors in basic science depts would be making about 85K with many hours and highly stressful lives. However, highly enjoyable if you love science.

Many states have salaries posted online...

 

[Everglore]

Thanks for the reply .

Can you tell me more about the career of research ( preclinical , clinical and translational) Am I going to be at the Lab most of the time only ? plus are you saying that I need to do the USMLE to work in Health care management ?

MHA is like masters right ? what about the industry ? I can do research in the industry right with my M.D and masters let 's say in Cancer Biology which I am also interested in if I went through the research path .

How much are pharmaceutical companies going to give me if I indulged into industry research department ?

Guys If you have more in depth insights about my original post , please let me know

 

[Everglore]

I am also looking for balanced life style or at least not as a physician where you spend most of your life in the hospital . I want to be leaving work at 5 at least 2 or 3 days per week . However
I do like research a lot especially in Cancer and preclinical dept so I have no problem with stress at times....What i Hated about medicine the most is too much studying ...

 

[Fencer]

For most administration careers, in academia or industry, the idea is that the administrative leaders have similar minimal credentials than the personnel who is been administrated. Getting a medical license may take passing USMLE and doing one year of internship.

For research careers in basic science, in academia, you will need a PhD

For research career in industry, you will need to do several years of MD postdoctoral research work to have a shot.

In all of these careers, only having a MS and MD, would not be sufficient for the top jobs in those industries. I don't doubt that you can find some niche with MD MS as director of a core research facility after some additional post-doc work, but at minimum, you will do several years of successful MD postdoctoral research.

 

[Everglore]

so what you mean is I can't get into industry in the top places until I have finished my PhD and post doc ?

about administrative positions , I am an International M.D , that may help right ? also can you tell me about Health care management work and career ?

Plus what does the career of pre-clinical and translational research consists of ? how much will i be getting if i went to the industry ? not to mention that I am working now in this at University of Cincinnati Lab as a volunteer so this may also help right ?

 

[pazzer2]

Hi Everglore,

To get a job in the pharma industry you first need the following:

1) finish a residency and fellowship
2) get research experience in clinical trials

Without #1 and #2 above it will be difficult for you to land a job. As a hiring manager I see dozens of resumes. Fortunately for you the area of heme/onc is burgeoning. Lots of pharma companies are investing in oncology drugs. They need more MDs with clinical research experience to manage these trials. Being an international MD really doesn't hurt you at all (assuming of course you have done your residency and fellowship somewhere).

If you want to get in the pharma industry without having done a fellowship then it is more difficult but still possible. See my earlier posts. But briefly there are only 3 options 1) Work at FDA or other health authority for a couple of years 2) Work as a medical monitor at a small biotech or CRO who is willing to teach you 3) Work as a sub investigator at a well known research site that does a lot of industry sponsored pharma trials -- look at Centerwatch.org for details.

Hope this helps

 

[dl2dp2]

Hi Everglore,

To get a job in the pharma industry you first need the following:

1) finish a residency and fellowship
2) get research experience in clinical trials


Hope this helps

Hi pazzer,

as a hiring manager perhaps you can give us some more illuminating information. A physician who completed a residency and fellowship can theoretically 200-300k. Does a pharma company want to match this and more? What would be the incentive for a fully trained subspecialist with research training to transition to pharma? Esp. considering a senior VP at a pharma company don't get paid as much. Secondly, what's the career prospect for a clinical trialist at a pharma company? Do they ever get promoted to senior management?

 

[Everglore]

Hey pazzer2

Thanks a lot for the immediate feedback .

I am still confused as what to do next between research and the Health care management and being a consultant . But having been working in research those couple of months . I really like the fact that I can make stories with genes and cell lines . I am now working in Univ. of Cincinnati Lab in pre-clinial and translational research plus I also help in clinical trials of phase I Oncology drugs .

So My question is you are working in the Research department in the company you are at right ? Can you describe your usual day ? Am I going usually to work in the Lab only ? or I can still get promoted let 's say in leadership positions ? not that i like sales . I just don't like to stay in the Lab most of the time .

Well a Background about me ...

I am an international MD . My residency was in Internal medicine then I worked as a medical oncologist resident and then in Haem/Onc with a Bone Marrow Transplantation unit where i finished my masters . I m aware of a lot of pharmaceutical companies and their work .

I will be working where I am now for 6 months to a year as a volunteer but I need to speed up so If this is my resume and also I want to do masters in either Cancer cell Biology or HMP .

Can you tell me the masters will make it more easier to get a job in a industry ? or is it better to do a masters in Public health ( HMP )

But foremost please decribe your usual day or if you are not working in research dept , if you can describe a day for an MD that is working there....

Thanks a lot

 

[Everglore]

No more clinical for me...

Now I have 2 options...

either work in a pharmaceutical company in the R & D where i can do research that i like and at the same meet with people , discuss plans and strategies , some marketing skills ... Am I right pazzer or I will only be stuck in the Lab which may sound boring for me ...

or

Pursue a career in Health care management something that I also like alot that involves planning , managing not in a Hospital though but rather in organizations...leadership etc....

Can any of you guys who are in the same path help out ?

 

[pazzer2]

Everglore - if going back and finishing your residency/fellowship is not an option then career options in the Pharma industry with Phase 1-4 human trials will be limited.

You can of course still probably find a job in the preclinical/toxicology area, but these areas tend to be dominated by non-MDs. Without a PhD in hard core science you will be at a certain disadvantage.

I don't know much about careers in healthcare management, but I assume this is a viable option for you as well, but it is quite unlike pharma.

SLUOX: the average starting salary for associate director (MDs) who work in clinical trials is approx $195 K plus bonus and stock options. Once you move up the ladder, then the pay obviously increases. The salary for the senior most physician at these companies is all public information, and can be found online. Forest Laboratories for example, the CMO makes approx $2.5M per year. If you are motivated and work hard, you can move up the ladder. It will be unlikely for you to ever reach CEO level, but chief medical officer or SVP on the clinical side is a definite possibility. These positions fetch over $1M per year.

If starting your career and deciding upon 1) pharma industry vs 2) private practice, the starting salary as a subspecialist in private practice is obviously higher than what you can make in pharma. But assuming job growth, the ending salaries will be much higher for pharma vs private practice. No insurance headaches, staying up all night for calls, or malpractice woes either.

 

[Everglore]

hey pazzer2

I have finished my fellowship and residency already in a foreign country with masters in Haem/Oncology.

I am also working now in translational research as a volunteer but also knowing a lot of Docs in Haem/Onc . I am participating in Phase I clinical trials as well as writing protocols . I also have a meeting with one of the important positions in a Big Pharmaceutical company next month . he talked to me on the phone and he will come to meet me .

Are you sure that my options are limited in industry ? plus that 's why I wanted to do masters !! are you saying that only a phD will hire me ?

 

[Everglore]

I meant a lab in a university at US . also phase I trials in US .